Free Republic

NEWARK, N.J. - Former Newark Mayor Sharpe James was indicted Thursday on corruption charges involving land sales and allegations that he spent extravagantly on himself and several women using city-issued credit cards. The federal grand jury's 33-count indictment charges James with fraud for allegedly facilitating and approving the cut-rate sales of city-owned land to a female companion. It also charges James, 71, with using the city-issued credit cards on himself and eight women during trips to destinations including Rio de Janeiro, Puerto Rico and Martha's Vineyard, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie and state Attorney General Anne Milgram announced. "The allegations...

LOS ANGELES - A former mayor of suburban Lynwood was convicted Tuesday of federal charges involving the funneling of millions of dollars in city contracts to a sham consulting company he secretly controlled. Paul Richards, 49, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit extortion, fraud, money laundering and depriving the public of honest services. Prosecutors accused Richards of arranging to have more than $2.5 million in city contracts awarded to a consulting company, Allied Government Services, that listed his sister, Paula Cameo Harris, as its president. Last week, Richards denied wrongdoing and told jurors he did not disclose his ties...

Another day, another squabble as Perry-Strayhorn fight continues. By Ken Herman and Michelle M. Martinez AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF Thursday, April 22, 2004 Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, dabbling in subject matter a tad sexier than the usual daily number crunching, said Wednesday that the state should shut down all topless bars by prohibiting them from selling alcoholic drinks. The proposal is the latest in what have become daily Strayhorn attacks on Gov. Rick Perry's proposed school finance package. The Perry plan, aimed at drumming up more money for public schools while reducing property taxes, includes a proposed $5 admission surcharge at...

$25,000 Australia junket worth it, Rout says By Bartholomew Sullivan sullivan@gomemphis.com October 6, 2002 Nobody ate the kangaroo fillets. But if former Shelby County mayor Jim Rout and senior aide Tom Jones were squeamish about munching on marsupials, it appears they weren't afraid to spend more than $25,000 in taxpayers' money last march on a trip to Australia and New Zealand. Just 135 days before Rout left office, he, Jones and Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau president Kevin Kane - along with their wives - left for the land down under. The couples dined at a five-star restaurant, visited Olympic...