AIDS Institute trial press 05/19/99

Kouri trial 05/19/99

Rossello testifies at trial

Governor says he never asked for NPP contributions

By MARTY GERARD DELFIN
Of the STAR Staff

Gov. Rossello told reporters as he approached the federal building that the defense's lawyers decision was "an embarrassing one" and federal Judge Jose A. Fuste ruling to honor it "an unfortunate one"

In an historical federal court session, Gov. Rossello testified under oath Tuesday in a criminal trial that he has never personally asked anybody for political contributions on behalf of the NewProgressive Party. Rossello specifically denied before a federal jury in the San Juan AIDS Institute trial the allegation that he asked lawyer Luis Dubon Otero or anyone else at Advanced Community Health Service to raise $250,000. But he said that he didn't have "any personal knowledge" of anyone asking for money on behalf of the NPP from ACHS, the entity that ran the institute. "I did not authorize anybody to do that," the governor said, adding that he doesn't keep track of every dollar donated to the NPP. Rossello was subpoenaed to testify by Yamil Kouri's defense lawyers to deny before the jury that he received political contributions from Dubon or any defendants. The government's star witness, Angel Corcino Mauras, maintained in prior testimony that he had laundered money, on Kouri's orders, for donations to the NPP's 1992 campaign. The governor's subpoena was the defense's most surprising and bold move since the trial began March 11. Kouri, Operations Manager Jeannette Sotomayor and property Custodian Armando Borel are on trial for allegedly, embezzling $1.4 million from the AIDS Institute. "They had their spectacle. Now the people who have tried to unscrupulously link me with this process will have to apologize," he said after testifying. The governor's court appearance turned into a political rally as several hundred NPP supporters lined up to receive him outside the Clemente Nazario Ruiz Federal Court Building in Hato Rey. Rossello was ordered to appear in court at 9:30 a.m., but people waited for him as much as two hours earlier. It's the first time a sitting governor has bee called to testify in a criminal trial in U.S. District Court in Puerto Rico. Rossello, who stood outside the sliding doors, refused to enter the building until he was summoned by the court bailiff. He told reporters as he approached the federal building that the defense's lawyers decision was "an embarrassing one" and federal Judge Jose A. Fuste's ruling to honor it "an unfortunate one." Cerrezo left the courtroom before Rossello was called by co-defense counsel Charles Daniels. Cerezo and Rossello have long been at odds over private and political matters. Appearing hostile at first, Rossello did not respond when defense lawyer Charles Daniels said "good morning" to him at the beginning of his questioning. He also didn't return a similar salutation when assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Dominguez began her cross-examination. Despite the judge's orders that he did not want the proceedings to take on a circus-like atmosphere, the courtroom was full of Rossello supporters. When he entered, NPP Electoral Commissioner Manuel Herrero and about a half dozen others stood up. They were told to sit down by one court bailiff. Many people were turned away because the courtroom was packed, including NPP lawmakers Sen. Jorge Santini, Rep. Angel Cintron and Sen. Luisa Lebron. Also present inside were La Fortaleza Chief of Staff Angel Morey, Justice Secretary Jose Fuentes Agostini, Bayamon Mayor Ramon Luis Rivera, Guaynabo Mayor Hector O'Neill and statehood activist Miriam Ramirez de Ferrer. Assuring him that he wouldn't take too much of his time, Daniels only asked about eight questions during his direct examination which the governor answered with a forceful "no." Those questions included if he had ever asked Dubon to raise $250,000 during a meeting at NPP headquarters in late 1991 or early 1992. Dubon, the former ACHS board member, was also indicted in the case in February. In March, Corcino, the former comptroller at the institute, testified that he overheard Rossello tell Dubon that his "group's quota" was $250,000. The government's witness added that Kouri told him the money was to come from the AIDS Institute, which was done through laundering federal money. During his one hour on the stand, Rossello did not glance at his former health adviser Kouri or the other defendants. He looked straight ahead at the jury when lawyers and prosecutors conferred several times with the judge on the bench. Under cross-examination by Dominguez, Rossello explained that Kouri resigned as his health adviser in March 1993 because of a growing public controversy surrounding his reputation. Kouri was under scrutiny for his work at the Corrections Administration during the former administration of Gov. Carlos Romero Barcelo when he was hired as a consultant for the correctional health program, the governor said. Rossello also explained that Kouri was becoming "the center of tension," which he called "unbearable at the time," regarding a contract granted to the so called Harvard Policy of Management firm worth about $900,000 for the health reform project Kouri had been hired by the governor as a volunteer adviser, Rossello testified. "Kouri's involvement became very controversial because allegations over some contracts for excessive amounts of money that were signed," Rossello said, adding that he believed the information was incorrect. The Governor said that he wasn't aware whether Harvard Policy of Management was affiliated with Harvard University, where Kouri worked as a consultant Dominguez asked if Rossello had known if Kouri was involved in that firm whether it would have concerned him. The governor responded yes because "that was not a role I had envisioned him to perform." Although this was the first time a sitting governor has testified in a federal criminal trial in Puerto Rico, Rossello appeared in U.S. District Court more than a year ago to sign an agreement concerning improved conditions at the Rio Piedras Psychiatric Hospital. During his last term in office, Gov. Rafael Hernandez Colon testified as a character witness in the sentencing phase of the federal corruption trial in New York of former Rep. Robert Garcia.

Internet Links...

The San Juan Star
The Associated Press
The Miami Herald
Orlando Sentinel

Pacientes de SIDA pro Política Sana
Send e-mail to [email protected]

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws