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Thursday, February 9, 2006
Witness: Contractor paid for romantic trips
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The testimony Wednesday from former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell’s former girlfriend, TV reporter Marion Brooks, gave way Thursday to details from prosecution witness about who paid for the couple’s Paris trip, and why.
Prosecutors in Campbell’s federal corruption trial claim a city contractor, United Water, paid for what was a $12,000 romantic getaway for the couple.
Campbell’s defense team argues the trip was business, so Campbell could visit the parent company’s French facilities.
Thursday, prosecutors called witnesses to hint at wider corruption in the United Water deal.
Assistant U.S. attorney Russell Vineyard asked former United Water President David Sherman about a meeting in October 2001 between him, Campbell and Bob Carr, who worked for United Water.
The company wanted the city to increase its $21.5 million annual contract and needed Campbell’s help, Sherman testified. At the meeting, Sherman said, he and the mayor discussed how to get contract changes.
After Carr and Campbell briefly left the meeting, then returned, Vineyard asked Sherman if he was “encouraged.� Sherman testified that he was.
On cross examination, Campbell attorney Fred Orr asked Sherman if Campbell had ever taken a bribe from him or United Water, or had even suggested taking a bribe in all Sherman’s dealings with the mayor.
“No sir,� said Sherman.
Prosecution witness Charles Johnson, a minority partner with United Water, testified that Campbell signed seven additions to the United Water contract - worth about $80 million over the life of the contract - only a few days before he left office in December 2001.
The defense successfully fought to keep out a tape recording of a phone message to Johnson. According to prosecutors, in the phone message from city hall employee Orlando McGee, McGee told Johnson that Campbell had signed the agreements.
The defense argued that McGee has told the FBI that he didn’t remember leaving the message on Johnson’s answering machine.
“Mr. McGee is over at City Hall,� argued Fred Orr, with the jury out of the room. “Why doesn’t the government call him to testify?�
In morning testimony, city Contractor Robert Crowder testified how he spent thousands of dollars chartering planes for Campbell. Crowder, chief executive of construction company Bencor Inc., told jurors that he paid $10,000 in March, 1999, to rent a jet to fly Campbell to New York to see a boxing match.
“We were doing business in the city of Atlanta,� Crowder explained as his reason for providing the plane for Campbell and his buddies to fly to the fight. “We wanted to strengthen those relationships.� Another time, Crowder testified his business spent $19,000 to fly the mayor to Los Vegas. Defense attorney Jerry Froelich pointed out that the mayor took Crowder to Chops restaurant as a thank you and invited Crowder and his wife to sit at a table with Campbell during a Nancy Wilson Concert at Chastain Park.
Crowder acknowledged he had been told: “The mayor would like to accept your invitation provided you understand you will get no favorable treatment, to expect nothing in return.�
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Exec says he rented jets for Campbell
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
City contractor Robert Crowder testified today that he spent thousands of dollars chartering planes for then-Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell to gain a business edge.
Crowder, chief executive of construction company Brencor Inc, told jurors he paid $10,000 in March 1999, to rent a jet to fly Campbell to New York to see a boxing match. The plane rental fee was by the hour and Campbell, who unexpectedly brought along his gambling buddies, made a surprise detour to Atlantic City, Crowder testified.
“We were doing business in the city of Atlanta,� said Crowder, whose business was based in Nashville before moving to Atlanta. “We wanted to strengthen those relationships.�
Brencor refurbishes low and moderate-income housing and has gotten millions of dollars in low-interest loans from the Urban Residential Finance Authority, which Campbell chaired.
Crowder said he also paid to charter a second jet for the mayor and his cronies in November, 1999, to fly to Las Vegas – with a limousine waiting to pick them up. He said this business expense topped $19,000.
Defense attorney Jerry Froelich pointed out that the mayor took Crowder to Chops restaurant as a “thank you� and invited Crowder and his wife to sit at a table with Campbell during a Nancy Wilson concert at Chastain Park.
Crowder also acknowledged he had been told: “The mayor would like to accept your invitation provided you understand you will get no favorable treatment — to expect nothing in return.â€?
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Free trips to come up today at trial
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Prosecutors are expected to call a witness today who can discuss free rides former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell took on a private jet chartered by a city contractor.
The witness is Brencor Inc. Chief Executive Robert Crowder, who chartered the planes.
Prosecutors allege that Campbell took free trips to New York and Las Vegas on a private jet chartered by Brencor, an Atlanta construction company.
Brencor refurbishes low- and moderate-income housing and has gotten millions of dollars in low-interest loans from the Urban Residential Finance Authority, which Campbell chaired.
Permalink | | Categories: Bill Campbell trial
