Former Atlanta Mayor Goes To Trial For Fraud And Corruption

During his eight years as Atlanta Mayor, Democrat Bill Campbell managed City Hall as a criminal enterprise and a seven-year federal corruption probe has already led to the convictions of 10 city officials tied to his administration.

Now it’s Campbell’s turn to answer to a seven-count indictment that accuses him of racketeering, accepting bribes and tax evasion. A jury has been selected and his trial begins next week in Atlanta.

The federal indictment contends that Campbell raked in more than $160,000 in payoffs and collected $137,000 in illegal campaign contributions. It also charges that city contractors bankrolled a trip to Paris for Campbell, sent him on gambling junkets and installed a heating and air-conditioning system in his Inman Park home.

Campbell, who is black, has accused prosecutors of being racially motivated so don’t be surprised if his defense team plays the race card. The Atlanta political blog, X’s and O’s says that Campbell is probably the most corrupt mayor that Atlanta has ever seen and that he will play the race card to the hilt like he’s always done in the past.