and the RATS, take another one in the...............HA ha!!!
Posted on 09/07/2007 4:19:24 PM PDT by LdSentinal
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Former Louisiana state film industry recruiter Mark Smith pleaded guilty on Friday to federal charges that he took more than $60,000 in bribes to help inflate state tax credits for a motion picture producer.
Smith headed the state's motion picture development effort in the Department of Economic Development under Govs. Mike Foster and Kathleen Blanco from 2002 to 2006. The state offers tax credits to movie investors and producers in a program that has brought many films, TV movies, music videos and commercials to Louisiana.
The charges against Smith -- bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery -- are the first in a federal investigation which has not identified the other parties. Court papers filed in connection with his plea say that he took more than $60,000 in a series of payments -- bribes from an unidentified source -- to approve inflated budgets for film productions. That resulted in inflated tax credits from the state for a film production company not yet identified.
Smith, acting as his own attorney, entered a plea agreement with federal prosecutors. He will be sentenced in December and the maximum sentences on the charges add up to 15 years in prison and $350,000 in fines.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter Guice said in court that Smith immediately admitted guilt when approached by FBI agents and has been "nothing but cooperative with the government."
U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt accepted the plea from Smith, scolding him for violating the public trust. Engelhardt said he hoped Smith would spread the word that "personal profiteering while pretending to advance the public interest won't be tolerated."
S H O C K I N G
I get to add 2 tales from LA to my list of Dem Corruption today. I’m starting a 50-state plan like Howard Dean’s. ;)
Come on, people. This is a Democrat helping a fellow Democrat. Have you no compassion?
It is time to Move On. He said he was sorry, Move On. He said he meant did it to help N’olins. Move On. I mean, come on, people. This city and its people had to face the aftermath of this country’s first black hurricane.
I dare yee without faith to cast the first stone!
And of course, not one mention in the entire toilet paper-worthy article, mentioning that he is a Democrat.
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