01152019 - News Article - Mayor portrayed as schemer who funneled bribes, didn't think rules applied

Mayor portrayed as schemer who funneled bribes, didn't think rules applied
NWI Times
January 15, 2019
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/mayor-portrayed-as-schemer-who-funneled-bribes-didn-t-think/article_d8fb6dd7-b5fa-5b09-bf5d-5295ed053678.html

HAMMOND — Portage Mayor James Snyder is either a consummate schemer or the victim of revenge and an overreaching government.

Those widely contrasting portrayals of Snyder during the second day of his felony public corruption trial in Hammond federal came courtesy of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Koster and defense attorney Jackie Bennett.

Koster outlined the charges against Snyder to the jury along with evidence prosecutors expect to present during what is estimated to be a four-week trial.

Snyder "does not think rules applied to him," Koster said, telling jurors the embattled mayor attempted to hide thousands of dollars in debt to the IRS through an elaborate scheme. That scheme included establishing a shell company to hide money from federal investigators in order to avoid paying both personal and business taxes.

Koster also told them Snyder funneled about $1.1 million in contracts to a local business in exchange for receiving a $13,000 bribe and received another $12,000 bribe for securing a towing contract with former co-defendant John Cortina. Cortina pleaded guilty last week to one count of offering the bribe in exchange for being put on the city government's coveted list of towing operators.

Koster said Snyder steered contracts for automated garbage trucks to Great Lakes Peterbilt of Portage in return for the $13,000. The money, she said, was under the guise of health care and internet technology consulting. Yet Snyder is an expert in neither field and holds no state health care license, Koster said.

Bennett painted Snyder as someone who was "socialized a little bit differently," growing up in a fundamental religious home that didn't allow him to watch television or movies. That, Bennett said, causes Snyder to communicate differently.

Bennett also called the charges "false" and "bogus."

He told jurors federal investigators went to great lengths to find evidence against Snyder but have twisted the facts in each of the charges.

Bennett said political opponents within the city fueled the investigation.

Bennett also began to insinuate the entire investigation may be based on revenge, telling jurors about former Portage Police Chief Mark Becker, who, before becoming police chief served as an FBI agent for 30 years.

Becker wanted to stay chief when Snyder was elected mayor, Bennett said, but it was Snyder's intent to replace him.

"He told Snyder 'you are going to regret it,'" Bennett said before the statement drew one of several objections from Koster and Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Benson.

The two repeatedly objected to Bennett's statements, questioning the relevance of the information ranging from Snyder's childhood to the political make-up of the city.

U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen repeatedly told jurors to only consider information from the opening statement that could be supported by evidence as the trial continues.

Following the opening statements, prosecutors called their first witness, Elizabeth McQuen, a revenue officer with the Internal Revenue Service.

Witnesses were expected to be called throughout the afternoon as the trial continues.