Scott Rothstein Can't Give Specifics on Law Enforcement, Organized Crime, Politics

Scott Rothstein has made several generalizations over the course of his deposition, including his associations with organized crime and claims that he bribed cops and judges.

In the December 16 transcript, it seems the questions -- and Rothstein's almost-answers -- got a little too specific, drawing government objections and leading to the transcript being partially redacted.

Rothstein was asked questions about stashes of cash -- sometimes as much as $150,000 -- that he'd keep around his office.

After being asked the source of the cash, Rothstein asked, "You want me to answer that?"

Assistant U.S. District Attorney Lawrence LaVecchio answered, "Do the best you can."

Rothstein answered a few questions on how he got the cash and then was asked what he needed all that money for.

LaVecchio objected for the "government's investigatory privilege."

Rothstein continued to answer more questions about where he got the money, to which he eventually conceded that it came from organized crime.

He was then asked who in organized crime gave him money, which drew another objection from LaVecchio. Rothstein answered, "I got money from clients."

Rothstein was asked more about this cash, leading to an off-the-record conversation between LaVecchio and Rothstein's interviewer, attorney Sam Rabin.

Rabin continued to ask about the cash, its sources, and what it was used for.

"To help you avoid an objection, let me see if I can give it to you this way," Rothstein said. "Clients, other lawyers, and friends would sometimes need me to assist them in conducting illegal activity."

Rothstein was asked what kind of illegal activity -- objection. Paying off judges? Objection.

Rothstein was basically given the question again with different phrasing, and he gave the laundry list of what the money from "clients" was financing: money laundering, extortion, physical violence, public corruption, influencing law enforcement, influencing bankers, influencing businessmen, influencing business owners, and a whole "myriad of others," Rothstein said.

Specifics, however, were never mentioned.

Before this conversation about this cash from the "clients," there are about four pages of redacted material.

That conversation was allegedly more talk about escorts and who Rothstein would provide escorts to. He allegedly named a few people, and then said there were some cops, but he couldn't name-drop them.

Rothstein was allegedly asked to name those cops -- drawing an objection from LaVecchio.

In a previous day of questioning, Rothstein was able to answer questions about former Fort Lauderdale Police Sgt. Steven Greenlaw, mostly about jewelry, but talk about other cops seems to get the brick wall from the feds.