Guilty! Scandal brings down Stanley Friedman

A series of scandals that shattered Mayor Ed Koch’s hopes for a fourth term in office and led to the suicide of Queens Borough President Donald Manes had its roots in the Bronx.

Democratic leader Stanley Friedman, Borough President Stanley Simon — both Riverdalians — and Congressman Mario Biaggi were ultimately caught in snares set by a number of prosecutors, including the district attorneys of the Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan, as well as a man who first came to prominence with his prosecution of Mr. Friedman, U.S. Attorney Rudolf Giuliani.

A chart in an October issue of The Press chronicled the growing litany of investigations plaguing the movers and shakers of The Bronx. Here are a few:

• Citisource: U.S. Attorney Rudy Giuliani charges Citisource with seeking a city contract to build hand-held computers for meter men and meter maids by cheating and bribery. Stanley Friedman and four others are tried for fraud and bribery.
• Cable television: Mr. Giuiliani and Mr. Merola investigate allegations of payoffs in return for granting Cablevision the franchise to bring cable TV to the Bronx.
• Wedtech and Freedom Industries: Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau investigates stock deals involving Bronx defense contractors Wedtech and Freedom Industries and the family of Rep. Mario Biaggi. Wedtech was the largest contributor to Mr. Simon’s campaign. Ultimately, the Wedtech scandal reached all the way to the Reagan White House. Attorney General Edwin Meese was named an unindicted co-conspirator.