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Posted at: 10/21/2009 4:14 PM | WHEC.com I-Team 10 exclusive: Morone breaks silence
"I never dreamed it would get this far." Bob Morone is making his first public statements about the scandal that has rocked the county's republican administration. "I do feel bad about things and the way it's going down." Morone is charged in state and federal court with defrauding taxpayers. I-Team 10 went to his house in Gates and he agreed to talk on the condition that we not address the specific allegations in the criminal complaint. Still, he offered a lot of detail about his motivations, for which he says he's now regretful. Morone said, "Of course there's a lot of guilt I'm carrying over this whole mess. And by guilty I mean I really feel bad about my family, about the administration. I feel bad about the guys." "The guys" are the 14 contracted union trade workers from Robutrad. As maintenance supervisor for the county, Morone was their boss. Investigators say when the men were supposed to be doing county jobs, they were, instead doing work on their own homes, going to strip clubs and doing political campaign work for republican candidates. They say it was all being directed by Morone. County Executive Maggie Brooks said, "Bob Morone shamelessly violated the public trust by stealing from county taxpayers." Morone refuses to say he's been unfairly singled out or that others in the administration should bear more responsibility even though former Deputy County Executive James Smith was charged recently with failing to stop the corruption. Brett Davidsen: “Did you ever anticipate the political ramifications while all of this was going on and when you first heard that this stuff was being investigated?” Robert Morone: "Never in my wildest dreams. The worst thing I thought that would happen to me, to be honest with you, is that I'd get fired. I should have." Since the scandal broke, speculation has been rampant about who might have knowingly benefited from free or discounted work done by the Robutrad crews. I-Team 10 asked Morone directly. Morone says he's willing to pay for his mistakes and plead guilty, if a deal from prosecutors is fair. "Eventually when we do get into court with the plea bargain, if it goes through, I'll be admitting everything and making no qualms about it." Watch excerpts of Morone's interview with I-Team 10 For more Rochester, N.Y. news go to our website www.whec.com.
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The central figure in the county Robutrad scandal admits he did some things he wasn't supposed to do. Robert Morone is charged with defrauding Monroe County taxpayers. He spoke exclusively with I-Team 10.