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9:56	Craig R. McCoy - Hello all. The courtroom is full, with everyone waiting on U.S. District Judge Ronald . Buckwalter.

9:58	Craig R. McCoy - There are perhaps 150 people, taking all sets and standng at the side of the courtroom. The hearing is the sentencing proceeding for Ruth Arnao, longtime aide and friend of State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo. Fumo is no here.

9:58	Craig R. McCoy - Fumo is not here.

9:59	Craig R. McCoy - Arnao is standing at the defense table; her attorney, Edwin Jacobs, stands before her.

9:59	Craig R. McCoy - Judge Buckwalter has taken the bench. The lawyers launch right into the debate.

10:01

Craig R. McCoy - The issue before the court now is the calculation of the sentencing guidelines. Prosecutor Robert A. Zauzmer is asking that her "score" be increased because she abused a position of trust.

10:02

Craig R. McCoy - Zauzmer says she abused her role as executive director of Citizens' Alliance for Better Neighborhoods. A jury found that Fumo and Arnao looted the group.

10:03

Craig R. McCoy -

Buckwalter seems testy. He has told Zauzmer he doesn't "want to spend a lot of time" on the guidelines calcuation. This calculation, of course, is only advisory.

10:05

Craig R. McCoy - Jacobs says that Arnao should not be deemed to have abused a position of trust.

10:08

Craig R. McCoy - Jacobs says that the judge has already ruled that the crimes did not involve Fumo and Arnao misrepresenting themselves as officers of a charity to commit a fraud. Thus, he says, she should not be also deemed to have abused a position of trust.

10:09

Craig R. McCoy -

The judge says the guidelines call for Arnao to get between 70 and 87 months behind bars.

10:10

Craig R. McCoy - Since Fumo got 55 months, it seems unlikley that Arnao would be given more than that.

10:10

Craig R. McCoy - Zauzmer has begun the prosecution argument. He says the judge "to be consistent," must go below 55 months. Zauzmer says he nonetheless objects.

10:11

Craig R. McCoy - Zauzmer says in fact the guidelines recommendation is too low.

10:12

Craig R. McCoy - Zauzmer says the range is too low for "anyone who steals a million dollars."

10:13

Craig R. McCoy -

He tells the judge that the only way the judge could justify this is for the "good works" of the defendants,

10:13

Craig R. McCoy - "That''s wrong," the judge says. There were many factors, he says.

10:15

Craig R. McCoy -

"It is wrong to give leniency to somebody just becaue they are in public office and they did the things that come with that office," Zauzmer says.

10:16

Craig R. McCoy - Zauzmer says Arnao was paid heavily to do her jobs -- with handsome pay checks both from the state and the nonprofit.

10:16

Craig R. McCoy - Arnao won awards, the judge says. Such awards "mean something," the judge says.

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