#redflex bribery

[warondriving]

ARRESTED: The First Domino in the Redflex Bribery Ring Topples

Not only is this the first domino to fall in what's likely to be a long line of destroyed political careers scattered from coast to coast in the U.S., but it's also another lie that Redflex has been caught in.

For months now, they've been denying that their company or anyone associated with it is being investigated by the Feds. Well, that's an interesting claim, in light of today's arrest of the man at the center of the Redflex-City of Chicago Bribery Scandal, as a result of an ongoing Federal Investigation. 

The news of that arrest broke today in the Chicago Tribune: 

"Charges Filed Against ex-City Hall manager of red light camera program"

Then it was later picked up by NBC Chicago:

"Former Red Light Camera Manager Charged with Bribery"

You may remember that this ex employee of the city of Chicago, John Bills, was named as being the architect $124 Million scheme to steer Redflex contracts to the city. For his trouble, according to the local NBC affiliate, he was awarded a very handsome takeaway: 

A retired Chicago official who managed the city’s red light camera program for almost a decade was arrested Wednesday for allegedly accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to steer city contracts to Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc.

John Bills, 52, is accused of receiving cash bribes and other forms of payment, including a $177,000 condominium in Arizona.

We've said all along that this scandal will eventually lead to the demise of Redflex and this arrest is actually ahead of schedule. When Bills sings like a canary to get some sentencing leniency, who knows what will come out of his mouth.

Better run for cover, politicians with Redflex ties. This won't be pretty.

And as for Redflex denying that former Arnold, MO councilman and the creator of WrongOnRed.com was telling the truth about the Federal investigation? Well he has a little something to say about that. We asked Hay for his thoughts on the matter and he put them in their place:

"Redflex has no shame, and no qualms with deceitful statements. Just Monday, a representative of the City of St. Peters, MO read a letter in an attempt to thwart the St. Charles County Council from allowing their residents to vote to ban Redflex's systems. The letter supposedly written to them by the "Redflex CEO" stated that there was "misinformation" being spread and that Redflex and their employees were not under any indictment, or Federal Investigation in 13 states for bribery, fraud, or corruption.

I find this denial by Redflex to be particularly laughable in light of the unsealing of the first criminal complaint and arrest of John Bills in the US Attorney's supposedly "non-existent" Federal investigation. They would not be Redflex, if they did not deny the painfully obvious."

Redflex also issued a laughable release to the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) in advance of what should be yet another blood letting. If you need a cheap laugh, here it is [link].

Needless to say, this saga will continue in entertaining fashion.

Pictured above: John Bills locked up in his cell and preparing to sing..

[warondriving]

Caught Red-Handed: For Redflex, Bribery is Standard Operating Procedure

For a calendar year, revelations about Redflex's shady and illegal business practices have been fed to the public through a steady diet of damning admissions. Journalist David Kidwell of the Chicago Tribune has written about the subject comprehensively. [link to archives]

During the period since the first blockbuster article by Kidwell in March of 2013, Redflex has been hemorrhaging contracts and money.  Curiously not in Arizona, however, which houses the Australian-based camera vendor's U.S. headquarters.

Paradise Valley, AZ (PV) could not have turned a more blind eye to the corruption as they not only renewed with Redflex in 2013 for a whopping 5 years, but agreed to double the size of their contract.  In fact, PV hardly even considered using a different vendor, such as American Traffic Solutions (ATS), who also operates nearby in Scottsdale.

The city of Phoenix also renewed its contract with Redflex, without even putting the issue up for public debate. Of course, they later admitted their actions were improper (code language for "illegal"), but by then it was too late.

Now that Redflex and their designated scapegoat, Aaron Rosenberg, have exchanged lawsuits it's starting to become clearer that bribery wasn't just an issue in Chicago, but "Standard Operating Procedure" for the camera vendor.

The former EVP, Rosenberg, has not taken too kindly to the remaining brass at Redflex blaming all their transgressions on him and him alone. He's firing back, not by proclaiming his innocence, but by presenting evidence that he was just a cog in Redflex's bribery machine.

It's getting ugly, real ugly.

With just a few pages released by Rosenberg's attorneys, we now have black and white evidence, which shows that illegal campaign contributions and gifts were used to sway politicians and party officials in Florida and Arizona. More info will be released from Rosenberg's side, but probably not until summer of 2014. [Lawsuit]

Here's what we know so far:

Arizona - Illegal campaign contributions to both the Arizona Democrat and Republican Parties by Mr. Rosenberg that was reimbursed by Redflex and signed off on by then-CEO Karen Finley.

Florida - Two dozen state legislators and their wives were invited to an expensive dinner at Morton's Steakhouse, which was paid for by the company and not reported. Internal emails and expense reports show the dinner cost over $3,200.00.

And this is just the beginning. Rosenberg is alleging bribery was all part of the standard ops in 13 states.

The latest from the Chicago Tribune foreshadows what's to come:

In his counterclaim against Redflex, Rosenberg said he was simply "carrying out orders" and that other company executives also participated in a "pattern and practice" of wooing potential clients with perquisites including meals, golf outings, professional football and baseball games — all covered under a liberal company policy for "entertainment" expenses.

"A budget for these items was approved, and there was never a distinction between these types of entertainments and expenses that are considered gratuities and bribes," Rosenberg alleged in the filing.

Rosenberg said that during his tenure Redflex "bestowed gifts and bribes on company officials in dozens of municipalities within, but not limited to the following states: California, Washington, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Florida, New Jersey, Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia."

Arizona and Florida seem to be a main focus of Rosenberg and his attorneys, and for good reason. Arizona is the hub, where the executives are housed and will almost certainly be where most of the bodies are buried. After all, Redflex "won" the competition with ATS for the statewide freeway photo radar contract from 2008-2010 and it certainly took more than just a convincing slide show to woo Janet Napolitano and the state legislature. They then looked the other way while she jammed this massive program into a byline on the state's budget.

Of course, Arizona Legislators in 2008 were way too ethical to accept bribes, right? Well actually, they would beg to differ with that - [Fiesta Bowl bribery scandal]