Russo has a change of heart...

Thursday, December 16, 2010

“Russo changes mind, agrees to cooperate” was the headline greeting PD readers Thursday morning. I remember when I first read that Russo had pleaded guilty to 21 corruption-related charges and would be serving 22 years behind bars, but that, as part of his deal, he would not be testifying against Jimmy Dimora, or anyone else. I suppose, if Dimora was guilty, this would have emboldened him to continue to claim total innocence and vow to fight to clear his name.

Now…maybe after giving some hard thought to exactly how long 22 years is and what it means to spend that time locked away, Russo has had a change of heart. He’s ready to testify to what he knows about those who aided and abetted his criminal activities over the last dozen years or so, and I imagine Dimora is in his cross hairs. The Feds what that guy…and who could blame them? If Russo is their key, you can bet he’s going to get some serious time lopped from his sentence. I don’t know exactly how I feel about that yet, but I suppose it could save the taxpayers…the ones this scum has already pilfered for millions…a little money if Dimora pleads guilty and doesn’t go through with an expensive trial.

Russo offered an apology for his actions to the people of Cuyahoga County saying “my brothers and I were brought up to be honest and always act in an ethical way. I cannot identify the exact time that I strayed from this directive, but there came a point in my life when I made a decision to act in a fashion that I can now say was terribly wrong, which I truly regret.” He has been ordered to repay $7 million dollars, as well. I suppose it’s a good thing that he is apologizing, but wow…he stole $7 million dollars from the taxpayers? I’m having trouble getting my head around how he did it for so long and without someone knowing and blowing the whistle earlier. Anyway, I hope he does do the right thing going forward and rats the hell out of the others involved in his conspiracy and they all get what’s coming them. No honor amongst thieves.

My mother-in-law took a bad fall the other day and is in UH for hip replacement surgery as a result. Holly and I have spent a couple of days doing things we don’t normally do and sleeping less as a result. I offer this as my excuse for not getting to my workout, though it is weak. I was home yesterday evening with enough time to eat and watch some TV, but couldn’t muster the energy to ride the bike and went to bed instead. Life…and my lack of willpower…gets in the way from time to time.