◆ SpookStack

VIII. DEL TUFO, PLAZA AND WEIR In its early days, Abscam was drawn away from its investigations into stolen art and certificates of . deposit toward the gambling casinos of Atlantic City, and — finally,:due primarily to Errichetti's activities, to the ) corrupt officidls in New Jersey and Philadelphia. Robert Del Tufo was United States Attorney for New Jersey. Two of his assistants, Edward Plaza and Robert — focus on New Jersey became apparent. Abscam, however, . | was the creature of the Hauppauge, Long Island office of the FBI and was being run aggressively, but carefully, by Puccio and his Eastern District Strike Force. Weir and Plaza at least, and perhaps Del Tufo as well, were gation. They were also, embarrassed because an investigation which began outside of their district had uncovered a céss- pool of corruption swirling around Angelo Errichetti who was mayor of one of the largest cities in southern New Jersey, as well as a member of the New Jersey state senate, and who openly claimed access to the strings of power in the White House. in the New Jersey state house, in New Jersey's casino control commission, in labor unions, and in organized crime. For such a man to be unmasked by an Weir, were assigned to work with Abscam once its intensifying , jealous of the obvious importance and success of the investi-