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Wednesday, 03 September 2008 18:10 |
The state's biggest road builder and a former Transportation chief
have been indicted by a federal grand jury.
Former Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert and road contractor Leonard Lawson face conspiracy, bribery, obstruction of justice and theft of federal funds charges.
The 22 page indictment sets out a bribery and conspiracy scheme allegedly carried out from June 2006 to March 2008.
The FBI claims some of the Transportation Cabinet's confidential price estimates on road contracts were being given to Lawson prior to the bid openings.
The inside information was for ten projects, totaling nearly 130 million dollars in road work.
Lawson allegedly paid Nighbert and then-state highway engineer James Rummage for the inside info.
Nighbert allegedly received $67,000 dollars from Lawson and Rummage received $20,000.
Rummage is cooperating with the investigation and was not indicted.
That prompted Nighbert's attorney to release a statement, saying that Rummage admitted lying on several occasions and was involved in other illegal activities.
"It is interesting that the initial press accounts we have received do not indicate that Mr. Rummage was himself charged with any crime, despite his admissions. This would indicate that he has made a very good deal to avoid charges," Howard Mann said in the statement.
Mann also said his client is innocent and will "vigorously defend any and all charges."
The attorney for Leonard Lawson also released a statement Wednesday following the indictments.
"There is simply no credible evidence that Leonard Lawson violated any laws," Larry Mackey said in his statement. "The indictment is evidence of nothing. In time, evidence will show that Leonard Lawson committed no crime and should have never been charged."
One of Lawson's employees, Brian Billings, was also indicted.
He was charged with an obstruction of justice.
The three men will make an initial court appearance on September 12th.
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