On his first full day in office, Acting U.S. John Giordano asked a judge for a month in a criminal trial connected to an alleged foreign bribery scheme until he could consider the effects of President Donald Trump’s executive order pausing prosecutions under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
The trial was due to begin tomorrow.
“I appreciate the inconvenience this may cause,” Giordano said in a letter to U.S. District Court Judge Michael Farbiarz today. Giordano signed the letter himself rather than ask a line prosecutor to do so on his behalf.
Gordon Coburn and Steven Schwartz, former executives of the publicly-traded, Teaneck-based Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation, were indicted in early 2019 for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act after allegedly bribing one or more government officials in India to secure construction permits of an office campus.
Farbiarz told Giordano to file brief letter before 3 PM today indicating three things:
“First, how many days, in its view, remain on the “clock” with respect to the deadlines established by the Speedy Trial Act of 1974. Second, whether, in its view, the Speedy Trial clock is currently stopped or is currently running. And third, when the United States will be ready to convey its position as to whether the Speedy Trial clock would or would not run during the 180-day adjournment it seeks,” Farbiarz said in a text order. “After receiving the letter, the Court will establish an appropriate schedule for possible further filings, including from the Defendants.”
Last month, Attorney General Pam Bondi disbanded an FBI task force investigating the influence of foreign governments in U.S. politics.
Giordano, a Trump loyalist, was sworn in last night as acting U.S. Attorney.
Trump’s initial pick was State Sen. Douglas Steinhardt (R-Lopatcong), who wound up turning the job down.
The New Jersey Globe exclusively reported him as a leading candidate for the U.S. Attorney post on Sunday.
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