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"NEW HAVEN -- Using a series of secretly recorded phone calls and conversations, the federal government began Monday to outline for a jury its case against former House Speaker Chris Donovan's congressional campaign finance director. Robert Braddock Jr., Donovan's former congressional campaign finance director, is charged with conspiring to hide the source of $27,500 in donations to Donovan on behalf of a group of tobacco store owners looking to defeat legislation that would have increased taxes on roll-your-own cigarette shops. Donovan, who lost his congressional bid in a Democratic primary after the arrest of his two top campaign advisers, has not been accused of wrongdoing. He was mentioned frequently in Monday's testimony and could be heard briefly during one of the recorded conversations played for the jury. Nothing he said explicitly pointed to knowledge of an illegal conspiracy. Donovan was not in the courtroom, but his friend Audrey Honig Geragosian issued a short statement on his behalf. In the statement, he said it was a sad time for him to be connected to a campaign finance scandal, after having worked throughout his career to improve the state's campaign finance system. In the statement, the former House speaker stressed he has not been accused of any wrongdoing. Shelley Sadin, Donovan's attorney, sat next to Honig Geragosian in court and monitored proceedings. In addition to Braddock, seven other men, including Donovan's campaign manager Josh Nassi and tobacco shop owners, were charged last year in the conspiracy. All except Braddock have pleaded guilty. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher M. Mattei presented the government's evidence against Braddock, who is charged with helping to submit a false report to the Federal Elections Commission. Throughout Monday's proceedings, Mattei played snippets of what he said amounted to hours of recorded conversations, collected through wiretaps on personal phones and audio equipment covertly attached to cooperating witnesses. Paul Rogers, a smoke shop owner who has already entered a guilty plea, also testified. Braddock's lawyer, Frank Riccio II did not dispute that tobacco shop owners had conspired to try funnel money into Donovan's campaign. However, he argued the government could not prove that his client was aware of illegal activity. Riccio said the scheme to donate money through straw contributors on behalf of tobacco shop owners was coordinated by Harry 'Ray' Soucy, a Democratic political organizer and former corrections officer, who had relationships with some of Donovan's more trusted advisers like Nassi. Riccio singled out Soucy, who eventually became a cooperating witness for the FBI's investigation.Braddock's trial is scheduled to resume at 8:30 a.m. today. This story has been modified from its original version. See the original at ctnewsjunkie.com."
<https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/connecticut/article/Secret-tapes-played-at-trial-of-Chris-Donovan-s-11407964.php>