Pence worked other side of E.C. corruption case

Font Size:

BY PATRICK GUINANE and JOE CARLSON
Times Staff Writers | Friday, June 13, 2008 | (8 comment(s))

INDIANAPOLIS | When Democrat Linda Pence announced her candidacy for state attorney general last week, she said she would need to undertake an extensive review before committing to continuing the civil racketeering case against former East Chicago Mayor Robert Pastrick.

Pence, an Indianapolis attorney, didn't mention that she already is familiar with the other side of the corruption case. Federal court records show Pence represented Rieth-Riley, a paving company that paid $625,000 to settle claims it helped city officials conspire to divert more than $24 million in public money to a 1999 sidewalks-for-votes scheme.

"What I was trying to convey (last week) is, in this particular civil case, I'm not the attorney general yet," Pence, a former U.S. Justice Department attorney, said Thursday. "I'm not privy to the evidence in that case. I wouldn't be allowed to see it. If that evidence is there and there is corruption, I will go after that, and I will continue that case."

The civil Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act lawsuit Republican Attorney General Steve Carter filed four years ago labels the city of East Chicago a corrupt enterprise and seeks to recoup the millions spent on the pre-election paving scheme.

"Frankly, that case is one of the highest priorities in the entire office," Greg Zoeller, the GOP candidate for attorney general, said Thursday.

Zoeller, Carter's chief deputy, has vowed to continue the fight against Lake County corruption. Zoeller won the GOP nomination over Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas, whose law firm, Burke Costanza & Cuppy, represented a pair of East Chicago officials who recently settled in the state RICO case.

"When I'm attorney general, I would review that file extensively," Pence said last week. "I am against public corruption. I would not focus on one county, which I think I've seen in the past."

Pence said she would be willing to entrust the East Chicago case to subordinates or outside counsel if her review identified a potential conflict of interest.

Although Rieth-Riley admitted no wrongdoing in its 2006 settlement, the state had accused the company of playing a central role in a scheme to help East Chicago officials legitimize the paving bonanza that preceded Pastrick's 1999 re-election. The original civil lawsuit said the company signed off on a phony contract after other contractors already had helped pour free driveways, patios and sidewalks for city voters.

In 2005, Pence filed a countersuit in the case, contending that Rieth-Riley's contract with the city contained a clause protecting the company from liability if any part of the pact was deemed "contrary to the law." A year later the company forged a settlement that included a pledge to cooperate with investigators.

"Of the $1.3 million recovered in the RICO case, Rieth-Riley paid a significant settlement of $625,000, which is the largest to date and represents twice the amount paid to outside counsel," Carter spokeswoman Staci Schneider said Thursday.

More than a dozen of the 27 former city officials and contractors originally named as defendants in civil suit have reached similar settlements.

Back to story 8 comment(s)

Please note: Comments from readers will be screened and may not be posted immediately. If you don't see your comment perhaps:

It wasn't clear, concise or focused on the topic in the story.
It was a personal attack, vulgar, explicit or degrading, used actual or implied profanity or contained potentially libelous statements.
It accused someone of being guilty of a crime.
It promoted violence or illegal acts.
It contained telephone numbers or street addresses, or e-mail addresses and links to Web sites other than nwi.com or government agencies.

In no way do these comments represent the views of The Times or Lee Enterprises.

Passionate views, pointed criticism and critical thinking are welcome. Name-calling, crude and profane language and personal abuse are not welcome.

Reader comments will not be edited - they will be approved or declined. They may be used in the print edition of the newspaper.

If you feel a posted comment has violated these guidelines, please email our New Media team the commenter's name, the comment and a link to the article.

For more information please read our Terms of Service.

to ILoveEc wrote on Jun 15, 2008 9:28 AM:

" SOOO what if she is an attorney that was hired by a private company, duh..thats what crooks do, hire the fish that can catch the judge and win. If you don't want people reading into things, stop reading the posts! that is what the blog is for! hope you never get a really bad lawyer that shafts you, then again, hope you do, so maybe you will learn not ALL are created equal. There are alot of very good, articulate, crafty, witty, charming, and most of all sincere lawyers out there. They are not all in nwi, though, unfortunately. hey i could give you a good one, lets just say he is a great whiner, and shafts his clients all the time, oh but can't give his name. look him up he keeps changing offices in nwi. by the way, people can say what they want, freedom of speech, excercising it! "

PDQ wrote on Jun 13, 2008 11:31 AM:

" Did Pastrick have two horses in the Attorney General Race? Looks to me in my mind he only has one left running. "

ILOVEec wrote on Jun 13, 2008 10:08 AM:

" She is an attorney that was hired by a private company! That was her job to represent her client! Quit reading into things. "

wwjd wrote on Jun 13, 2008 9:47 AM:

" corupt feds and lawyers who control our votes!she said she would need to undertake an extensive review before committing to continuing the civil racketeering case against former East Chicago Mayor Robert Pastrick. "

go Zoeller wrote on Jun 13, 2008 9:25 AM:

" Are you kidding me? of course this is a conflict of interest, that is obvious. Pence is on Pastrick side. She represented Reith-Riley, they didn't admit doing wrong, but most never do, but they pay one way or another. wow, amazing that lawyers can walk away with such a cut from the settlement. Hope Zoeller can help correct the corruption in Indiana and rid it from corrupt lawyers too. "

Vote Nazi wrote on Jun 13, 2008 9:08 AM:

" No votes for YOU! "

nwi wrote on Jun 13, 2008 6:33 AM:

" Put a fork in her she is done! "

oldest spear wrote on Jun 13, 2008 6:14 AM:

" I figured something smelled when Pence said that she would have to review the case in order to decide if to continue the case. She will NEVER get to be the new state's attorney now that we know she's REALLY on the Pastrick's side of the fence! "

Back to story 8 comment(s)

Post a comment Once your comments are approved, they will appear here.

Marketplace

Sections

Services

Other Publications

Search