LaGrotta: I entered plea for my family

February 6, 2008

By PAT LITOWITZ
New Castle News


Little sis wanted big brother to fight.

However, Frank LaGrotta refused to expose his sister, Ann Bartolomeo, and niece, Alissa Lemmon, to possible jail time.

On Monday, the former 10th District House representative pleaded guilty to two conflict-of-interest charges, both felonies.

"I'm mad. I want to go to jail. Cuff me. What they did to my brother was wrong," Bartolomeo said yesterday at LaGrotta's Ellwood City home.

"I'm mad at my family. I love him. I did what I had to for him. I saw him deteriorate. I would have gone to trial. I would have sold my home."

Her mother, Loretta LaGrotta, then chimed in.

"Ann, you think it's so easy."

Ending the exchange, her son said, "This is irrelevant, unless we're gonna put Alissa at any risk."

LaGrotta was sentenced to 30 months' probation, ordered to pay a $10,000 fine ($5,000 for each count) and $27,000 in restitution, and must perform 500 hours of community service. He is under house arrest for the next six months.

Bartolomeo and her daughter each pleaded no contest to one count of false swearing. Bartolomeo, 46, received 12 months' probation and a $3,000 fine. Lemmon, 24, was given 18 months' probation and also fined $3,000.

During his Dauphin County court appearance, the 49-year-old LaGrotta pleaded guilty to charges that he placed his relatives in state jobs that provided them thousands of dollars for little or no work.


REPAYMENT

Bartolomeo said she originally volunteered to archive LaGrotta's records. That work began in January 2006.

"I thought he was going to pay me out of his pocket, which he has done before," she said. "I said no. I'm more than glad to do this work for all you have done for me.

"I could just see him giving me a big wad of money out of his pocket because he's afraid I'm needy. I'm not needy."

After losing the May 2006 Democratic primary to Jaret Gibbons, LaGrotta said, he went to Mike Veon, who was the House Minority Whip at the time. He discussed finding jobs for former staffers Terry Shaffer and Kevin Bowser.

The subject of his sister's archiving work was also brought up.

"(Veon) said, 'Well, if Ann's doing it, we can pay her to finish it,' " LaGrotta recalled. Veon reportedly told LaGrotta to contact Lauren McClure, an administrative specialist with the House Democratic Caucus. The Beaver County legislator instructed LaGrotta to have the contract backdated and "when she's done with the contract we'll take her off of it."

Veon was unavailable last night for comment.

Bartolomeo said she wasn't interested in the money.

"Did I need the money? No," she said. "Anybody can always use extra money. It wasn't about the money. I wanted to help him out.

"We are not about money in this family."

Bartolomeo then pointed to a couch in the family room, located in the basement.

"That's the same couch we had when I was a little kid. At my poorest, when I had no money at all, I never realized I was needy."


'I'M GUILTY'

"My brother stood up there and said 'I'm guilty' for two reasons: for his sister and his niece," Bartolomeo said. "No other reason. In his heart he knows he's not guilty. He's done nothing wrong. He did it to save us.

"I would have gladly gone to jail rather than to have him admit guilt when he wasn't guilty. It's tough when you get down to my daughter."

LaGrotta agreed that he entered a guilty plea to protect his family. He feared that if he had fought the state, his sister and niece would face more serious charges.

"Krastek to his credit never said anything about ghost employees," LaGrotta said. "He said 'work that was not documented and at best exaggerated.' He never said 'work that was not performed'."

Senior Deputy Attorney General Anthony J. Krastek prosecuted the case for the state.

While he praised the attorney general's office for its professionalism in a difficult situation, LaGrotta said the plea arrangement he agreed to was changed the day the three were in court.

"I expected them to honor their commitments. I was extraordinarily disappointed."

LaGrotta claims the original plea had his sister and niece receiving minimal fines and minimal probation; he would be given one to two years of minimally restrictive probation; and because of the $27,000 owed in restitution, he would pay a smaller fine.

Ultimately, he said, the state told the former legislator that he must enter a guilty plea instead of "no contest," as he planned to do.

During early negotiations, Bartolomeo and Lemmon were supposed to be spared from prosecution, LaGrotta said.

"It was (Attorney General Tom) Corbett that insisted that they be prosecuted."

Corbett was unavailable last night for comment.

Despite the unexpected changes, LaGrotta said he will cooperate with Corbett's office on the House Democratic Caucus investigation. The probe involves bonuses paid to House employees, allegedly for performing campaign work.

More than $3.6 million in bonuses were paid to legislative staffers in 2005 and 2006 -- two-thirds of them by House Democrats.

WELCOMED

Bartolomeo thought about calling off work yesterday. She was concerned about the reaction of co-workers and students at Perry Township Elementary, where she is a kindergarten teacher.

"The minute I walked in the door ... everybody was hugging me," she said. "(Principal George) Garda came in and said 'It's over now. Right? It's over now.' "

Support also has come through e-mails, cards and letters.

"We'll do anything not to lose you as a teacher," the parent of a student wrote.

The Ellwood City Area School District administration said it will determine how Bartolomeo's sentence would affect her teaching credentials. However, she said she does not fear losing her job.

"My own building principal has been more than supportive and has supported me as a friend and a boss."

LaGrotta said he has no illusions about his chances for his employment.

"There's a certain stigma with someone who has a criminal record," he said.

LaGrotta said he is unable to enter the Catholic Church's three-year deacon program. The pastor of Holy Redeemer Church nominated LaGrotta. His admission had been approved by the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

"A criminal record ended that," he said.

AFTERMATH

LaGrotta has two weeks to repay the $27,000 owed to the state.

He said that once he learned of the investigation, he cashed his stock portfolio. He said there is approximately $30,000 remaining.

LaGrotta has applied to receive benefits from his state pension. He expects his first check to arrive in March.

As for his community service, he hopes to do something meaningful, such as teaching inmates or tutoring Frew Mill School students.

"I'll do whatever the law requires," he said. "I don't expect any special treatment.

"I'm going to survive the six months of house arrest. I'm going to survive the probation. I'm going to pay the fines and all the money I owe."

He said there are no plans to seek a pardon from Gov. Ed Rendell.

"It ain't going to happen," LaGrotta said. "I could ask for pardons from now until hell freezes over."

Calling himself naive for the last 20 years, LaGrotta questioned the power and fairness of the judicial system.

"In the larger scheme of things, I am a white, male, former state legislator," he said. "Very well educated with three degrees from Notre Dame, who had enough money to hire legal counsel.

"I don't think I was treated fairly. I am quite sure that people who are minorities, low income, with less education are getting abused by the justice system in this country every single day."

He said there is one image that will remain with him.

"The stigma that will stay with me for the rest of my life is watching Ann and Alissa up there saying they did something they didn't do."