Catherine Lucey of the Daily News has bagged a sit-down
interview with former Councilman Rick Mariano, sent to federal prison for soliciting $30,000 in bribes from businessmen in his district. In the interview, Mariano strikes all the right notes: contrite about taking the money, defending his political record as a guy from the neighborhoods, explaining that trip to City Hall tower on the eve of his indictment. (He wasn't suicidal, he said, just depressed.) Mariano gave the interview from Allenwood, the minimal security prison near Lewisburg, Pa, which has held so many Philly politicians that it is known at the 70th Ward. He is due to be released to a halfway house in October, but says he plans no return to political office. (He actually can't, the state Constitution forbids felons from holding public office.) But, he is thinking of doing some political consulting.
