Home > Blog > Archives > 2006 > January > 25 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USWitnesses: Campbell backed contractors
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Loyalty and former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell’s interactions on behalf of city contractors were the issues today, as federal prosecutors tried to build a corruption case by adding more bricks.
Byron Marshall, Campbell’s former chief operating officer, and Doug Hooker, a former commissioner of Public Works, both testified for the prosecution about how vital loyalty was to Campbell.
Prosecutors are trying to show that Campbell preferred aides with blind loyalty who wouldn’t hesitate to do the former mayor’s bidding.
Marshall said it became a running joke between him and Campbell about loyalty versus competence. During his two days of testimony, Marshall said he and Campbell often battled about whom to hire and what qualifications were needed.
During cross-examination, defense attorney Billy Martin asked Marshall if Campbell ever hired someone who wasn’t competent.
“No one who is outright, totally incompetent,� Marshall said. “But, there were people hired who were incompetent in their jobs.�
When it came to city contracts, Marshall said he advocated a “transparent� bidding process once at a meeting. He said Campbell called him aside to complain that the idea had not been discussed with the mayor first. Campbell never adopted the plan, Marshall said.
Marshall said Campbell often interceded on contractors’ behalf. He said Campbell once did so for a contract involving a vending company owned by the wife of one of Campbell’s close friends, the late Ricky Rowe, a city contractor.
Marshall said he had concerns about the contract. Prosecutors displayed the document to the jury, showing it carrying Campbell’s signature, but not the chief operating officer’s.
Prosecutors are trying to show jurors that Campbell often got involved with contracts and that potential bidders knew this, making them believe they had to curry the mayor’s favor to do business with the city.
When he took the stand, Hooker, the former Public Works commissioner, recalled a conversation with Campbell shortly after he was elected mayor. Hooker, who was hired by former Mayor Maynard Jackson, had been the interim commissioner under Campbell.
“ ‘Let me be honest with you,’ � Hooker recalled the mayor saying. “ ‘I don’t know if I can trust you.’ I didn’t know what that meant.�
Hooker assumed that Campbell was leery of his friendship with City Council President Marvin Arrington, who often clashed with Campbell.
“I told him that he could trust me,� Hooker said. “But I said I wouldn’t do anything illegal.� Hooker said Campbell responded that he would never ask him to do anything illegal.
Campbell offered Hooker a six-month contract, which Hooker refused. Campbell eventually gave him a two-year appointment, which Hooker accepted.
Hooker also testified about controversial improvements to the Spring Street Aqueduct. The original contractor for the project was using his own drilling team to test the soil and foundation, instead of a company owned by Ricky Rowe.
Rowe’s company, R&D Testing & Drilling, had an annual contract with the city to perform that sort of work. Hooker said Campbell demanded to know why Rowe’s company wasn’t being used by the aqueduct contractor.
“He was angry, yelling so loud that I had to hold the phone out,� said Hooker. Hooker said R&D’s work in general was “fine, sometimes poor.�
Hooker said he was able to finally convince Campbell that the city would be liable for problems if they used Rowe’s company instead of the contractors.
Permalink | | Categories: Bill Campbell trial
