01282019 - News Article - Snyder's lawyer: 'Hard feelings' spurred probe into Portage mayor's alleged wrongdoing

Snyder's lawyer: 'Hard feelings' spurred probe into Portage mayor's alleged wrongdoing
NWI Times
January 28, 2019
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/snyder-s-lawyer-hard-feelings-spurred-probe-into-portage-mayor/article_189ad855-bd7c-5e24-8ac9-eee823d89fe8.html

HAMMOND — Portage Mayor James Snyder's lead attorney said wrongdoing didn't cause the FBI to open an investigation into his client's activities, but, instead, a former employee scorned.

"Your feelings got hurt because you didn't have input in that process?" attorney Jackie Bennett asked longtime former Portage Street Department Superintendent Steve Charnetzky Monday morning.

"Slight," Charnetzky replied.

Bennett continued his cross-examination of Charnetzky Monday morning in day eight of Snyder's public corruption trial in U.S. District Court.

Charnetzky approached the FBI in September 2013 to allege wrongdoings against Snyder, including the steering of garbage truck bids toward Great Lakes Peterbilt, a Portage truck dealership.

Snyder allegedly took a $13,000 bribe from the company in exchange for the city's purchasing five automated garbage trucks from the company.

It is one of two bribery charges the two-term mayor is facing. The second involves accepting a bribe to place a company on the city's tow list. Snyder also is charged with tax obstruction.

Charnetzky testified last week he went to the FBI, because he believed the bidding process for the garbage trucks was being done illegally, among other allegations. Charnetzky told the jury he was left out of the bidding process, which was unusual considering his tenure as street superintendent and experience of more than 30 years on the job.

Charnetzky testified Snyder gave the job to his assistant, Randy Reeder, and that at one point during the bid process, Reeder told him the mayor wanted Great Lakes Peterbilt to get the contract, no matter the price of their trucks.

Bennett began cross-examining Charnetzky Friday and continued Monday.

Bennett questioned Charnetzky about the bidding process, timeline of his reporting and meetings with the FBI, and the reasons for Charnetzky's termination in January 2016.