Ex-McGreevey Aide Claims Settlement Talk
By AP from the NYTimes on the Web, October 29, 2004
TRENTON, N.J. -- Lawyers for Gov. James E. McGreevey left numerous messages on a telephone answering machine detailing plans for a settlement with the man alleging he was sexually harassed by the governor, according to a lawyer involved with the case.
Tapes and transcripts of those messages are now in federal hands and are key to absolving Golan Cipel of accusations he tried to extort money from McGreevey, said Paul Batista, a lawyer representing Cipel on the extortion allegations.
"These were just lawyers doing their job, advancing the ball in terms of a settlement, and they're stupid enough to ask for a criminal investigation when they must know that voicemail messages last
forever," Batista said Friday.
He said the messages were left during negotiations that stretched from late June to within 30 minutes of McGreevey's stunning televised announcement Aug. 12 that he is gay, had an affair with a man and would resign Nov. 15.
During his announcement, McGreevey did not name the man, but aides in his administration have identified the person as Cipel, an Israeli who served briefly as McGreevey's homeland security adviser in 2002.
Cipel has steadfastly denied he had a relationship with McGreevey, claiming he was the subject of unwanted advances from the governor.
He threatened a sexual harassment lawsuit but never filed one.
Batista said Cipel, until just before McGreevey went on the air, was under the impression a settlement deal would give him $2 million and an apology from the governor in return for Cipel's silence.
McGreevey's lawyer, William Lawler, said Friday there had been no such agreement, and stood by the extortion allegations.
"The fact that lawyers were involved doesn't change the nature of the demand.
Extortion isn't defined by who's doing the talking but by what is the demand," Lawler said.
On Wednesday, FBI agents interviewed Cipel in Israel, according to a spokesman with the bureau's Newark office.
Batista said he is convinced the interview will result in no criminal charges being brought against Cipel or against Cipel's lawyer Allen Lowy, who handled the initial claims against McGreevey.
Lowy declined to comment on the matter Friday.
FBI spokesman Steve Kodak said Friday he could not comment on the content of the Cipel interview, citing the ongoing investigation.
The U.S. attorney's office did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Batista said the allegations of extortion -- made after McGreevey's public disclosure -- were difficult to fathom because they came after the phone messages and 15 to 20 face-to-face meetings between Lowy and a half-dozen lawyers representing McGreevey.
"They would go on and on and on on the voice mail, and these were lawyers who, if you listen to the voicemail messages, are eager to pursue the settlement
discussions," Batista said.
Democratic state Sen. Raymond Lesniak, a confidant of McGreevey, said Cipel's lawyers never offered any facts or proof of damages.
"The only thing they wanted was money, and lots of it. It was nothing short of
extortion," Lesniak said.
McGreevey has been in Canada the past few days, visiting his daughter from his first marriage.
Lesniak, who spoke to McGreevey by telephone Thursday, said the governor was probably aware the FBI had interviewed Cipel, although he said the two had not discussed the subject.
Lesniak said that with McGreevey's resignation date approaching, the governor remains in good spirits and is looking forward to
"leading a life that, quite frankly, before Aug. 12 he did not have an opportunity to
lead."
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