Mangano Corruption Retrial Set For Oct. 9
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) — The federal corruption retrial of former Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano and his wife, Linda, will begin Oct. 9.
U.S. District Judge Joan Azrack set the date Thursday.
Their first trial ended in a mistrial in May. A jury failed to reach a verdict after nine days of deliberations. Prosecutors say they'll retrial the Manganos on all charges.
The first trial lasted 12 weeks. This time, it's expected to take six.
"We are innocent people here and we are going to maintain that however long our system of justice takes. That's what we are relegated to," said Ed Mangano.
"It is what it is, we'll just go through it," Linda Mangano added.
An indictment alleges that the Republican politician helped Long Island businessman Harendra Singh obtain guaranteed loans in exchange for lavish gifts.
Prosecutors say Linda Mangano was given a $100,000-a-year, no-show job at one of Singh's restaurants.
The Manganos said that any favors were because of their personal ties with Singh.
"When the federal government spends this kind of money, time and resources on a prosecution, they don't like to miss. So it doesn't surprise me in the slightest that they're going to take another shot," Long Island political strategist Michael Dawidziak told CBS2's Jennifer McLogan.
Conservative consultant George Marlin said Dean Skelos and Sheldon Silver are being retried, so should the Manganos.
"It's worth the cost to send a message to the politicians, particularly in Nassau which corruption has been epidemic in this area, to say enough is enough," he said.
The jury acquitting co-defendant John Venditto, the former Oyster Bay town supervisor, of all 27 charges against him.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)