By Danny Fenster ticklethewire.com It’s tough to come by a buck in Metro-Detroit these days. Still, Jeffrey Hawkins, a 46-year-old former fire chief for Pontiac, Mich.–a city at the northern end of Detroit’s metropolitan area–maintains that he did not ignore fire violations in exchange for cash. Hawkins plead not guilty on Tuesday after turning himself…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com Well, that was quick. After just 2 1/2 weeks of testimony, the prosecution in the federal retrial of ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich is expected to rest its case on Thursday, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. The first trial took 11 weeks, most of which was taken up by the prosecution presenting it case…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com WASHINGTON — A little more than a year after being sentenced to 13 years in prison for bribery, ex-Rep. William Jefferson of money-in-the-freezer fame, remains free pending an appeal. And while the former New Orleans Democratic Congressman remains free, nothing will reverse the mess that resulted from what “federal prosecutors called…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com Royal Dutch Shell PLC, a Swiss freight company, four oil service companies and a U.S. shipping firm will pay a total of $236.5 million in criminal and civil fines for bribing foreign officials in 10 countries for favorable treatment, the Justice Department announced Thursday. The companies bribed officials for favorable treatment…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com Detroit political consultant Sam Riddle, who created drama by defying court gag orders and posting comments on Twitter and Facebook, was hit Wednesday with a 37 months federal sentence for bribery and extortion, the Detroit News reported. Riddle, 64, admitted bribing former Southfield City Councilman William Lattimore, tax evasion and extorting…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com Four Alabama state legislators, three lobbyists, two business owners and one of their employees and an employee of legislature were indicted in a bribery scheme to promote legislation to legalize electronic bingo machines, the Justice Department announced Monday. “Today, charges were unsealed against 11 legislators, businessmen, lobbyists and associates who, together,…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com WASHINGTON — Powerful Maryland state Sen. Ulysses S. Currie, 73, finds himself in big trouble. The feds in Baltimore on Wednesday indicted him for allegedly taking more than $245,000 in bribes to use his office to help a grocery chain, Shoppers Food and Pharmacy. Two former Shoppers Food officials were also…
By Allan Lengel ticklethewire.com If ever there was a major city that can’t afford corrupt public officials it would be Detroit, a place that is aching from the economic woes of our time. That being said: How can anyone cheat the city? Ask ex-Detroit Deputy Mayor Kandia Milton. He stepped up before a federal judge…
