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Utility executive: Sherry Pierce hired for her connections to Pinal County, not bribe
Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Battista says it was lobbyist Jim Norton’s “strong suggestion” that led to the flow of money from a utility owner to the pockets of a utility regulator.
Lobbyist Jim Norton disputes ex-wife’s testimony in bribery trial
Jim Norton said on the witness stand Tuesday he did not force his now ex-wife, Kelly Norton, to hire Sherry Pierce at her firm, but that he urged her to do so because he had a stake in their success.
Defense says government short on proof in bribery trial
Defense attorneys in the so-called “Ghost Lobby” trial said “normal folks” might not find the activities of the defendants acceptable, but the government failed to prove corruption was their driving force.
Kelly Norton: ‘I wanted to keep copies of everything just in case’
Kelly Norton reviewed extensive records she kept in the midst of that scheme to protect herself if – and ultimately when – the authorities came looking for answers.
Star witness testifies in bribery case
The government’s star witness in the “Ghost Lobby” trial, Kelly Norton, took the stand on Wednesday, visibly nervous at the head of a crowded courtroom hanging on her testimony.
Choice for jury in bribery case: dirty politicians or humble servants
The bribery trial of former Arizona Corporation Commissioner Gary Pierce and his wife Sherry Pierce is a clash of political paradigms.
Defendants reject plea offers in Corp Comm bribery case
Plea deals offered to a former state utility regulator and a lobbyist suggests that federal prosecutors are not done looking at other possible criminal activities at the Arizona Corporation Commission.
Array of Arizona politicians, lobbyists connected to bribery case
The bribery trial of a former regulator, a utility owner and a lobbyist has tentacles that stretch to many others in Arizona’s political universe – some more than others.
Bribery case witness list includes elected officials past and present
The witness list for the bribery case against Gary and Sherry Pierce, Jim Norton and George Johnson is a who’s who of Arizona politics.
Customers at odds with indicted utility owner for years
The name George Johnson has gained-state wide notoriety in the last year, but his reputation precedes him in Pinal County.
Legal documents: Indicted lobbyist’s ex-wife FBI informant in bribery case
The legal fate of a former utility regulator, the head of a utility and a lobbyist facing bribery, conspiracy and fraud charges could depend on whether jurors believe the lobbyist's former wife.
Lobbyist seeks to cut allegations from bribery indictment
A lobbyist is asking a judge to delete several allegations in an indictment that accuses him of serving as a middle man in a scheme to bribe an Arizona utility regulator on behalf of a water company owner.
