The jury in the J.T Burnette federal public corruption trial found Burnette guilty on five of the nine charges. A guilty verdict was reached on charges related to extortion, honest services mail fraud, Travel Act, and lying to the FBI.
The guilty verdict on extortion – count 2 – was related to obstructing and delaying the movement of commerce in collusion with Paige-Carter Smith and Scott Maddox.
Two of the guilty verdicts – counts 5 & 6 – were related to two of the $10,000 payments made to Scott Maddox by the undercover agents through Maddox’s consulting firm, Governance.
One of the guilty verdicts – count 8 – was related to the promotion and facilitation of bribery. This count was based on information from secret recordings when the undercover agents were told by Burnette that Maddox was the one to pay.
From the audio recordings:
“(Sweet) told me it was going to Governance,” Miller said. “Is that right?”
“I will tell you that’s a good plan to start,” Burnette replied. “I think you got a little runway to do it.”
“I want to make sure it’s for Maddox and not another lobbyist,” Miller said.
“It’s definitely for Maddox. I hate to see you guys spend money and not know exactly what you’re doing. I would probably take a little different approach but I fully support what you guys are doing, ” Burnette told the undercover agents.
The guilty verdict on count 9 was related to lying to federal agents.
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J. T. Burnette was going to be found guilty the minute he hired Tim Jansen as his lawyer.
With all his money, you think he would have hired a good lawyer. Big big mistake hiring Jansen.
I hope you are right Hope.
@ Samantha,
You are correct on all points, however, Gillum is not on the comeback trail.
He can play the race card, but it is the content of the character and not the color of the skin and he has lost all credibility. Even before his unfortunate incident in Miami he could not garner any support or following.
Yordon is a snitch. No other explanation. Gillum skates because he was too dumb to get in on the real action. Maddox snitched on everybody he could with Smith. So many appear to be walking free. Burnett has a year in which he can cooperate for a lesser sentence. Jantzen is dog shit as a lawyer vastly over rated. Thank you Dr. Jackson, you tried. Gillum is a sacred cow here because of race and bisexuality. He’s in both camps and on the comeback trail.
Don’t worry everybody, John Dailey says he now agrees it was a problem. He’s told Reese Goad that it’s his top priority to clean up city hall!
Gary Yordon should be going to jail with him.
And the paradox shall always remain… who is worse, the one who offers the bribe or the ones (in public office) who take the bribe?
Once that’s answered – presuming equality – then follows… if equally malicious and egregious, why the disparity in accountability?
Once that’s answered, then follows… is it worse to be guilty and admit ones’ guilt, or worse to be guilty, deny it, and to be judged guilty anyway?
Once that’s answered, then follows the ever-unanswered question… why the disparity in accountability?… is it because I refused your assertion of guilt and made you prove it?
If equally guilty of the same crimes… why the disparity in accountability?
… just some thoughts to ponder… carry on