[QUOTE]ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey (AP) -- Craig Callaway walked into federal court with his head held high and his middle finger raised even higher.
After his supporters were done cursing, pushing and shoving reporters, the disgraced former Atlantic City Council president offered up a populist twist on the latest in a seemingly endless string of political corruption cases in New Jersey: He said he took bribes "for the people."
The explanation didn't impress a federal judge, who on Tuesday sentenced the 47-year-old head of a political crew to 40 months in prison.
He admitted to taking five bribes from Terry Jacobs, a contractor secretly working as an FBI informant.
U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie said Callaway's actions were disgraceful and harmful to the public's faith in government.
"Callaway posed as an honest public official," Christie said. "In reality, he is a fraud -- among the worst that public life in New Jersey has to offer."
Callaway rose from gadfly to one of the most powerful political forces in the city. He was elected to the city council in 2002 and became president the next year.
"The reason why I had a good relationship with the informant is because Mr. Jacobs was doing the right thing for the people of Atlantic City," Callaway told the judge. "He hired local people, he empowered them economically.
"I just wanted to help the people," he added. "They are the real victims."
Callaway did not explain how pocketing $36,000 in bribes helped the people he represented. His lawyer, Jeremy Frey, told the judge that at least Callaway did not bother to try to disguise the bribes as campaign contributions, and asked for some credit for his client not being disingenuous.
But U.S. District Judge Joseph Rodriguez took into account that while Callaway was out on bail awaiting sentencing he set up a rival councilman to be filmed having sex with a prostitute and tried to blackmail him into resigning.
The bluster and defiance Callaway projected outside the courthouse vanished once he was inside, standing at a wooden lectern, wearing a cream-colored sweater and asking the judge to go easy on him.
The man who routinely showed up at opponents' political events with a bullhorn to drown them out, and who once threw a brick through an opposing candidate's windshield, blinked back tears as he spoke, and his voice choked up at several spots.
"I stand before you today extremely remorseful, with a heavy heart," Callaway told the judge.
He was taken into custody immediately after the court hearing. He also was fined $1,000 and barred from holding or seeking public office again.
"I am very zealous, very passionate when it comes to representing the people who have been left out of the process. I didn't conform to the law," Callaway told the judge. "I tried to make my own rules to make things better for the people who have been left out."
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Bwahahahaha! Took bribes for the people? To help the people? How in the hell does you taking bribes help anybody but yourself? My god with the way this guy acted and with the past this guy has had he need to be in jail for more than 40 months.
[QUOTE]"I am very zealous, very passionate when it comes to representing the people who have been left out of the process. I didn't conform to the law," Callaway told the judge. "I tried to make my own rules to make things better for the people who have been left out."[/QUOTE]
I am the law! /Judge Dread
Seriously all this guy is your typical slimey snake in the grass asshole who tries to back up the crimes they have committed by making it sound like he did it for the good of the people. When in reality he did it for the good of his pocketbook.
Think he will try the race card?