Fifty thousand dollars.
That’s how much Mayor Mark A. Lauretti’s influence costs, according to Andre Czaplinski, who testified Tuesday at the federal corruption trial for Shelton developer James Botti at U.S. District Court in New Haven.
Botti told Czaplinski he paid Lauretti $50,000 in cash for Lauretti’s help in persuading planning and zoning commissioners to approve Botti’s proposed retail development at 828 Bridgeport Ave., Czaplinski testified.
“He said, ‘Andy, I had to give the mayor $50,000 because I needed the votes for 828 Bridgeport Ave.,’” Czaplinksi testified. “I recall he said: ‘Andy, I had to bribe the guy. I needed the votes.’”
It’s the first time the exact amount of cash allegedly given to Lauretti has been identified. U.S. attorneys have only previously said Botti gave Lauretti cash and other favors in exchange for his influence.
Botti is on trial for conspiracy to defraud the citizens of Shelton, bribery of a public official and mail fraud.
A message was left seeking comment with Lauretti.
Lauretti, who has not been charged with a crime, spoke briefly about the allegations in an interview Friday.
Botti’s Buddy
Czaplinski’s testimony was especially revealing because he was very close with Botti between 2003 and 2006 – the time period government officials claim Botti bribed public officials.
Botti and Czaplinski had worked together on building projects for several years, but when Czaplinski opened a doughnut shop in the first floor of Botti’s office building, they began socializing every day.
Czaplinski recalled several different times Botti spoke of his relationship with Lauretti. On at least two occasions Czaplinski was present when Botti dropped off supplies or did a favor for Lauretti.
Czaplinski was granted immunity in exchange for his testimony.
Favors
Czaplinski said he was once driving with Botti when they made a quick stop to get picket fencing at Home Depot. They dropped off the fencing at Lauretti’s garage.
“Jim Botti said he would keep the receipt and give it to Mark Lauretti,” Czaplinski said.
Another time, Botti asked Czaplinksi to drive Botti’s backhoe to Lauretti’s house while he followed in his truck.
Czaplinski said he thought they were only dropping off the backhoe so Lauretti could have some city employees dig up bushes.
But instead, Botti started working in the back yard.
“Before you know it, Jim was operating the backhoe,” Czaplinski said. “Before you know it, Jim’s digging up the bushes and I’m moving the bushes.”
Botti also asked Czaplinski to cash a $10,000 check for him, something Czaplinski declined to do.
“He asked if I would give it back to him so he could give (the cash) to Mark Lauretti,” Czaplinski said.
On a separate instance, Botti asked Czaplinski to bring three cups of coffee to the storage garage in the parking lot next to his office and the doughnut shop.
Two of Lauretti’s cars — including one with a license plate that read “MAYOR” — were parked in the garage, Czaplinski said. Lauretti was installing an antenna onto one of the cars, Czaplinski said.
Botti later covered the license plate with a piece of cardboard, Czaplinski testified.
“He said ‘I can’t believe the mayor parked his car with the license plate facing the window so anyone can see it,’” Czaplinski testified.
Box of Cash
Czaplinski also reiterated testimony he gave during Botti’s first trial in November, when he detailed $870,000 in cash Botti stored in his office safe.
“Jim Botti said: ‘Andy, what I’m about to show you I’m going to swear you to secrecy. This is top secret,’” Czaplinski testified. “He then opened up the safe and pulled out a box of cash.”
The two proceeded to count a stack of $100 bills bound in a rubber band. There was $10,000 in the stack, Czaplinski said.
He said there were 87 such stacks in the box.
U.S. Attorney Richard Schechter asked Czaplinski how he could remember exactly how many stacks of $100 bills were in the box.
“It’s a lot of stacks of cash and just something hard to forget,” Czaplinski said.
Czaplinski testified that the incident with the cash happened after Botti admitted he was approached by two developers interested in purchasing 350 Bridgeport Ave. for $2 million cash.
Botti asked Czaplinski if he thought the offer was “an IRS sting.”
Planning and Zoning
Earlier Tuesday, Dow finished questioning former Planning and Zoning chairman Allan Cribbins. Former commissioner Jason Perillo, now a state representative, also took the stand.
Perillo said Lauretti approached him at a Flag Day picnic on June 16, 2006 to talk up the 828 Bridgeport Ave. proposal.
Perillo was one of two commissioners who ultimately voted against the project at a meeting on June 20.
“(Lauretti) made his argument as to why he thought it was a good project,” Perillo testified. “I just didn’t happen to agree.”
Perillo’s testimony shows that Lauretti spoke to at least one commissioner during the week between when deliberations on the project started and when the commission approved it.
U.S. attorneys are trying to prove that Botti paid Lauretti during that week to get his influence with the commission.
But, as Botti’s attorney William Dow II pointed out during cross examination, Perillo’s conversation with Lauretti didn’t amount to a command.
“Did he order you to vote a certain way?” Dow asked Perillo.
“No,” Perillo answered.
“Has he ever ordered you to vote in a certain way?” Dow asked.
“No,” Perillo said.
Wednesday
Schechter will complete his questioning of Czaplinski Wednesday morning and then Dow will have a chance to cross examine him.
