• Home
  • About me: Jim Fitzpatrick
  • Contact

JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC

Feeds:
Posts
Comments
« “Latest News?” Hardly. Local? No, 175 miles away.
The state of local newspapers: The Big Shrink »

The Mike Sanders case looks cut and dried on the front page, but if it goes to trial it will probably be a lot more complicated

December 8, 2017 by jimmycsays

“Stunning.”

That’s how Fox4 News is describing The Star’s big story, which went up online yesterday afternoon, about former Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders’ alleged involvement in a kickback scheme that supposedly went on for at least three years.

Indeed, it is a stunning story…And, by the way, Fox4 is the only one of the four local TV stations, as far as I can tell, to have followed up on it — which tells me how useless the other three stations are.

Just reading this 44-column-inch-long story, it would appear the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office have the goods on Sanders. Somehow, reporters Mike Hendricks and Steve Vockrodt got the central figure in the drama, a Northland resident named Steve Hill, to open up about how the scheme worked. It went like this: Sanders would have checks drawn on the account of a political committee he controlled, then would give the checks to Hill, who would cash them, keep some of the proceeds and give the rest to Sanders.

It looks cut and dried…But you can bet it won’t be. Seldom is it easy to prove a kickback scheme against prominent and influential political figures. They usually have money, and they always get top-notch attorneys.

But that’s not the only reason this is unlikely to be a prosecutorial slam dunk. The Star’s story contains two direct suggestions of the difficulty the government is facing, and there are other signals between the lines.

Take a look.

Four years

That’s how long the FBI has been investigating this case. It’s right there in black and white: “The arrangement is the subject of a federal investigation that may be coming to a close after more than four years, The Star has learned.”

If that is correct, it tells you one of two things: The FBI has been moving at an absolute snail’s pace or it’s a lot more complicated than Sanders giving a guy checks and divvying up the proceeds between himself and the stooge. For the FBI’s sake I’m going to assume the latter — more complicated than it appears — and suggest that authorities do not have an iron-clad case.

While we’re on the subject of the length of the investigation, I want to add a journalistic comment: If The Star still had a reporter going to U.S. District Court every day, checking with officials and working sources, it would not have taken four years to discover that a former county executive was being investigated. Hendricks and Vockrodt are two of the best reporters The Star has, but they function primarily as at-large troubleshooters, responding to whatever they hear, wherever. Because of staff cutbacks, The Star has largely abandoned the longstanding, tried-and-true “beat” system, where reporters are assigned to narrow coverage areas and work those areas relentlessly. As a result, The Star doesn’t break nearly as many stories as it did before it started laying off editorial staff members in 2008.

Sanders might not be the only target

Two other people who conceivably could be in trouble are named in the story. One is Calvin Williford, Sanders’ former chief of staff. The other is J. Martin Kerr, an Independence attorney and friend of Sanders, who was treasurer of the political committee that was being used as the cash conduit. Interestingly, Kerr was an assistant Jackson County prosecutor in the 1970s. Both Williford and Kerr have hired attorneys. (I love it when an attorney has to hire his own attorney.) The possibility that at least four people were involved in some manner could lead to a lot of finger-pointing and messiness.

Main witness credibility

The Star’s story does not tell us a lot about Steve Hill, except that he lives north of the river, has been a friend of Sanders since high school, and has used a wheelchair since he suffered a broken neck during an assault 30 years ago. The dearth of information about Hill raises questions, including whether he has ever been convicted of a crime and why he decided to tell The Star his story before charges have even been filed.

If he has been convicted of a crime, or has a history of lying, it would damage his credibility. That’s a given, and I wish Hendricks and Vockrodt would have addressed that.

Regarding his decision to talk to Hendricks and Vockrodt, the story says he came forward “because he wanted the truth to be known and discovered.” I seriously doubt that is the sole reason. I suspect self-preservation is also a major factor. I don’t think he would have gone to The Star unless he felt it would benefit him in some way.

The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office cannot be happy with this turn of events. Investigators and prosecutors strongly encourage witnesses to keep their mouths shut until charges are filed and cases go to trial. They want the damning testimony to come from the witness stand, not from the front page of the daily paper.

A final, significant complicating factor for the government is that unless Hill’s account in the newspaper coincides perfectly — step by step, offense by offense — with what he testifies to in court, a defense attorney will be able to use any disparities to “impeach” his testimony.

In any event, Steve Hill’s credibility is going to be called into question. The easy part was talking to The Star and its very receptive reporters. It’s going to be a whole different story if and when a defense attorney pounces on him like a junkyard dog.

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments

9 Responses

  1. on December 8, 2017 at 2:24 pm Patrick

    Glad we have you to delve in and analyze these stories Jim. John Oliver did a great piece about a year ago about how the shrinking of local newspapers is a threat to keeping corruption in local governments in check. I would think if they still had beat reporters they would’ve sniffed this out earlier and at the very least follow up on why the man pegged to replace Cleaver suddenly decided he wanted to “spend more time with his family”.


    • on December 8, 2017 at 2:59 pm jimmycsays

      Yes, Patrick, it’s too bad no one was able to figure out — or at least speculate with the help of sources — why Sanders ups and quit two years ago.

