Appeals Court Upholds Conviction, Sentence For Dimora

A federal appeals court in Cincinnati has upheld former Cuayhoga County Commissioner and former county Democratic party chair Jimmy Dimora's conviction and sentence in a public corruption case. Dimora was convicted in 2012 and sentenced to 28 years in prison. His attorney argued the judge should have allowed jurors to see ethics reports proving Dimora received gifts and not bribes. The three-judge appeals court panel found the reports would not have mattered because the evidence against Dimora was "overwhelming." He was charged following a lengthy FBI probe that netted other county officials, employees and contractors who traded bribes for government jobs and contracts.