Friday, September 22, 2006

Deadbeat Domonic Biggi

On Tuesday, TJ posted a piece about GOP state rep candidate Domonic Biggi's Fibtastic Resume'. In the piece, TJ notes some discrepancies in Mr. Biggi's list of self-described accomplishments. Following the piece, someone at the Biggi campaign saw fit to make the appropriate changes to the website.

Unfortunately, Biggi has some other issues that can't be so easily expunged.

Over the last year or so, Biggi has gone through a messy divorce. When I viewed the divorce and court documents at the Washington County Courthouse, it was a huge file. About 500 pages that filled two large file folders.

Among that heft of paperwork is evidence that Biggi had shirked his responsibility for child support (I redacted the email addresses for the privacy of Mr and Mrs Biggi). The email is dated six days before Domonic's wages were apparently garnished for what I understand is back child support.

The issue eventually went to court where Domonic Biggi was found in contempt of court with the following findings of fact:

A. The parties were divorced pursuant to a General Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage (the Judgement).

B. The Judgement provided, in part, that Mother would have a money award against Father for child support in the sum of $1729 per month beginning on September. 1, 2005.

C. The judgement also required Father to pay maintenance and transitional spousal support to Mother.

D. Father's actions in failing to pay the court-ordered child and spousal support were willful.

E. The court made additional findings from the bench. A copy of the court's ruling is attached and incorporated to this judgement as exhibit 1.


Domonic Biggi was then sentenced to 24 months bench probation. In addition, Biggi is ordered to follow all terms of the divorce agreement as well as "Any funds available to Father shall be utilized to pay towards his outstanding support arrearages". Biggi was also ordered to be current in his support obligations as of June 1, 2006.

Finally, he was ordered to pay attorneys fees and court costs incurred by his former wife.

Its unfortunate when people end their marriage. But its downright irresponsible when a man doesn't make a good faith effort to take care of his kids and obligations. According to these court documents, Domonic Biggi has been neck deep in that irresponsibility.

[Update-Sat AM]: I completed this post after a long day of work and running around to get research on this story. I inadvertently left out a couple of things.

First of all, this story was a team effort. TJ did the initial track down of the case number and court synopsis, which was invaluable in obtaining these documents. The initial footwork was all his.

Second, I noted that the judge ordered Biggi to be completely current with his support obligations by June 1, 2006. It appears that he wasn't. Biggi had a supplemental judgement levied against him in mid July of this year. He was giving up at least part of his 401K at Beaverton Foods apparently to catch up on back support.

[Update-Sat, 1:00 PM] Holly Danks over at the O's political blog reported that Mrs. Biggi says Domonic is now current on his support. However, Danks either didn't read my post or didn't get it..because she accused me of saying that Biggi was currently behind. Not only did I not say this--I clearly posted the sourcing with all the dates showing when he was behind.

Its nice to be sourced by the paper of record. But the least they can do is actually GET IT RIGHT. Sheesh.