Politic?

This is a blog dedicated to a personal interpretation of political news of the day. I attempt to be as knowledgeable as possible before commenting and committing my thoughts to a day's communication.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

"I Don't Know, Don't Remember" Gambit

"I never heard talk of pizzo. I come from Italy. I know what pizzo is, but I've never heard of pizzo in Canada."
"To me, Mr. Rizzuto was Mr. Rizzuto. That's how I know him in my village."
"Why would I name the people here, in public? ... I know a lot of paesanos who come from my village. You tell me the names you want to know, and I will tell you if I know them or not. I'm, not going to name people who have nothing to do with the commission."
Nicolo Milioto, retired Montreal construction boss

Moreover, Mr. Milioto, who knows all about pizzo, because he is from Italy and a proud Italian, denies that the ages-old-and-honoured practise of kick-backs and protection money Mafia-style was  known by him to ever have existed in Canada, let alone that paragon of honest business dealing town, Montreal.

"Me, personally, I was not aware of any cut", he assured the Charbonneau Commission, responding to Justice France Charbonneau's query whether payments he is known to have handed over to Mafia boss Rizzuto might have been protection money. He didn't even know for certain if the Mafia exists. Come to think of it, what the nomenclature represents even.

The Cosa Nostra? His Italian failed him there, he claimed an inability to define it, for the concept, and the infamous name eluded his memory. He merely delivered cash to Mr. Rizzuto because he was requested to do so by another paesano, Lino Zambito, another construction contractor. It was a favour to a friend.

That Mr. Zambito testified last fall to the commission that Mr. Milioto, his friend and business colleague, had acted as a conspiratorial middleman between construction companies and the Mafia, collecting a 2.5% cut on municipal contracts that ultimately ended up with the Rizzutos simply represented an unfortunate and negligible rumour.

"I'm not a member of organized crime. I was the owner of a construction company. A lot of lies" circulated about him. "Me, personally, I was not aware of any cut. I lacked judgement by bringing money", he conceded, but as far as he knew the cash he was handing over had various purposes; not a percentage payment.

Judge Charbonneau reminded the witness he was playing with the risk of being found in contempt of court. The inquiry viewed videos of the retired construction boss  dropping off and counting cash in the back room of the defunct Cafe Cosenza in east-end Montreal. Nicolo Milioto - the concerned friend of paesanos from his home town, and father of five kids he put through school - was caught on police surveillance no fewer than 236 times over a two-year period.

In his defence he indignantly stated he didn't think attending the Consenza represented a crime. About questions respecting cash changing hands he insisted the money he handed over to the Rizzutos was cash sent from Lino Zambito, or better yet fundraising for an association represent immigrants from Sicily's Cattolica Eraclea.

Well, then, watchagonnadoaboutit?

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