by Andrea Estes, Boston Herald

Tuesday, January 4, 2000

There's nothing Francis ``Cadillac Frank'' Salemme wouldn't do to bring down the man who brought him decades of grief - ex-FBI agent John Connolly - including lying to a federal grand jury, Connolly's lawyer said yesterday.

``Salemme has a hate for John Connolly,'' said his attorney, Robert Popeo. ``He's the guy who pursued him in an intense way and a surreptitious way. He was the person who arrested Salemme (in New York in 1972). He'll say anything they want him to say and so will any of his friends.''

Salemme's wife, Donna, confirmed yesterday the reputed New England Mafia boss told a federal grand jury last month that Connolly tipped his cohort Stephen ``the Rifleman'' Flemmi that he and James ``Whitey'' Bulger were about to be indicted on racketeering charges in January 1995.

Flemmi in turn warned Salemme, she said.

Salemme took off but was caught seven months later in Florida and Bulger is still at large.

Salemme pleaded guilty Dec. 9 to racketeering charges.

On Dec. 22 - days after Salemme testified to the grand jury - Connolly, 59, of Lynnfield, was indicted, accused of partnering with Bulger and Flemmi, two wiseguys-turned-informants he was sworn to supervise, in a racketeering conspiracy. Connolly is charged with protecting his informants from prosecution for their criminal activities.

Salemme, who his wife said was faced with possible contempt charges if he refused to talk, also told the grand jury that about a year before his indictment he met Connolly at Boston Edison, where Connolly worked as a lobbyist.

Connolly, she said, told him that if indictments were coming he would get advance warning.

``He would say anything to settle the score,'' charged Popeo, who dubbed Connolly's indictment ``Operation Scapegoat,'' aimed at making him take the fall for FBI higher-ups who approved the agency's informant policy.

``He (Connolly) is decorated,'' said Popeo. ``He's got eight separate citations. They audit your record every quarter. They (FBI superiors) didn't know? He has proof, evidence, documents . . .

``This was a program going on throughout the country,'' he said. ``The goal was to bring down organized crime that had proliferated so it was threatening the American system. It wasn't just murders on the streets. You had organized crime penetrating banks and security firms. The No. 1 priority was to bring down organized crime, eliminating La Cosa Nostra.

``You don't think they knew the people they were using (as Top Echelon Informants) continued to engage in organized crime both to be a cover as well as to provide information? You think some lowly agent set this policy?'' Popeo predicted the case against Connolly will be thrown out.

``This indictment will not survive,'' he said. ``Look at their witnesses - tell me if there is anyone who isn't a convicted felon, murderer or perjurer.''

John Durham, the special prosecutor assigned to the case, declined comment.

Also yesterday Judge Mark Wolf recused himself from the Connolly case, citing an overburdened workload. The case was reassigned to Judge Joseph Tauro.

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