Columnist's note: In the spirit of giving, we're turning over this edition of Citycide to a guest writer, former Laborers Local 91 President Mark Congi. Following are excerpts from the seven-page letter Congi wrote to U.S. District Judge Richard Arcara. Arcara sentenced Congi, who pleaded guilty to extortion and racketeering charges in August, to 15 years in prison -- easily the longest sentence of any of the Local 91 defendants in a massive federal prosecution -- on Dec. 20.
Dear Judge Arcara:
Sitting in my jail cell over the last several months, I've been trying to find the words to articulate to you and the court my regrettable actions while working for Michael "Butch" Quarcini and Laborers Local 91.
"Sorry" just doesn't seem to be an appropriate word to use. At this point, after reading the news accounts of your sentencing of individuals in this case and your understandable anger towards everyone's actions, I'm not sure that saying "I'm truly sorry for my actions" would suffice.
The overwhelming regret I have and the heartache I've caused the victims and their families, my fellow union members, my community and my family is almost too much to describe. ...
I think I owe you and everyone a complete explanation of why I did the things I did. As I sit here and analyze where I went wrong and how I completely humiliated myself, my wife, my children, my grandchildren, and our lives, I will offer you exactly how and why I ended up in this position. Blame has to start and stop with me for my own actions. I do not accept the concept, which many of my other co-defendants and their attorneys have embraced so overwhelmingly, which was to blame others, including to a great deal, myself.
Being raised by a single mother of four by no choice of her own, I have had to depend on others in my life to guide my way through it. Since the age of 9, when my parents divorced, my greatest single influence in my life was my grandfather Anthony Congi.
Although my mother, Theresa, did the very best she could with four small children, growing up on welfare was a deeply humiliating experience for her and us children; people around us seemed to look down on us and we always felt ashamed.
My grandfather tried to help my mother by taking me with him as much as possible. I would spend weekends and much of my summers on his farm helping him. He taught me to be hardworking.
My grandfather, by the way, was Michael Quarcini's half-uncle. My grandfather also helped Mr. Quarcini when he was younger and my grandfather took him out of an orphanage and helped him when he was a young man. It seems to me, my grandfather did for me 30 years later the same he did for Mr. Quarcini.
In 1965, when Mr. Quarcini took office at the Laborers Union after four failed election attempts, he gave jobs to my grandfather and my father, along with several other relatives. Growing up in the late 1960s and early 1970s, I dreamed about working construction for Local 91, my grandfather would take me along with him to certain jobs and I would be able to watch him from his truck. He was much older at that time, so he usually was a flagman and I would help him serve water to the workers. I thought that was the best job in the world.
As I got older, I finished high school and because of my financial situation, or I should say, lack of financial situation, I was able to attend Niagara University on a stipend program for people who were economically disadvantaged. I still needed to work so I could pay my way, but I truly enjoyed studying for an accounting degree. After 3 1/2 years it was very painful that I had to leave college because financially, I could not afford to attend any longer and needed to help my family by going to work full-time. I was 21 years old and my grandfather had just passed away. I really didn't know what direction I was going to go.
Although Michael Quarcini was my grandfather's nephew, I had only met him one time. É I decided I would try to get a job at the union. With the help of my grandfather's sister Angie, I was able to go to work. For the first time, I was able to work and be of help to my mother and siblings. I worked for the next 13 years in the field as a general laborer; it was very fulfilling.
In 1995, I was approached by Mr. Quarcini to take on a larger role in working for the union. Although I still did not have a close relationship with him at this point (I had never even stepped foot in his house), I thought that I would like to advance myself in working through the office.
I started out as a trustee and then went on to be an executive board member and eventually, in November of 1995, I was asked to come to work as a full-time Assistant Business Manager, joining Dominick Dellaccio, who had started five months before I did. I was 30 years younger than Mr. Quarcini and 15 years younger than Mr. Dellaccio.
When I was hired by Mr. Quarcini, I was instructed to do exactly as he said, not to ask or question his directions, and to follow the program he had established in the 30 years he had run the union. I was very aware that he ran a "tight ship" and I was warned that if I or anyone differentiated from his way of doing things, I would not work at or for Local 91.
As someone who has always enjoyed history and politics, the job as Assistant Business Manager brought many enjoyable facets into my life. I received a new car every three years along with everyone else who worked in the Union hall. I was paid about $80,000 a year plus benefits. I was able to travel to conferences and conventions and I was able to meet extraordinary people. I met three United States presidents, including President Carter, President Reagan and President Clinton. I had dinner with several U.S. senators, including Sen. Alphonse D'Amato and Sen. Charles Schumer and many other meetings with U.S. congressmen. I even met Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. I was, to say the least, overwhelmed, and as a kid who grew up on welfare and came from nothing, I was living in a different world.
In court, you asked me how could Local 91 have done these things and why didn't the local officials do more to stop it. This is why: Mr. Quarcini, starting with then-Governor Nelson Rockefeller (his friend), had political contacts like no other labor leader in this part of the country.
He bought many politicians with large donations through the Local 91 Political Action Funds. He did this right down to the local city council members.
If these politicians and other city and state officials were afraid to cross Mr. Quarcini, can you imagine how we felt as members of Local 91? One wrong move and you were out; no work and your family would starve.
If you wanted to be elected you turned your head or you got no money.
We also have many children of law enforcement officials and children of politicians working in the labor union. He knew how to pull strings like no one I've ever known.
To be perfectly honest with you, Your Honor, I don't know why I chose to go down this path. Growing up poor and on welfare certainly is not an excuse, but I took the path and made the choice at this point of least resistance, it was a very bad choice. I thought I could handle it and be someone or something important. I was wrong, very wrong. I realize I was nothing more than a "yes man" who was involved with individuals I had no business being around.
My job was to answer to Mr. Quarcini; he directed by daily activities, as he did every single person who worked in the union hall. If there was a problem on the job site, he would notify me and instruct me on how to handle it. He told me to do something, I did it even if was unlawful and harmful to the contractor.
If there was a picket line, he decided how many people walked it and what job sites to picket. He chose picket captains and every position in the union, from job stewards to job foremen. He had final say, along with his daughter, Cheryl Cicero, who was second in charge of the union.
I, along with Mr. Dellaccio, could suggest certain individuals for job stewards, but he made the final decision. I was never in a position to change the way Mr. Quarcini ran the union; it wasn't my union to run.
When Mr. Quarcini wanted a particular position handled he instructed myself or Mr. Dellaccio to instruct one of several individuals like Mr. (Salvatore) Bertino, Mr. (Robert) Malvestuto Jr., or Mr. (Andrew) Shomers to handle the problem.
These men feared no one but Mr. Quarcini. They did not ever answer to me.
I took part in actions that you described as acts of monsters. By my association with others, I suppose that I was one indeed. For that, I'm very sorry, my family deserved better, my community deserved better and my fellow union members deserved better. I should have known better. I will work for the rest of my life to make a wrong into a right. You have my word. Please forgive me and know that good will come of this.
Finally, I would like to apologize profusely to you and this court, to the victims and the companies involved, the citizens of Niagara County and to my fellow union members. I have no words to describe how very wrong I was and hope that somewhere in everyone's heart, they will find forgiveness.
Respectfully yours,
Mark Congi
| Niagara Falls Reporter | www.niagarafallsreporter.com | December 27 2006 |