Trenton Mayor Co-Defendant Gets Private Attorney

A businessman arrested two weeks ago along with Trenton Mayor Tony Mack in a corruption investigation is now being represented by a private attorney instead of a public defender.

Attorney Jerome Ballarotto appeared in federal court in Trenton on Friday with his new client, businessman and convicted sex offender

of Ewing.

Federal authorities say Giorgianni was the "bag man" for Mack, who is accused of accepting bribes in a parking garage development deal set up by the FBI as a sting operation. Through his lawyer, Mack has denied wrongdoing.

Ballarotto also represents Hamilton Mayor John Bencivengo in his corruption case. And he represented former Toms River superintendent Michael Ritacco, sentenced last week to 11 years in prison for tax evasion and public corruption.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)