Feds should identify 'Public Official No. 2'

Almost a year has passed since a 26-page federal indictment of James Lapmardo, a former city of Warren building official, revealed the involvement of a second individual, "Public Official No. 2", in a conspiracy with several contractors to "obstruct, delay and affect commerce by extortion."
That's a highfalutin way of saying that Lapmardo and the unnamed official used their positions of power to recommend the approval of change orders, issue permits, and supervise and inspect construction work on city contracts. The scheme involved bribery, extortion and money laundering.
Who is "Public Official No. 2"? Federal prosecutors aren't saying. Why? Because the investigation continues, they contend.
But given that Lapmardo was sentenced last week to 41 months in the federal penitentiary -- he pleaded guilty in April to racketeering acts, including extortion -- and that several contractors have already been convicted, we believes it's time for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Cleveland to identify this criminal.
Unfair
Speculation abounds as to his or her identity, and that is not fair to the many honest public employees in Warren.
We are well aware that the federal government isn't inclined to follow the advice of newspaper editorialists when it comes to a probe of government corruption, but 12 months is long enough for an investigation to be completed.
The fact that the Lapmardo-"No. 2" scheme began in the early 1990s and existed through mid-July 2000 has put a whole lot of city government employees under the spotlight of public suspicion.
Indeed, since the projects investigated by the feds included the demolition of the Morningside Power Plant, the building of a new clubhouse at Avalon South golf course and the demolition of several buildings, including the Sanitary Dairy and Bells' Warren Music Centre, the mayors in office during that period, Daniel Sferra and Hank Angelo, have automatically become the subjects of a whispering campaign.
Even without evidence of either one's involvement in the scheme, and even without any indication from federal prosecutors that either "Public Official No. 2," speculation is running rampant.
Rumor mill
Angelo's decision not to seek re-election as mayor, and Sferra's failure to win a second term as a state representative have served to feed the rumor mill.
The federal government must know that trust in city government will continue to erode so long as the identity of "No. 2" is kept secret.
We would urge prosecutors to move quickly to let Warren residents know who in government has violated their trust.