Raymond Donovan is a business man and former Secretary of Labor from 1981
to 1985 under President Ronald Reagan.
Through Donovan’s leadership, the department’s staff and budget was
reduced, regulatory relief was given to businesses via changes made to the
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) enforcement practices, new industrial
home work rules were created, and the Davis-Bacon rules revised, as well as
revision of the federal compliance regulations.
However, it was his comment after the verdict in his 1987 trial that
made him famous.
As chronicled in upi.com, Donovan was in the construction business. He was executive vice president and 40% owner
of Schiavone Construction of New Jersey. No sooner than Donovan was confirmed
as Labor Secretary in 1981, when Time Magazine reported that he was mentioned
in an FBI wiretap of an alleged mobster who did subcontract work for
Schiavone. Shortly after, the FBI said
that a labor union official, in 1977, witnessed a $2,000 payoff by Schiavone to
another union official. Then Attorney
General William Smith, asked for an investigation of Donovan and attorney Leon
Silverman was named as special prosecutor under the Ethics in Government Act.
In May, 1982 Donovan was in front of a New York grand jury. In June, 1982 the Washington Post reported
Schiavone Construction was linked to the Genovese crime family. However, that month, the Silverman commission
cited 'insufficient credible evidence' and cleared Donovan. At this point, a reasonable man might think
the controversy was over…but, in politics, the facts can be irrelevant.
A year later the Bronx District Attorney investigated Schiavone
Construction. Donovan with seven
executives were indicted on charges of grand larceny. The legal wrangling and trial took years, but
in 1987, Donovan and his seven co-defendants were acquitted of all
charges. Following the trial, Donovan
famously remarks "Which [government] office do I go to to get my
reputation back?”
These sort of accusations facilitated by a media with partisan interest
make for good political theater and media profits. Scandals can be created with innuendo and
investigation conjured without proof.
However, the story is not that Mr. Donovan was found innocent or
accusations investigated were not credible.
It was how political enemies with media allies can colluded to use
insinuation for fact in a witch hunt against Mr. Donovan. Sound familiar?
