I’ve witnessed some very poor behavior.” – The mayor’s Blue Suit to Josh Resnek
By JOSH RESNEK
“We have to stop meeting like this,” The Blue Suit said to me. He was concerned, looking from side to side to make sure the mayor wasn’t going to catch him talking to me.
“He’s going to slice me up, tear me apart, and toss me into the trash. I know he is,” the Blue Suit said.
“How do you know?” I asked.
‘I can tell by the way he looks at me, and tugs at me, and stretches me. He’s guaranteed pissed off at me,” said the Blue Suit.
“Look. You don’t want to risk him getting really angry because I know what the mayor is capable of,” I answered.
“I’m the one who knows what he’s capable of,” the Blue Suit insisted. “After all these years of being abused by him, I’d like out of his world. It is a dark world. Plus, I’m tired of being broke.”
“Is the mayor broke?” I asked.
“He never has cash reserves. He lives from week to week off his salary – and other things.”
“I can’t believe he’s broke. What other things?” I asked.
“You know, other things I can’t talk about in specific. I don’t want to get myself arrested or in the crosshairs of the FBI. Take it from me, there are other things that produce a steady round of income for the mayor.”
You mean he gets payoffs?” I asked. “Is that what you mean. I can’t believe that,” I answered. “Or should I believe that?”
“Josh, I’m not going to answer that question. It would be way out of bounds for me to pass judgement. He does own me.”
“Well, what is this extra money he receives?”
“It’s called with a little help from his friends and some of the people the city does business with on account of him. That’s as close as I’ll go to revealing exactly who pays him for what and how much…although I have written all of that down in a little black book the mayor doesn’t know about. He would not want the law getting a hold of that book. The folks who hand him cash in return for favorable rulings or all that stuff is like a who’s who of Everett and perhaps another dozen major actors who do major business with the city,” the Blue Suit said. “But no one will admit to it, ever. That’s how the scam works.”
The Blue Suit continued.
“Let’s face it, Josh. If you’re doing business with the city that’s the way it is. I’ve been there. I’ve seen it. I’ve also been with folks who refuse to play his game. That’s a real loser, for them,” he added.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“You don’t get work or contracts if you don’t play his game. “Is that a secret?” I joked with him. “At least you get what you want if you pay is what you’re telling me. A former Chelsea mayor who was indicted and who lost his right to practice law for accepting payoffs used to make people pay twice. That’s how they caught him. He was just too greedy. Carlo is greedy but he doesn’t make you pay twice. I know this for a fact. I am present when this stuff goes down,” the Blue Suit added.
“I can’t believe you’re telling me the truth. I can’t imagine the mayor taking a payoff that he failed to report to the IRS. Would never happen,” I added.
“Really, Josh. Have you lost your mind? One nice payment leads to a piece of city work in Everett. Nothing happens without the mayor’s approval and backing. A larger payment gets you a bigger prize. The bonus ball is for huge developments. Although I have to let you in on a secret.”
“Yeah. What’s that?” I asked.
“The biggest deals have already passed him by. The guy he did those deals with won’t speak with him anymore, won’t trust him, would beat him into the ground if he had the chance.”
“Who’s the guy?” I asked.
“No names Josh. Forget it, but he was businessman on the Parkway. The beauty of this guy, with whom the mayor did big business back when, is that absolutely no one trusts him. I shouldn’t make that claim. Some people trust him. Others hate him. This is who Carlo had a very lucrative relationship with for many years, including during his mayoralty,” the Blue Suit recalled.
“He made more money with this guy than you can imagine. Every Friday for quite a long while I’d go with Carlo to this guy’s business place. He’d pick up a bag every Friday. It wasn’t a bag of French fries, either. Boy did Carlo like Fridays. Boy did he like those bags. He wished it was Friday every day and twice on Sundays. Carlo used to stuff the bag down his pants – my pants – or stuff it into my lapel. It was disgusting to me. I felt humiliated.”
“Are you serious about this?” I asked.
“Yes, I am,” said the Blue Suit.
“How does he get away with it?”
“I believe the FBI and State Police know everything he does. Carlo remains valuable to the FBI. Right now, they leave him alone or get information from him. That’s why and how he’s allowed to continue to operate,” said the Blue Suit.
“You think so?” I asked the Blue Suit.
“What do you think that $7,300 payment last month to his attorney’s law firm was for, Josh? You think it was for dancing lessons? You think that lawyer Papalardo is collecting $7,300 a month with the mayor being free and clear?”
“Nothing is greater proof of the mayor not being free and clear than those bigtime money payments to his lawyer who insists he is not a criminal lawyer representing the mayor in a criminal matter.”
“You make a good point there, buddy.”
OK. So, you claim the mayor takes payoffs. I would never say such a thing,” I told the Blue Suit.
“Yes, Josh. Many people at city hall know he does this. Take it from me. I know,” the Blue Suit said.
“I’m not proud of this. That’s why I’m coming clean with you about it. I have a great deal of pride although the mayor treats me like he treats most people he owns – like human refuse. It is criminal the way he treats many people.”
“What do you think I should do with this information? Should I call the FBI, Agent Elio, and tell him what I know?” I asked.
“Why would you do that, Josh. I wouldn’t suggest that, Josh. Agent Elio would do nothing. He knows everything but he does nothing. He’s supposed to be biding his time. He’s in no rush. He would have no interest whatsoever in talking with you. The FBI is never in a rush. The FBI has plenty of time to play with peoples’ lives.”
“What is the dark stuff you mentioned earlier?”
“I can’t and won’t talk about that to you. It goes to a place that most people cannot understand. All that I will say is that the mayor has done some things to people that cannot be repeated in your column. Know this, the darkness is about humiliation, degradation, immorality and mistreatment.”
“Ah. I get what you’re telling me. I remember many years ago when I was just starting out as a reporter, my mentor and I were having a discussion. I told him I had a scoop about a man running for mayor in Chelsea. I was working for the Chelsea Record at the time.”
“I told my mentor who had himself once been the mayor of Chelsea: ‘He’s a thief. He’s a drug addict. He’s alcoholic. He’s a gambler. He mistreats his wife. He’s a complete degenerate; ignorant, cheap, uneducated and broke.’”
“My mentor said to me with a broad smile on his face: ‘thoroughly qualified to be the mayor of Chelsea!’”
The Blue Suit laughed heartily.
“I am pleased to see you have a sense of humor,” I said. “Everett isn’t Chelsea,” the Blue Suit retorted.
“Yeah. But many mayors are the same and have similar habits and quirks.”
“It would appear that Everett hasn’t been spared in that respect,” I concluded.