04142006 - News Article - Public officials get help at sentencings - Politicians doing battle in court rely increasingly on letter-writing support

Public officials get help at sentencings 

Politicians doing battle in court rely increasingly on letter-writing support

Post-Tribune (IN)
April 14, 2006

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.proxy.portagelibrary.info/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=11182B75E85827D0&p_docnum=34&p_queryname=1

Who knows if the volume of mail swayed the sentencing judge, but former North Township Trustee Greg Cvitkovich apparently pulled off one of the largest letter-writing campaigns in recent federal corruption trial history. 

Family and friends submitted 92 letters on Cvitkovich's behalf before he was sentenced Wednesday to five months in prison. He already had been forced to step down as township trustee in October, part of a plea agreement in which the U.S. Attorney agreed to drop one of two federal tax fraud charges. It didn't stop 27 former employees from submitting letters. 

Until Cvitkovich, former state Democratic Party Chairman Peter Manous may have set the standard for personal pleas. When he was sentenced on federal corruption charges in November 2004, his lawyers produced 66 pages of testimonials. The list included some of Lake County's political luminaries, such as Sheriff Roy Dominguez, Hobart Mayor Linda Buzinec and Lake Area United Way Executive Director Lou Martinez. 

They testified to his character and sat in the audience while the judge rendered his verdict. 

The biggest luminary in Cvitkovich's stack is Peter Auskel, a member of the township board. 

The list was vast and the messages often impassioned. Several letters go on for a page, telling of Cvitkovich's desire to help people in need as trustee. 

The most notorious name in the pile was Robert "Bobby" Cantrell. By Cantrell's own admission, Cvitkovich's downfall could have been caused, at least in part, by the additional federal scrutiny brought on the North Township trustee's office, when the trustee hired Cantrell. 

Federal agents have been investigating Cantrell, a legendary political fixer, for years, including his role at North Township, where he remains an office manager. 

Though Cantrell's presence may have put Cvitkovich out on a political limb, his letter is a breezy two paragraphs, in which he described the trustee as "a very likeable man with a friendly personality. He gets along well with all races of people, and I have never known him to do anything dishonest."