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Fumo liveblog: Wednesday, Feb. 25
 
9:56
Robert Moran -  Good morning. The defense is expected to begin their closing arguments later today.   The trial should resume shortly.
10:04
Robert Moran -  Court is now in session.
10:05
Robert Moran -  Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Zauzmer said he will conclude his closing argument by lunch.
10:09
Robert Moran -  Zauzmer is addressing polls paid for by the nonprofit Citizens' Alliance for Better Neighborhoods.
10:17
Robert Moran -  Zauzmer said there is no comparison between the polls paid for by Citizens' Alliance and the polls conducted by the Pew Foundation, as the defense has argued. Organizations like Pew release their polls to the public. The Citizens' Alliance polls were for Fumo's personal benefit and not made available to the public, Zauzmer said.
10:25
Robert Moran -  Zauzmer said Citizens' Alliance hid its polls from its accountant because Fumo and co-defendant Ruth Arnao knew the polls were not allowable.
10:35
Robert Moran -  Now we are on to the tax offenses.
10:36
Robert Moran -  Zauzmer is going over what he says are the false tax returns filed by Citizens' Alliance.
10:39
Robert Moran -  On a tax return for 2002, the nonprofit said it did not furnish goods or services or pay for lobbying, even though Fumo was receiving goods and Citizens' Alliance was paying for the fight against Ventnor Dunes.
10:46
Robert Moran -  Zauzmer said it was tax fraud when the nonprofit never reported its purchases for Fumo on its tax returns. "The tax fraud starts at Sam's Club," Zauzmer said, referring to one of the places Fumo and Arnao shopped for their needs and charged it to a Citizens' Alliance credit card.
10:53
Robert Moran -  Next up, the Independence Seaport Museum. Fumo was a member of the board. "Twenty-four other board members knew the rules," but not Fumo, Zauzmer said.
10:56
Robert Moran -  Zauzmer is highlighting the trips to Martha's Vineyard and said it touches on all parts of the case. First, he used Senate staffers to drive luggage to Fumo's vacation rental.
10:57
Robert Moran -  Zauzmer said it was an "OPM extravaganza" with Fumo's using the museum's yachts. The tally over the years was more than $100,000 in yacht use, Zauzmer said.
11:07
Robert Moran -  Zauzmer said Fumo worked with former museum president John Carter (who is now in prison) worked together to commit fraud on the museum.
11:11
Robert Moran -  Zauzmer points out that the defense highlighted a museum guideline that said board members are restricted in what they can do or get unless it is approved by the museum's president. Zauzmer said that does not mean that the president can approve anything, including fraud.
11:20
Robert Moran -  Zauzmer is highlighting a transcript of a Fumo interview conducted by radio personality Michael Smerconish about the yacht use.
11:21
Robert Moran -  test
11:30
Robert Moran -  Court is taking a brief break.
11:50
Robert Moran -  The trial has resumed.
11:54
Robert Moran -  Zauzmer said Fumo and his aides "scrambled" to make changes to "cover up what's happening" after the FBI probe was revealed and is listing all the different changes, such as Fumo using his Senate drivers to drive his daughter.
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