Cheque returned—Ferraro

Press, 31 August 1984, Page 6

Cheque returned—Ferraro

NZPA-Reuter St Louis The Democratic VicePresidential nominee, Geraldine Ferraro, yesterday blasted as “wrong, altogether inaccurate and offensive” a story in the “Philadelphia Inquirer” Jinking her and her husband to a convicted labour racketeer. The story, printed yesterday, said Ms Ferraro as a Congresswoman had received two direct campaign contributions totalling $7OO from Michael La Rosa, an alleged conduit between organised crime and corrupt union leaders, and possibly one for $5OO from La Rosa’s family bakery corporation. It also alleged that firms

owned by the family of Ms Ferraro’s husband, a real estate agent, John Zaccaro, managed some of La Rosa’s Manhattan properties and lent him mortgage money. Ms Ferraro, who hoped that she had in a dramatic press conference last week answered all questions about her family’s finances, said the article “discusses many events concerning Mr La Rosa’s labour activities which have nothing to do with me or my family and which I know nothing about”. On the question of whether she had got a contribution from a corporation, forbidden by law, Ms Ferraro said she had not

and that the bank on which the cheque was drawn had informed her campaign that the money was not a corporate donation. Another cheque which was from La Rosa’s corporation had been returned immediately, she said. “My husband and I have already disclosed more information about our finances than any other candidate or Vice-Presidential candidate in history,” Ms Ferraro said. “This article leaves an impression about my family which is wrong, altogether inaccurate and offensive,” she said. The "Inquirer” said La Rosa had had business deal-

ings for the past 20 years with Mr Zaccaro’s real estate company which was previously run by his father. La Rosa was released last year from Federal prison after serving eight months for alleged labour racketeering. At his trial, a secretly filmed videotape was shown in which he was described as the chief conduit betweeen corrupt labour leaders and five organised crime families in New York. At the end of his trial, the Government stipulated in writing that he was not linked to any organised crime family.