The conviction for witness tampering relates to an August 2007 meeting between Carona and Haidl at a Newport Beach restaurant. At the time, federal prosecutors were years into their investigation of Carona's administration and Haidl was cooperating by wearing a hidden microphone. Guilford said during sentencing that he found Haidl credible.
Carona's attorneys argued the tapes should not have been allowed as evidence because prosecutors knew Carona was being represented by an attorney at the time.
Played repeatedly during the trial, the tapes captured a profane Carona making sexist and racist remarks. He bragged about being the "most lethal" politician in Orange County and sounded far removed from the man who exuded professionalism and spoke with passion at churches and prayer breakfasts.
During one exchange, Haidl told Carona that money he had given him came from a private safe and was untraceable.
"Well, on my end of it, completely untraceable," Carona said.
At other points in the tape, Carona vowed that he would deny receiving money from Haidl, and that they could track each other's grand jury testimony through their attorneys.
"Your answer is my answer," Carona told Haidl.
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christine.hanley@latimes.com
Times staff writers Dan Weikel and Tony Barboza contributed to this report.
