COVERITLIVE.COM

9:57	Robert Moran - The trial will resume in a few moments.

10:01

Robert Moran - Court has resumed.

10:03

Robert Moran - Ed Jacobs is continuing his closing argument for co-defendant Ruth Arnao, the longtime friend and close aide to former State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo.

10:09

Robert Moran - Jacobs is criticizing the prosecution's emphasis that Citizens' Alliance own mission was violated by money spent on endeavors outside of Philadelphia.

10:12

Robert Moran - It is expected that Dennis Cogan, Fumo's lead attorney, will begin his closing argument later today. The case is likely to go to the jury on Tuesday.

10:15

Robert Moran - Jacobs is arguing that Citizens' Alliance was allowed to do anything any nonprofit could do under the law.

10:24

Robert Moran - Jacobs has gone through all sorts of legalese in the nonprofit's corporate documents that he says support his position. "There's no other way to interpret these docoments, honestly, with a conscious, other than the way I do," Jacobs told the jury.

10:30

Robert Moran - They weren't committing crimes, Jacobs said of Citizens' Alliance. They were cleaning lots. But they weren't tending to their paperwork, which we admit, Jacobs said.

10:31

Robert Moran - test

10:37

Robert Moran - Jacobs reviewed steps the nonprofit took to clean up their books. Now he's reading a document about the painting of the tallship Gazela that Citizens' Alliance paid $150,000 for.

10:39

Robert Moran - Now he's reading a document about equipment at Fumo's farm that was paid for by Citizens' Alliance.

10:40

Robert Moran - Jacobs said the equipment was loaned to Fumo. "We didn't steal anything," Jacobs said.

10:42

Robert Moran - "They say it's a theft. We say it's a courtesy," Jacobs said.

10:48

Robert Moran - Jacobs is lambasting the government's attempt to value some equipment at their original selling prices rather than what they were worth when they were used on the Fumo farm.

10:51

Robert Moran - Jacobs is offering two defenses. There was no theft. And the value of what Fumo received was far less than what the prosecutors say.

10:54

Robert Moran - Jacobs told the jury they are here to hold government excess accountable.

11:02

Robert Moran - Jacobs is going over what Citizens' Alliance did to improve the building that housed Fumo's district office in South Philadelphia.

11:04

Robert Moran - Jacobs reiterated Fumo's explanation that Citizens' Alliance was an arm of Fumo's legislative office providing neighborhood services.

11:09

Robert Moran - The building was purchased by an entity of Citizens' Alliance and the nonprofit made a "prudent investment," Jacobs said.

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