Atlanta's OJ

The trial of disgraced Ex-mayor, Bill Campbell, has ended. Despite a mountain of evidence, he was only convicted of tax evasion.
He was acquitted on four corruption charges, including bribery and racketeering.
The government's case was largely circumstantial, but it produced 1,200 exhibits and more than 72 witnesses. The defense called 17 witnesses.

Cash withdrawals from his personal bank accounts shrank each year to just $69 for all of 1999. During that time, he was taking frequent trips around the world, living a lavish lifestyle, well above and beyond his mayoral salary. He spent $12,000, in cash, on a single trip to Paris with his mistress. You do the math.

Knowing Atlanta, Campbell threw down the race card in his opening hand. He had the help of former Atlanta mayor, Andrew Young, who claimed, "For one, I think the whole RICO statute has been misused, especially against politicians, especially black politicians. Every black mayor in America has been tormented by it in one way or another."
Young said Campbell had to overcome strong biases. "Most people think politicians are corrupt and that black people are dishonest."
The defense retold the story of Campbell's "harsh experiences" as the first little black child to integrate the Raleigh school system, in both their opening and closing arguements. (in case the jury forgot)

Those of us who lived in Atlanta remember the embarassment that was his time in office. As the prosecution contended, he ran Atlanta as his personal piggy bank. The olympics were run like a third world market, since the street vendors slipped money his way (allegedly). The airport dirt deal was even worse.
The low point, at least for me, was when his personal security detail of Atlanta police officers, ran the license plate of a car entering the mayor's estate and found that the car came back stolen. They stopped the car, after it had dropped off the mayor's son, and arrested the driver. Campbell explained that the whole thing was a big misunderstanding, then sent a letter to the police department, ordering them that they were not to check on any of the license plates of cars going into his driveway.

At least this criminal should be doing some jail time, even if it's not nearly as much as he deserves.