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Thursday, January 26, 2006
Defense: Witness changing tune on Campbell
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A defense attorney today attacked a prosecution witness’s testimony that a contractor “bought” former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell, saying the witness told a different story several years ago.
Michael Sullivan, a former director of contract compliance fired by Campbell in 1996, had earlier testified how contractor Ricky Rowe had described his relationship with the mayor.
“[Rowe] used the term when he referred to the mayor as ‘That’s my ho,’ Sullivan said earlier today during Campbell’s federal corruption trial. When a prosecutor asked Sullivan what he thought Rowe meant by the reference, Sullivan responded, “I took it that he meant he had bought the mayor, he owned the mayor.â€?
On cross-examination, defense attorney Jerry Froelich challenged Sullivan’s recollection of the conversation with Rowe, saying he had taken the contractor’s statement out of context.
Froelich said that in an interview with the FBI in September 1998, Sullivan said that Rowe called Campbell a “ho� in the context of having access to him not of having bought him off.
Froelich’s intense questioning seemed to fluster the former contract compliance officer, who was fired by Campbell after several sexual harassment complaints.
On more than a dozen occasions, Sullivan couldn’t remember information that Froelich sought. At one point, Sullivan couldn’t remember when he got married, divorced or his salary while working for the city. His responses drew snickers from the several courtroom spectators.
The prosecution is using Sullivan’s testimony to show a pattern of behavior by Campbell to become involved in the awarding of contracts to people in exchange for favors. Froelich used the cross-examinination to chip away at Sullivan’s character.
Still, Sullivan stuck by the “bought offâ€? meaning, saying “I don’t know when I said it the first time, but (Rowe) said it.”
Sullivan resigned from the city in late 1996 but he said he was paid for a year. “The mayor wanted me to fall on the sword,� he said.
After leaving the city, Sullivan went to United Water to draw up an affirmative action plan for the company trying to get a contract to run the city’s water system.
At United Water, Sullivan said he served as go between for Campbell and the company, which got a $21 million annual contract in 1998. Sullivan testified the company paid for Campbell’s Super Bowl expenses in Florida that year.
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Witness: Contractor paid for gambling trips
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Former city official Michael Sullivan testified today that a city contractor who was a friend of former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell’s used to give cash to Campbell on gambling trips.
Sullivan, who was the city contracts compliance director, said that contractor Ricky Rowe told him he would “take care of the mayorâ€? while on gambling trips.
Federal prosecutor Russell Vineyard asked the witness to explain.
“He [Rowe] told me he would give the mayor cash to gamble with on those trips,” Sullivan testified. Rowe died in April 2004.
Vineyard asked Sullivan how Rowe described his relationship with the mayor.
“[Rowe] used the term when he referred to the mayor as ‘That’s my ho,’ Sullivan said. Vineyard asked what Sullivan he thought Rowe meant by the reference.
“I took it that he meant he had bought the mayor, he owned the mayor,” said Sullivan, who is on the stand for the second day.
The prosecution is using Sullivan’s testimony to show a pattern of behavior by Campbell to become involved in the awarding of contracts to people in exchange for favors.
Sullivan was fired by Campbell in 1996 after the contract compliance director had received several sexual harassment complaints. By 1998, Sullivan had joined a company called United Water, which was trying to get a contract to take over management of the city’s water system. Sullivan’s job was to come up with an affirmative action plan for the company. United Water won the $21 million annual contract.
Sullivan testified Thursday that he met with Campbell at a United Negro College fund Ball in December 1998.
“He told me that he had always said he will take care of me,” said Sullivan, who said the mayor was referring to United Water getting the contract.
After an objection by the defense, Vineyard asked Sullivan what Campbell said to him about United Water.
“That (Campbell) had selected United Water because he was looking out for me,” Sullivan repeated.
Sullivan also testified about United Water’s involvement in arranging a trip to Paris in the summer of 1999 for Campbell and the former mayor’s friend and chief operating officer, Larry Wallace.
Sullivan testified that Wallace asked him if he could “arrange for he [Wallace] and Mr. Campbell to be taken care of in Paris?” Sullivan said Wallace wanted United Water to pay the expenses of the trip.
In its opening statement earlier this week, the defense said the Paris trip was for business and that the prosecution could offer no proof that it was otherwise.
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More testimony on contracts today
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The federal corruption trial of former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell will resume today with more testimony from Michael Sullivan, who was director of contract compliance for a year during Campbell’s administration.
On the stand for the prosecution, Sullivan is expected to continue testifying about Campbell’s involvement in city contracts.
On Wednesday, Sullivan said to make it easier for Campbell to identify contractors who were loyal to him, he drew up a grid of potential contractors, putting an asterisk beside names that contributed to his political campaigns.
“He was pleased to have that information,� Sullivan testified.
Sullivan also testified Wednesday that in 1994 he and the former mayor, along with city contractor Ricky Rowe, traveled together to Florida to attend a golf and tennis tournament sponsored by Black Enterprise magazine.
Sullivan said the city paid for his trip. He said he was unsure of who paid for Campbell’s but noticed that when he and Rowe were checking out of the hotel, Rowe used his credit card for Campbell’s incidentals. Sullivan said he later told Campbell about it.
“He [mayor] was upset that I allowed Mr. Rowe to pay for his incidentals,� Sullivan told the jury. “He told me that you can’t use a credit card to pay for things like that. It leaves a trail. He was upset about the manner it was paid for and a credit card receipt being generated.� Rowe died in 2004.
Sullivan said Campbell scolded him on another occasion after the mayor learned he had said unfavorable things about a member of Campbell’s inner circle.
“He said he was disappointed in me because he considered me part of the family and to not make those comments against the family,� Sullivan said.
Despite his two gaffs, Sullivan testified he remained in good graces with the mayor. In 1995, they went back to the golf and tournament outing in Florida - accompanied by another city employee. Also in 1995, Sullivan testified he was with Campbell when the Braves clinched the World Series.
“We got to be in the suite together. It was a wonderful experience. We went into the locker room, in the dugout. We would be up on the pitcher’s mound,� Sullivan recounted. Campbell, listening to the testimony, smiled.
Defense attorney Billy Martin said his team is “loaded for bear� and eager to cross-examine Sullivan today.
None of the prosecution’s witnesses appearing Wednesday said Campbell made them do anything illegal, nor did they say they saw Campbell doing anything criminal. The prosecution has argued that it is first trying to establish a pattern of behavior and later witnesses will produce evidence of criminality.
In a seven-count federal indictment, Campbell is accused of racketeering, bribery, accepting illegal campaign contributions and tax evasion during part of his two terms as mayor from 1994 until 2002. He has pleaded not guilty.
Sullivan was among several witnesses appearing for the prosecution Wednesday. Following is a recap of those who have appeared since testimony began Monday:
*Monday: Kevin Ross, campaign manager during Bill Campbell’s bids for City Council and mayor.
*Tuesday: Ross and Byron Marshall, Campbell’s former chief operating officer.
*Wednesday: Marshall, former Public Works Commissioner Doug Hooker, former Hartsfield International Airport Deputy General Manger Steven Baker, former Public Works Commissioner Jarvis Middleton, and Michael Sullivan, former contract compliance director.
Permalink | | Categories: Bill Campbell trial
