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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Riddle was paid $2,000 a month for 2 yrs as a consultant and no one knew?
Genesee County commissioners say they didn't know Drain Commissioner Jeff Wright paid Sam Riddle for help on proposed water pipeline
By Ron Fonger | Flint Journal
May 13, 2010, 6:13PM
Jamie Curtis
GENESEE COUNTY -- Members of the county Board of Commissioners say they had no idea that political consultant Sam Riddle was paid to work on the proposed water pipeline project by Drain Commissioner Jeff Wright.
Several commissioners said today they were disappointed and unaware that Riddle received county funds to consult with Wright in 2007 -- at or about the time Wright was asked to cooperate with the FBI in a Detroit public corruption investigation that included Riddle.
Wright released a statement today, confirming he worked as an FBI informant in the Riddle case.
Board Chairman Jamie Curtis, who has championed construction of a new pipeline to Lake Huron, initially said he didn’t believe Riddle was paid for his advice.
“That’s not true,” Curtis said before a county drain official confirmed the payments to Riddle.
“Sam Riddle doesn’t have a good reputation. We don’t need a consultant with his expertise.”
Curtis and several commissioners, including John Northrup, D-Flint, and Patricia Lockwood, D-Fenton said they were never told that county funds were used to pay Riddle in 2007.
“I’d rather he had never had the connection (to the project),” Northrup said.
Riddle is on schedule to head to trial this summer on charges of working with former Southfield Councilman William Lattimore to secure bribes from a pawnshop looking to expand in the city.
Riddle also faces charges of working with a former Detroit city councilwoman to secure bribes from a number of parties looking to do business with the city. His first trial in that case ended in February with a hung jury. |
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Thu May 13, 2010 5:31 pm |
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Fri May 14, 2010 11:11 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| If taxpayer money was used as an attempt to extricate Jeff Wright from a serious legal problem with the FBI and/or the IRS, then the public has a right to be outraged. The question is whether or not the contract was initiated at the behest of the FBI. |
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Fri May 14, 2010 4:04 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Riddle said all of his dealings with Genesee County “were on the up and up.”
“What concerns me, and should concern the public, is if the contract were let solely so that the drain commissioner would have access to me for the FBI,” Riddle said. “The public should be outraged if that’s what happened.”
Drain commissioner paid Sam Riddle $2,000 a month to work on Genesee County water pipeline
By Kristin Longley | Flint Journal
May 14, 2010, 5:56PM
GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan — Turns out the Genesee County drain commissioner’s office shelled out more than twice what was originally reported to embattled political consultant Sam Riddle for work on a county water pipeline.
Riddle, who is now facing federal bribery charges out of Detroit, actually made $2,000 a month for nearly two years, and was eligible to be reimbursed for expenses, until his contract was terminated in November 2008, according to a copy of his agreement with the county that The Journal obtained today.
Jeff Wright
Riddle was paid by the drain commissioner’s office at the same time the FBI asked Drain Commissioner Jeff Wright to help with an investigation in June 2007 by secretly recording a phone call to Riddle, according to court filings from Riddle’s attorney.
The drain commissioner’s office initially said it had paid Riddle $1,000 a month for six months. John O’Brien, director of the water & waste services division, said he was speaking from memory when he supplied that number Thursday and didn’t have the documents in front of him.
Riddle’s contract with the county, from March 2007 to November 2008, also coincides with the time frame when he is accused of working with a Detroit councilwoman to secure bribes from multiple parties looking to do business with the city. He is scheduled to go to trial on the charges this summer.
Riddle said all of his dealings with Genesee County “were on the up and up.”
“What concerns me, and should concern the public, is if the contract were let solely so that the drain commissioner would have access to me for the FBI,” Riddle said. “The public should be outraged if that’s what happened.”
Wright declined to comment today. On Thursday, he released a statement confirming he assisted the FBI in its investigation.
O’Brien also said Riddle has not been involved with the recently formed Karegnondi Water Authority, which would oversee construction of a $600 water pipeline to Lake Huron, a pet project of Wright’s that has been gaining momentum recently.
Sam Riddle
Riddle’s consulting company, Meridian Management Systems, was hired “as counsel to assist in negotiations” on behalf of the county for a partnership with the city of Detroit, O’Brien said in a statement.
“The current pipeline partnership did not form until those negotiations with (Detroit) failed,” he said. “Meridian was not and is not involved with the KWA project.”
However, Riddle’s contract states he was to help advance “successful develpment of a new water pipeline.”
According to the contract, Riddle was eligible to be reimbursed monthly for any business expenses under $500 and for pre-approved expenses above that amount.
The Flint Journal could not reach county Board of Commissioners Chairman Jamie Curtis for comment. Curtis said Thursday that he didn’t believe Riddle received payments from the county.
Board Vice Chairwoman Patricia Lockwood said she wants to hear from Wright about why Riddle was hired, even though the drain commission is set up as a semi-autonomous agency of government.
“(This) absolutely requires an explanation,” Lockwood said. “It (is) something the drain commissioner is going to be forthcoming to explain.”
Lockwood said she’s concerned the payments to Riddle could sidetrack efforts to build the water pipeline.
“We need to be updated,” the Fenton Democrat said.
Commissioner Omar Sims, D-Flint, said he’s also lacking information. He wants to know more about the Riddle-Wright deal, but said Riddle might have provided a valuable service because of his knowledge of Detroit politics — despite his recent legal problems.
Sims called Riddle “talented.”
Riddle has been involved in numerous political campaigns locally over the years, including former Mayor Don Williamson’s successful 2007 re-election campaign.
Riddle said he provided the drain commissioner’s office with his expertise on the political dynamics of Detroit.
“Very simply put, you couldn’t do anything with the water department there without having approval of various elements of the city of Detroit,” Riddle said. “I had access to that information.
“I performed in good faith under that contract. Anything that was asked of me I certainly delivered on.” |
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Fri May 14, 2010 10:09 pm |
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