There is a revolving door theme in today’s posts. We saw yesterday how Communications Commissioner Meredith Baker was made senior vice president of Comcast-NBC, Phillip A. Hamilton, a former Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates, has been convicted of leveraging his office to secure a paying position with Old Dominion University. He now will be sentenced for federal program bribery and extortion under color of official right.
Hamilton is accused of using his power over the budget to push through a bill to give $500,000 a year to a center at the university in exchange for being made director of the program. He was paid $40,000 in salary.
The case involved allegations that Hamilton tried to cover-up the connection to the Center for Teacher Quality and Educational Leadership, including hiding the fact that he was director of the center when asked by investigators.
He now faces 10 years in prison on the bribery charge and up to 20 years for the extortion charge.
What is a bit unnerving is that the Old Dominion employees involved will not be charged. Both key ODU officials were given immunity. It is a bit troubling to see everyone else walk in such a sordid affair. As an academic, I find the case particularly distasteful.
Hamilton served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1988-2010. He still received over 45% of the vote when he was defeated by Robin Abbott.
Source: TMP
U.S. District Court
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS (Houston)
CRIMINAL DOCKET FOR CASE #: 4:09−cr−00342 All Defendants
Case title: USA v. Stanford et al Date Filed: 06/18/2009
Date Filed # Docket Text
09/14/2009 116 RESPONSE to Motion by Robert Allen Stanford, Laura Pendergest−Holt, Gilberto
Lopez, Mark Kuhrt, Leroy King re 101 MOTION Motion for Payment of Fees or
in the Alternative, Stay of Criminal Proceedings, 102 MOTION for Attorney Fees
REQUEST FOR A COURT ORDER REQUIRING PAYMENT OF LEGAL FEES,
OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE, FOR A STAY OF HIS CRIMINAL CASE, filed.
(Attachments: # 1 Continuation, # 2 Continuation, # 3 Continuation, # 4
Continuation, # 5 Continuation, # 6 Continuation)(ealexander, ) (Entered:
09/15/2009)
Another, more detailed, article re Barasch and his attempts to represent Stanford before the SEC:
http://www.deepcapture.com/tag/spencer-barasch/
The best part is the whiny e-mail where he complains that he’s losing money unless the SEC lets him represent Stanford.
Another revolving door story.
FORMER S.E.C. OFFICIAL SAID TO BE SUBJECT OF CRIMINAL INQUIRY
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/14/business/14sec.html?scp=1&sq=barasch&st=cse
Atty. Spencer Barasch was in charge of investigating Ponzi schemer Alan Standord while he was an SEC investigator at their Ft. Worth office. It is alleged that he stalled the investigation.
Now it turns out that he left the SEC and went into private practice, where he represented Stanford-its unclear to me whether he represented Stanford against the SEC.
From the article: “After leaving the agency, Mr. Barasch did legal work for Mr. Stanford despite being told multiple times by the S.E.C.’s ethics office that it was improper, S.E.C. officials said at the [congressional] hearing.” [parenthetical added.]
Spencer is now a partner at Andrews & Kurth, where he apparently continues to appear before the SEC on behalf of A&K clients.
A&K is “standing by their man” despite the fact that the FBI and DOJ launched a criminal investigation into Spencer’s failure to pursue Stanford while he was at the SEC. He is also the subject of disciplinary proceedings by the Texas and DC bar. I love the fact that a man who was told by the SEC that he had to stop representing Stanford is now giving out legal advice to A&K clients on “corporate governance”.