Hooks Indicted in Tennessee Waltz
The rumors that there was still an outstanding warrent to be served in the Tennessee Waltz sting run by the FBI have turned out to be true.According to breaking news on Memphis CBS affiliate WREG, a warrant has been issued for the arrest of long-time Shelby-county Democrat politician Michael Hooks in connection with the sting.
Hooks is currently the Chairman of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners. As to who this Hooks person is, I think an excerpt from a post last February covers it:
This, of course, is the same Michael Hooks that was arrested for drug paraphernalia in 2001. Somehow the two pots of boiling water and plate with traces of cocaine were swept under the rug -- oh wait, that's because county chief deputy Don Wright said not to do a search of the apartment and adjacent office. Wright was, after all, top assistant to Sheriff A.C. Gilless, who ran an incredibly corrupt department.This brings the total number of arrests in the Tennessee Waltz operation to eight: 7 Democrats and a RINO.
Note that this is the first arrest at the local level — all others were in the state legislature. It would not be surprising if there were more arrests in Shelby County and even Memphis were to follow. (Rumor has it that there will be more in and around the city, but these are highly unsubstantiated.)
There's nothing yet on the news station's web pages and Half-Bakered (who is usually all over this kind of thing) hasn't blogged since his computer blew up over a week ago, but the next couple of days should be interesting.
HT to AlphaWife who caught the breaking news broadcast.
Update: South End Grounds found the story on the Commercial Appeal's site:
The indictment says Hooks received payment to use his influence to obtain county government contracts for E-Cycle Management,the bogus FBI company that solicited bribery charges against five current and former state lawmakers.According to the indictment, when Hooks began meeting with representatives of the FBI sham company around August 2004, he told them "I've got a deficit. Are they dropping off any checks?"
That deficit, Hooks told them, was $38,000, and he told them he would need "whatever E-Cycle wanted to do."
E-Cycle officials asked what Hooks could do for them, and he was told the company needed a long-term contract with the county to take away old computers, the indictment says.
The indictment says Hooks received $6,000 in cash on Sept. 7, 2004.
He got $10,000 on Sept. 16, 2004.
When told the next payment would be $6,000, the indictment says Hooks replied: "that motivates me and satisfies you."
Finally, the indictment says that on Dec. 15, 2004, Hooks met with E-Cycle representatives - undercover FBI agents - who gave him $3,700 in cash in the bathroom at Earnestine & Hazel's.
Blog post #5353 in category
Tennessee
posted 30 August 05
Truly superior bloggers that reference Hooks Indicted in Tennessee Waltz:
» Shelby Co. Commissioner Latest Charged in Waltz
from Simply I:
The rumors that Operation Tennessee Waltz wasn't over were apparently true. Shelby County Commissioner Michael Hooks, a Democrat, was charged with accepting bribes from eCycle, a fake FBI company set up to pin elected officials on public corruption cha... [Read More]
Tracked on August 30, 2005 5:48 PM
» More Waltzing
from SayUncle:
Alphie notes another indictment in The Tennessee Waltz: The rumors that there was still an outstanding warrent (sic) to be served in the Tennessee Waltz sting run by the FBI have turned out to be true. According to breaking news on Memphis CBS affil... [Read More]
Tracked on August 31, 2005 7:25 AM
I don't mean to correct you but I thought it was Michael Hooks Jr., who had the problem with drugs.
Posted by Spectra on Tuesday at 5:51 PM
Please, always correct away! Readers are my fact checkers!
But in this case the link I reference clearly shows that it was the County Commissioner, not the son, that was arrested. The irony is that the deputies were at his house because they had a warrent for the arrest of Jr., who wasn't there, but they ended up arresting Sr. because he seemed to be in the middle of cooking up some Crack.
Posted by AlphaPatriot on Wednesday at 12:46 PM
Prior to Michael's "anydoseisillegal" problems there was the time he walked away from the assessor's office with pocket loads of camera film, as I remember.
Why do voters continue to elect people with shady pasts in Memphis. This business of "he/she paid the price" is bull.
As my Grand Mother might have said, "Do something wrong and it will stay with you for the rest of your life." Not true for Memphis politicians.
Posted by Chester Durkin on Saturday at 3:13 PM
Jr. did not have the drug problem.
It was Sr.
Posted by Paul Jay on Tuesday at 10:49 PM