      I certainly give Mike and Steve a lot of credit for an excellent story, but it is exceedingly strange that this is the first public whiff of a four-year-old investigation. I just got an email from a friend, who lives in Sanders’ neighborhood, and my friend said, “I cannot believe the news media was unaware of this since it was pretty widely known in legal circles.”

      …As to your first point, about analyzing these stories, when you’ve been on the inside, like I was, and then you step away, it’s easy to see how casual readers can easily be confused and wonder what behind-the-scenes factors might be in play.


  2. on December 8, 2017 at 7:26 pm John Altevogt

    Both Vockrodt and Hendricks are top notch reporters. The combination of both on the same story should make for scintillating reading.


    • on December 9, 2017 at 7:57 am Mark Peavy

      Your friend said “I cannot believe the news media was unaware of this since it was pretty widely known in legal circles.”

      That’s interesting. Follow-up with your friend and ask him exactly how long it’s been widely known, as well as exactly what he’s been hearing and who he’s hearing it from. You might be able to provide more information than the Star reporters provided.


      • on December 9, 2017 at 8:37 am jimmycsays

        It’s impossible to say “exactly how long it’s been widely known,” since that type of thing can’t be pinned to a certain date. I can tell you this, I never heard about it, and while I’m not in legal circles and not a close follower of county government, I hear quite a bit of political speculation…My guess is this is more of an “East Jack” deal, and more people out that way knew about it than in central KC. As I noted, the guy who said “it was pretty widely known” lives in Sanders’ neighborhood, which is “East Jack.”


    • on December 9, 2017 at 12:46 pm wnbtv

      The whisper-stream rumored bribery at the time of Sanders’ resignation, but not one credible news organ picked up on it. Or they launched cursory investigations that went nowhere.


      • on December 9, 2017 at 1:51 pm jimmycsays

        Journalists obviously can’t go with the “whisper stream.” On the other hand, if you can get the same information off the record from three or four different, independent sources — it would take that many on something of this magnitude, anyway — you can run with it.

        At the same time, many years ago, the feds investigated former MO Gov. Warren E. Hearnes for seven or eight years, maybe more. It was in the papers and Hearnes was under the microscope forever, but no charges were ever filed. He and his family were really, really pissed off, as they had a right to be.


  3. on December 9, 2017 at 10:52 am Chuck Morris

    Reading your first comments Jim, I had to laugh when I realized Mike and Steve did a story about Mike and Steve.
    But seriously, it makes one wonder why so many guys with bright futures make such stupid errors in judgment and end up ruining their lives. smh


    • on December 9, 2017 at 12:43 pm Will Notb

      Arrogance and greed.



Comments are closed.

  • Pages

    • About me: Jim Fitzpatrick
    • Contact
  • Archives

    • February 2023
    • January 2023
    • December 2022
    • November 2022
    • October 2022
    • September 2022
    • August 2022
    • July 2022
    • June 2022
    • May 2022
    • April 2022
    • March 2022
    • February 2022
    • January 2022
    • December 2021
    • November 2021
    • October 2021
    • September 2021
    • August 2021
    • July 2021
    • June 2021
    • May 2021
    • April 2021
    • March 2021
    • February 2021
    • January 2021
    • December 2020
    • November 2020
    • October 2020
    • September 2020
    • August 2020
    • July 2020
    • June 2020
    • May 2020
    • April 2020
    • March 2020
    • February 2020
    • January 2020
    • December 2019
    • November 2019
    • October 2019
    • September 2019
    • August 2019
    • July 2019
    • June 2019
    • May 2019
    • April 2019
    • March 2019
    • February 2019
    • January 2019
    • December 2018
    • November 2018
    • October 2018
    • September 2018
    • August 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • May 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • July 2017
    • June 2017
    • May 2017
    • April 2017
    • March 2017
    • February 2017
    • January 2017
    • December 2016
    • November 2016
    • October 2016
    • September 2016
    • August 2016
    • July 2016
    • June 2016
    • May 2016
    • April 2016
    • March 2016
    • February 2016
    • January 2016
    • December 2015
    • November 2015
    • October 2015
    • September 2015
    • August 2015
    • July 2015
    • June 2015
    • May 2015
    • April 2015
    • March 2015
    • February 2015
    • January 2015
    • December 2014
    • November 2014
    • October 2014
    • September 2014
    • August 2014
    • July 2014
    • June 2014
    • May 2014
    • April 2014
    • March 2014
    • February 2014
    • January 2014
    • December 2013
    • November 2013
    • October 2013
    • September 2013
    • August 2013
    • July 2013
    • June 2013
    • May 2013
    • April 2013
    • March 2013
    • February 2013
    • January 2013
    • December 2012
    • November 2012
    • May 2012
    • April 2012
    • March 2012
    • February 2012
    • January 2012
    • December 2011
    • November 2011
    • October 2011
    • September 2011
    • August 2011
    • July 2011
    • June 2011
    • May 2011
    • April 2011
    • March 2011
    • February 2011
    • January 2011
    • December 2010
    • November 2010
    • October 2010
    • September 2010
    • August 2010
    • July 2010
    • June 2010
    • May 2010
    • April 2010
    • March 2010
  • Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 563 other subscribers

Blog at WordPress.com.

WPThemes.


  • Follow Following
    • JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC
    • Join 563 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Copy shortlink
    • Report this content
    • View post in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: