Friday, January 09, 2009

VZ Paid Off Pols in Penn

Thanks to Alex for pointing this out: Verizon paid out $3.5M to companies that a Pennsylvania State Senator "pressured" them to pay. State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo is on trial for obstruction of justice and other charges.

After Verizon made the first installment of its donations to the Pops in 2001, Fumo dropped a threat to submit a written challenge of the company to state regulators, Whelan testified. ... The following year, he testified, Fumo formally withdrew a similar letter that he had sent to state utility regulators after Whelan figured out how to structure the payments to the firm of Fumo's supporter, former City Controller Thomas A. Leonard.

WOW! I thought the pressure went the OTHER way!

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