Former Milan adviser testifies about donation

By CLINT RILEY
Courier-Post staff
CAMDEN

Mayor Milton Milan demanded a $5,000 political contribution from a lawyer seeking reappointment as Camden's municipal public defender, a former Milan adviser testified in federal court Monday.

For more than three hours, Joseph S. Caruso detailed conversations he had with Milan between August and December 1997 about the reappointment of longtime Camden municipal public defender Elliott Stomel. Caruso, a one-time municipal prosecutor, served on Milan's transition team following the mayor's election in 1997.

Federal prosecutors bolstered Caruso's testimony with eight telephone conversations Stomel secretly recorded with Caruso concerning his reappointment.

``I'm going to the mat for you," Caruso tells Stomel in a Nov. 18, 1997 conversation after a delay in Stomel's s s s reappointment. ``I gave you my word, and my word came straight from (expletive) Milton's (expletive) mouth to my ( expletive) ears and he said it in front of two (expletive) people who will remain nameless right now.''

On Monday, Caruso identified those "nameless" people as Chuck Wigginton, his former law partner, and Greg Cooke, a former partner in a construction business. Cooke is to testify for the government today. Tues

After court on Monday, Milan, 38, dismissed Caruso's claim that he authorized the Stomel shakedown.

``It's obvious he is lying about almost everything he said,'' said Milan, who faces 19 corruption charges.

Caruso, 36, of Voorhees, pleaded guilty in January to violating the federal travel act in connection with soliciting the political contribution from Stomel. He agreed to testify against Milan as part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors.

Caruso, whose law license has been suspended since his plea, is awaiting sentencing.

Caruso said in court Monday that he first raised the subject of Stomel's reappointment with Milan while he and the mayor were driving to dinner in Pennsylvania on Aug. 19, 1997. He said Stomel previously had expressed concerns that Milan planned to appoint another attorney to the part- time, $30,000 post.

``He (Milan) wanted Elliott to make a $5,000 contribution to the McGreevey campaign,'' Caruso testified, noting that in late 1997 Milan was raising campaign funds for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jim McGreevey.

``And I said to him, `OK, well, listen, I'm going to go back to, I have your permission to go back and tell Elliott that,''' Caruso said. ``And I said, you know, `Don't make a fool out of me and don't jerk him (Stomel) around because that wasn't, that's not right.'''

Caruso said he insisted that Milan shake hands on the agreement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Bumb asked Caruso why he he demanded the handshake.

``Because Milton has a habit of reneging on his promises,'' Caruso said. ``I wanted, you know, it set in Milton's mind that he couldn't renege on his promise. I didn't want to be stuck in the middle of this situation.''

Unknown to Caruso at the time, Stomel had reported the alleged shakedown to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office, which placed recording devices on Stomel and his telephone to capture his conversations with Caruso. Investigators also provided Stomel with $5,000 to cover the contribution he gave Caruso.

In several recorded conversations, Stomel and Caruso discussed why the reappointment had not gone through despite the $5,000 payment.

``I mean he (Milan) just refuses to return a phone call," Caruso says. "I mean, he thinks he's the (expletive) pope. He's a really, really horrible businessman. And I can't make any excuses for him, Elliott.''

Caruso acknowledged that he hired Milan from November 1996 to June 1997, when Milan was Camden city council's president, to drum up business for one of his construction firms, Shai Daniels Group Ltd. Caruso testified he paid $ 600 a week to Milan, even though he never brought in any business.

Eventually, Caruso said, "He (Milan) wound up just coming to pick up his check."

Two contractors also testified Monday about their dealings with Milan.

Robert Casey Sr., whose family runs Delaware River Recycling in Camden, said Milan contacted him around April 1998 about doing some work at the mayor's home in East Camden. Casey, a political fund raiser for Milan, said he and a work crew spent three days at Milan's house. They removed a single-car garage, two trees and asphalt from a a driveway, he said.

Casey said he never charged the mayor for the work, which he valued at $3,000 to $4,000.

Bumb showed jurors a letter from Milan supporting Casey's bid for county and state approval to expand his recycling business.

Phil Worrell, president of James B. Ryan Inc., a heating and air conditioning company in Camden, said his firm installed an air-conditioning system in the mayor's house. A two-man crew needed six days to install the $3,346 system.

Worrell said he never discussed the mayor paying for the system, nor did he send him an invoice. At the time, Ryan held a lucrative three-year contract to maintain heating and air conditioning systems in city buildings.

Carlos Martir Jr., Milan's lead defense attorney, zeroed in on the fact the mayor never received a bill from either contractor.