Patrick "Two-phones" Coyne goes down

Today we hear another one of Jimmy Dimora's many shoes drop as the FBI arrests Strongsville Councilman Patrick Coyne as part of the ongoing Cuyahoga County mop-up. I'm calling him by his brand-new nickname "Two-phones" which I just gave him after seeing this photo.

This is how Democrats do conference calls I'll bet.

Coyne resigned his council seat Friday without explanation. He was implicated, although not by name, last year in a bribery scheme involving Hinckley real estate developer David Terry.

Terry pleaded guilty to paying $20,000 to a Strongsville politician who matches Coyne's description to "influence and reward" the official for various dealings in 2007.

Terry's attorney Jerry Gold has said that his client bribed Coyne for past and future political influence and that Coyne helped some of Terry's relatives find jobs.

Coyne is a well-connected Democrat who worked in the Cuyahoga County treasurer's office before going to work for County Prosecutor Bill Mason in 1999. He joined the County coroner's office in 2007.

County Coroner Frank Miller fired Coyne from his $120,000 job in October, shortly after he was implicated in the Terry bribery scheme. Miller also accused Coyne of stealing campaign money.

Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald has been conducting a review to determine whether Coyne improperly used his influence in the hiring of several county employees, including his former campaign chairman and a niece.

The comments are good; in them it is noted that Patrick Coyne was the new County Exec's driver during his campaign. So he'll be taken care of, no doubt. Funny how he resigned a day before the spaghetti hit the fan. So he had more warning than OBL about what was coming. Also it is suggested that Coyne will plea deal and turn evidence on Bill Mason and that's the real prize here. I haven't been following it closely enough, but that sounds right.