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May 15, 2008

CVS Trial: Kramer often met with Celona

PROVIDENCE -- The administrative assistant to former CVS executive John R. “Jack” Kramer spent the morning testifying about entries in her boss’s daybook calendar.

Kramer and fellow former CVS executive Carlos Ortiz both face federal bribery charges for allegedly trying to win favor with former state Senator John A. Celona.

Mary Jane McCusker calmly answered questions asked by asst. U.S. Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch about more than a dozen exhibits that noted Kramer’s meetings with Celona.

The meetings took place at CVS headquarters, on golf courses and in restaurants in Providence.

Kramer also bought tickets through CVS to political fundraisers for Celona and gave Celona and Celona’s wife tickets to attend the CVS Charity Golf Classic in Barrington.

In a note that included the tickets to John and Karleen Celona, Kramer wrote, “John, going to be a great night.”

Kramer’s lawyer, David B. Fein, cross-examined McCusker, pointing out that Kramer had a dizzying calendar filled with social, charitable and political events –– from a Save the Bay Charitable Function with Journal Publisher Howard G. Sutton, to an appearance with Katie Couric on the Today Show to promote a CVS Charity.

“He enjoyed it,” McCusker said of Kramer’s action-packed social life. “And he talked about it a lot.”

Extra: Our continuing report on Operation Dollar Bill

Read Journal coverage of yesterday's testimony and courthouse power outage.
-- Journal staff writer W. Zachary Malinowski

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 11:36 AM | Permalink

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