Posted on 07/16/2007 7:14:34 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The last of five lawmakers indicted in an undercover public corruption probe dubbed Tennessee Waltz pleaded guilty Monday to bribery.
Former state Sen. Kathryn Bowers, 64, a Memphis Democrat, pleaded guilty to one federal count accusing her of splitting $11,500 with an accomplice who served as a go-between with FBI agents posing as dishonest businessmen. She had insisted for two years that she was innocent.
"I needed to go on and admit that I'd made some mistakes so that I can go on and try to move on with my life," Bowers said outside court.
In exchange for her plea, prosecutors dropped five more serious charges of extortion, each carrying a maximum of 20 years in prison.
The bribery charge carries a maximum 10-year prison term and a fine of $250,000, though federal guidelines would call for a much lighter sentence for a first-time offender. Sentencing was set for Oct. 24.
Defense lawyer William Massey said Bowers' plea agreement did not include a sentencing recommendation but she hoped to persuade U.S. District Judge Jon McCalla to go easy on her.
"She made a mistake. She did. She's admitting that, but she's done a lot of good things and she's been a good person," Massey said.
The Tennessee Waltz investigation began in 2004 and was built around E-Cycle Management, a fake company set up by the FBI supposedly to buy and resell used government computers. The company offered bribes to local officials for government contracts.
Four sitting lawmakers and one former legislator were indicted in May 2005, setting off a scandal that led to changes in state ethics laws.
Prosecutors said Bowers was one of the first lawmakers to fall for the FBI sting and helped undercover agents posing as E-Cycle representatives make contact with other legislators. She resigned from the Senate last year, citing poor health.
In all, the Tennessee Waltz investigation has led to indictments against 11 defendants, including several local officials in Memphis and Chattanooga. Including Bowers, 10 of those charged were convicted, and a former member of the Memphis school board awaits trial.
U.S. Attorney David Kustoff declined to comment but said the investigation continues.S. District Judge Jon McCalla to go easy on her.
"She made a mistake. She did. She's admitting that, but she's done a lot of good things and she's been a good person," Massey said.
The Tennessee Waltz investigation began in 2004 and was built around E-Cycle Management, a fake company set up by the FBI supposedly to buy and resell used government computers. The company offered bribes to local officials for government contracts.
Four sitting lawmakers and one former legislator were indicted in May 2005, setting off a scandal that led to changes in state ethics laws.
Prosecutors said Bowers was one of the first lawmakers to fall for the FBI sting and helped undercover agents posing as E-Cycle representatives make contact with other legislators. She resigned from the Senate last year, citing poor health.
In all, the Tennessee Waltz investigation has led to indictments against 11 defendants, including several local officials in Memphis and Chattanooga. Including Bowers, 10 of those charged were convicted, and a former member of the Memphis school board awaits trial.
U.S. Attorney David Kustoff declined to comment but said the investigation continues.
Feedback from Tennessee Freepers is encouraged.
Are all those indicted Democrats? Wouldn’t it have been enlightening for that little factoid to have been in the title of his article???? Since many illiterates never read articles, only read headlines.....that fact would have given needed info to such skimmers.....Shame on you, AP.
I think Memphis is more part of Mississippi than it is Tennessee.
WTH? I'd like to call for a corruption hearing ASAP!@
Yea right. Wish in one hand and $**$ in the other....
.
Former state Sen. Kathryn Bowers, center, talks with reporters outside Federal Court in Memphis, Tenn. after pleading guilty to bribery Monday, July 16, 2007. Bowers, a Memphis Democrat, was indicted in the undercover public corruption probe dubbed Tennessee Waltz. With Bowers is her attorney, William Massey, second from left. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
On the way to the penitentiary for $5,500?
Jeeze, they arent even smart enough to get more money..
I can’t thank U.S. Attorney David Kustoff and the FBI enough for the superb job they did with Operation Tennessee Waltz. The corrupt Ford machine took a strong broadside from this undertaking and I’m sure most people from these parts will be eternally grateful.
It is no surprise this stuff is being downplayed. Ward Crutchfield of Chattanooga (NOT Memphis) is the former Senate Majority Leader, a White good ole boy who has been ensconced in power for 40 years. As for all the other Black rodents, it’s like playing whack-a-mole. As soon as you hit one, another one pops up. The culture of corruption amongst the rodentry is standard operating procedure.
Of course, if these were Republicans...
If Bowers is only 64, I’ll eat my hat. The old corrupt bitch has got to be 80, at least.
Can we win Crutchfield’s seat?
Actually, these’s another reason why these rodents are falling on their swords for penny ante charges. Supposedly, they’d prefer a short stint in prison to revealing the nexus of corruption and “fundraising” that cuts to the very heart of how the rodents do their business. Those longer trials that Crutchfield and Bowers are avoiding are quite telling. I’d just like to know who is really pulling the strings in this state. The fact that we’re coming up on half the members of the rodent caucus in the Senate of the past few years getting indicted or sent to prison ought to be the biggest news story in the state. It’s not, and we all know why.
The weasely "I made a mistake" does not do it for me.
Bowers is another Ophelia Ford.
Memphis is a corrupt third world nation.
Memphis is a corrupt third world nation.
Off the top of my head, I’d say possibly, but questionable (to my knowledge, the rodents will pick a successor, and will probably hold the seat, but I’d love to be proven wrong). I have to admit that the voting and racial statistics for that particular district I’ve never been able to quite figure out. Most of the White districts in this state should be winnable by the GOP, though Crutchfield’s margins almost seem to indicate he’s in a Black rodent district. He hasn’t had a close race since 1984, but his last election in 2004, he won with 72% of the vote.
There are 3 overlapping House districts, one of whom is partly wealthy and White (Republican), one is poor urban Black (Dem), and the western end of the Crutchfield seat, Marion County, leans Dem (poor White) and has a Dem rep covering several counties. The other Senator from Chattanooga is a Republican, and that takes in more upscale White areas (and corrals the bulk of the GOP voters within it), and it has a new man elected last November representing it, taking over from the legendary David Fowler, a stalwart Conservative.
Mike Killian is another name mentioned, mayor of South Pittsburgh. I can't find his party affiliation.
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