Atlanta contractor charged with bribing Brown official
Today, the Chronicle's Dan Feldstein continues his reporting on corruption in the Lee Brown Administration with news that Atlanta contractor Floyd Gary Thacker has been charged with bribing Monique McGilbra, Houston's former building services director under former Mayor Brown:
The criminal information alleges that Thacker gave $50,000 to an Atlanta official with the understanding that a portion be passed to a second Atlanta official. Gallagher said he could not name the officials. Thacker attorney Justin Thornton of Washington, D.C., also declined comment.
In Houston, Thacker and McGilbra had a "personal relationship" in 2002, according to his charges and her plea agreement. He got a subcontract with Reliant Energy to improve the energy efficiency of Houston's traffic signals and expected a net profit of more than $250,000.
McGilbra got earrings, a $700 Luis Vuitton gift certificate, expenses for trips to Miami and New Orleans and about $6,000 cash, never disclosing her gifts to the city.
In a wiretapped phone call, Gray and a Honeywell official panicked because of a tip that Reliant might give Thacker some of the business that Honeywell hoped to receive. The tip was provided to them by Mayor Brown's brother, Earl, who was on Gray's payroll.
McGilbra assured Gray it was only because Reliant needed a minority partner. But in fact, she testified at Gray's trial, it was also because she received gifts from Thacker.
The city let Thacker design the energy saving system, but canceled his contract in 2004 before the construction stage and paid him $202,000. New building services director Issa Dadoush said Monday that he had been uncomfortable with how Thacker got the contract.
By 2004, of course, Bill White had taken over as mayor.
No doubt he continues to spend an inordinate amount of time cleaning up other messes left to him by his predecessor, whose legacy continues to grow.
ARCHIVES: Monique McGilbra.
BLOGVERSATION: Houston's Clear Thinkers.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 12/20/05 09:09 PM | Print |
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