Jonathan Bandler

jbandler@lohud.com

Disgraced lawyer Joseph "Jay" Savino testified Tuesday that his fall from grace meant he was now cleaning bathrooms and filling ice trays in a Rockland restaurant – but didn't mention it was a family business.

Savino is working at his mother-in-law's restaurant, Whiskey Kitchen in Valley Cottage, after giving up his law license when he pleaded guilty in November to taking a bribe to influence the New York City mayor's race.

On the witness stand, Savino also admitted one of the worst-kept secrets in city politics: that he was living in Rockland County while voting in the Bronx and chairing the Bronx Republican party.

Savino testified Tuesday at the federal corruption trial of former New York City Councilman Daniel Halloran, detailing his own role in last year's bizarre scheme to get Democratic state Sen. Malcolm Smith on the Republican ballot for mayor.

Savino, a partner in Greenburgh law firm who did legal work for Clarkstown until his April 2013 arrest, is cooperating with federal authorities, hoping to get probation. He faces up to 30 years in prison, although sentencing guidelines call for between two and seven years.

He declined to comment when reached on Wednesday.

Jurors on Tuesday watched video of Savino sitting in a car outside Sparks Steak House in Manhattan on Feb. 14, 2013, taking $15,000 from an undercover FBI agent he thought was a businessman named "Raj" and promising to support Smith's effort and push two other GOP leaders to do the same.

Savino was promised $30,000 and told Raj he was willing to wait for the other $15,000 until after he could show he made efforts to get the others on board.

Halloran had set up the meeting with the undercover agent, who was working with another cooperating witness, Rockland developer Moses Stern. Jurors also saw text messages between Halloran and Savino an hour after the cash passed hands.

"Tell me you love me," Halloran texted.

"I am (expletive) freaking, u are my (expletive) valentine," Savino texted back.

"Were you in love with Mr. Halloran?" Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Anderson asked the witness, to laughter from the court.

"No, I was very happy. I had just gotten $15,000," Savino responded.

On cross examination, defense lawyer Vinoo Varghese asked Savino if Halloran had told him he was going to get a bribe from Raj.

"He used the term 'retained'," Savino said.

"But you took it to mean bribed?"

"At the time I took it to mean retained. But it was a bribe," Savino said.

Because Smith was a Democrat, his longshot bid for mayor on the Republican ticket required three of the GOP leaders in the five boroughs to authorize his running in a primary. Savino detailed extensive efforts to get Craig Eaton, the Brooklyn GOP chair, and Daniel Isaacs, the Manhattan chair, to no avail.

Smith and Vincent Tabone, a Queens GOP official, went on trial with Halloran last month but a mistrial was declared for them over the government's failure to turn over hours of conversations involving Stern. Former Spring Valley Mayor Noramie Jasmin and deputy mayor Joseph Desmaret were also caught up in the case with allegations that they accepted bribes to support the project Stern was pitching for their village. Desmaret has pleaded guilty and Jasmin is awaiting trial.

In addition to accepting the bribe, Savino acknowledged uncharged bad acts, including the Rockland residency issue and using party money for personal expenses. Savino maintained his Bronx residence but in 2009 began living full time in Congers with his wife and kids. He continued to vote in the Bronx.