Press

Canton, OH—For the third day in a row, new information has surfaced about John Boccieri’s deep ties to a corrupt network of individuals who have played a major role in financing his political career. Following last week’s news that John Boccieri is refusing to return the nearly $70,000 he has taken from New York Democrat Charlie Rangel, who is facing 13 counts of ethics violations, Boccieri’s financial ties to three other individuals who were recently indicted on corruption charges were unearthed on Monday and Tuesday. Today, Michael Sciortino, Jimmy Dimora and Frank Russo join Anthony Cafaro Sr., John Reardon and John McNally as the newest names on a rapidly growing list of John Boccieri’s corrupt contributors.

Like Reardon, Cafaro and McNally, Mahoning County Auditor Michael Sciortino was recently indicted on corruption charges, which include bribery, perjury and filing false financial disclosures with the state. Meanwhile, Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora and County Auditor Frank Russo have been targeted in a separate federal investigation centered around allegations that the two took bribes in the form of prostitution in exchange for securing a multi-million dollar construction contract. In total, Sciortino, Dimora and Russo have given John Boccieri $1,940, none of which has been returned. As was previously reported, Boccieri has also taken and held on to $69,829 from Charlie Rangel, $12,600 from Cafaro and $2,500 from McNally and Reardon. Despite countless calls for Boccieri to follow the lead of many of his Democratic colleagues and clean out his financial coffers, he has thus far refused to part with the tainted cash. 

“While it’s clear that Nancy Pelosi broke her promise to ‘drain the swamp’, her protégé` John Boccieri is doing his part to rapidly fill it up. Actions speak much louder than words, and as new light is shed each day on the depth of John Boccieri’s ties to corruption, his defiance in refusing to part with these tainted donations speaks volumes about his character and his comfort with a culture of corruption,” Jim Renacci spokesman James Slepian said.