01212023 - News Article - Former Portage mayor facing prison time argues appeal of federal bribery, tax convictions

 

Former Portage mayor facing prison time argues appeal of federal bribery, tax convictions

NWI Times

January 21, 2023

https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/former-portage-mayor-facing-prison-time-argues-appeal-of-federal-bribery-tax-convictions/article_bc33bb80-b537-574c-9cb2-bd6cbed7ae30.html

CHICAGO — Just more than a year after former Republican Portage Mayor James Snyder was granted the right to remain out of prison while appealing his federal bribery and tax violation convictions, the 44-year-old was given his day in court.

Defense attorney Andréa E. Gambino argued Wednesday morning that the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago should vacate Snyder's convictions, in part, because of what she claims was a government intrusion into the attorney-client relationship as it pertains to the seizure of Snyder's personal and professional email accounts as part of the criminal investigation.

"What's the harm here?" one of the judges asked.

Gambino did not have a specific response, agreeing instead to the judge's suggestion that the panel presumes harm was done.

Federal prosecutor Debra Bonamici defended the government's multilayer screening process to combat the alleged intrusion.

When asked by a judge what would stop the government from future breaches if Snyder's conviction is allowed to stand, Bonamici said the filtering teams are motivated to maintain the integrity of prosecutions.

"It doesn't help the government ... to make mistakes," she said.

The court took the appeal under consideration and made no mention of how long a ruling would take.

Snyder, who has a 21-month prison sentencing hanging over his head, was found guilty twice — most recently in March 2021 — of soliciting and accepting a $13,000 bribe in 2014 in return for steering a $1.125 million contract for the purchase of garbage trucks for the city of Portage to the local Great Lakes Peterbilt company.

Federal prosecutors said he also obstructed the Internal Revenue Service’s efforts to collect unpaid taxes on a private mortgage company he ran.

"The evidence at trial did not support a finding beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Snyder had accepted a bribe or reward," Snyder's defense team argues.

Snyder further claims that his rights under the speedy-trial rules were violated and insufficient evidence was presented at trial.

Bonamici argued Wednesday that "ample evidence" was presented to prove the bribery charge.

She asked the court to affirm Snyder's conviction and sentence.