Ex-game show host sends support letter for Oakland County lawyer convicted in bribery scam

U.S. District Court received what one judge called an "extraordinary collection of letters" — dozens upon dozens — in support of a former Oakland County attorney convicted in a widespread corruption probe, including one from former game show host Chuck Woolery.

The letters may have helped make a difference in the sentence for Jay Schwartz, who represented trash hauler Rizzo Environmental Services, and was among nearly two dozen people accused in the pay-to-play probe that began in Macomb County years ago.

Schwartz, of Northville, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison and a $250,000 fine for his role Tuesday by Judge Robert Cleland in federal court in Port Huron. Schwartz will be on supervised release for two years when he is released from prison.

"I've not seen this quantity of outpouring," said Cleland, who said he wasn't sure whether the letters were solicited by the defense or reflected a grassroots effort. “I’ve read every one of these. I finished up with the last 20 or 30 last night.”

But Cleland also questioned what that support would have looked like if the letter writers — which included, among others, Schwartz's family, friends and colleagues; Woolery; retired Oakland County circuit judges Barry Howard and Edward Sosnick, and retired NBA star Shane Battier, who wrote that he has known Schwartz since he helped coach him at Detroit Country Day School — were confronted with some of the evidence presented at Schwartz's three-day trial in November.

Schwartz was found guilty of one count of bribery conspiracy and two counts of bribery.

“The court is just so distressed,” Cleland said, questioning Schwartz and his principles as an attorney if he did “something so diametrically opposed to that principle: Do the right thing.”

Rather, Cleland said, it appeared to be a “course of conduct that extended over a period of time.”

“I cannot imagine a sadder end to an enterprising career,” he said.

More: Ex-Clinton Twp. official gets 17 years in corruption probe

More: Attorney who represented Rizzo trash hauler indicted in Macomb County corruption probe

Schwartz was indicted in 2019 in the probe that snared trash mogul Chuck Rizzo, towing titan Gasper Fiore and several local politicians, including former Clinton Township Trustee Dean Reynolds.

Schwartz was accused of conspiring with others to give thousands of dollars in cash and free legal services to Reynolds, who was convicted in the corruption probe and sentenced to a stiff 17 years in prison.

Schwartz's attorneys argued in a court filing that Schwartz was "at best a minor player in this conspiracy" and that his sentence should be to 27 to 33 months (between two and three years) in prison.

Federal prosecutors disagreed, saying in a filing that the court should impose a sentence of 97 to 121 months (8 to 10 years) in prison and a $750,000 fine.

At sentencing, Thomas Cranmer, who represented Schwartz, referenced a letter that compared his client to the James Stewart character George Bailey from 'It’s A Wonderful Life,' carrying the analogy one step further in citing his client as a man who has made terrible mistakes and faced terrible consequences.

“But he’s comforted in the end by all the people that came to support him. … To me, that’s what’s happened here,” Cranmer said. “To me, that has to matter."

More: 'Shakedown artist' Dean Reynolds guilty in Macomb corruption probe

More: Target turned FBI witness in Macomb County scandal dies amid corruption investigation

More: Trash mogul Chuck Rizzo: I'm not as bad as the politicians I bribed

Among the letters to the court vouching for Schwartz and asking for leniency was the one from Woolery, who hosted "Love Connection," "Scrabble," "Dating Game" and other game shows.

Woolery wrote that during his time in Hollywood he was personal friends with Robert Kardashian and Robert Shapiro "and I was represented by the best that L.A. had to offer. But none of these attorneys were like Jay Schwartz."

Woolery wrote that he met Schwartz through his business partner with whom he owned several companies in metro Detroit and Schwartz became their counsel for all business matters.

He wrote that Schwartz was "compassionate, he listened, and he was always focused on keeping us out of any legal issues, even if it meant less billable hours for him." He added that Schwartz was "as straight of an arrow as humanly possible" and asked Cleland to show compassion and leniency.

Cranmer recalled to the court the impact on Schwartz’s wife who, he said, has debilitating anxiety and a fear of separation, as well as Schwartz's three children, including a daughter who has suffered a bout with cancer.

Schwartz, who turns 56 next week, said he should be in the "twilight" of his legal career and lamented the end of his family's law practice, impact on clients and employees who were left unemployed.

“I don’t sleep well, I struggle to eat,” he said, taking full responsibility and accepting the consequences of his actions. “I’m standing in front of you because of my decisions and my omissions."

Schwartz said he regretted taking Rizzo and Reynolds on as clients and continuing to practice law after the discovery of his daughter’s illness. He compared the latter to piloting a plane, adding the “choice to fly that plane,” not taking a leave of absence, over his family’s needs was “a terrible decision.”

He also regretted how his actions impacted the perception of lawyers at large, saying "it's as if my soul has died. ... I tried very hard over my 30 years (to prove) that the perception of lawyers was not true.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Gene Crawford said in court that Schwartz appeared to be "still not quite prepared" to accept responsibility.

Cleland pointed to Schwartz’s lack of criminal history prior to his conviction and sentencing standards found in comparable cases.

More: Ex-Macomb official Dino Bucci dies 5 months before sentencing in federal corruption case

More: Feds indict Anthony Marrocco in Macomb County corruption scam

More: 2 former Macomb politicians plead guilty in federal corruption probe

According to Schwartz's indictment, from around March 2014 until around January 2016, he, along with Reynolds, Rizzo and others conspired to give thousands in cash and free legal services to Reynolds with the intent to influence and reward him in connection with transactions with the township involving $5,000 or more.

Part of the conspiracy was that Reynolds would request cash and free legal services from Schwartz and others in exchange for him helping Rizzo and the business secure and maintain a garbage contract with the township, according to the indictment.

Schwartz was one of the attorneys who represented Reynolds in his divorce.

Cleland cited Reynold’s pay-to-play scheme that was assisted by others, including Schwartz, calling it a sequence of behavior in the group that was “corrosive in local government.”

“I can’t shake the image of Mr. Schwartz reassuring Dean Reynolds that he should make sure Chuck Rizzo is taken care of,” Cleland said.

The widespread corruption probe also brought down former Macomb Township Trustee Dino Bucci, who died in March, five months before he was to be sentenced. Bucci's former boss, Anthony Marrocco, who served as public works commissioner in Macomb County for years, also is charged and has a jury trial set for October.

Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @challreporter.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to the Free Press.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ex-game show host vouches for Rizzo lawyer convicted in bribery scam