‘He understood it was a spectacle’: Before Trump faced a judge, there was the corruption trial of Buddy Cianci

But Hummel’s hunch that day that Cianci would walk from his living quarters at the Biltmore Hotel across the plaza to federal court for the first day of the Operation Plunder Dome trial, rather than taking a two-minute ride in his limo, resulted in one of the most iconic photos of his career . In a career of scoops, confrontations, and thorough investigations, Jim Hummel’s stroll through Kennedy Plaza with then-mayor Vincent A. “Buddy” Cianci Jr. on April 23, 2002, was not exactly the hardest-hitting interview he’s ever conducted. FILE...