NAME THAT PARTY: The language of bribery from the Philly legislative sting case

12/21/2014

Rep. Ronald Waters, 191st Legislative District, Delaware and Philadelphia counties

HARRISBURG

The undercover lobbyist, wearing a secret camera and microphone, met with the lawmakers mostly in their district offices in Philadelphia, in the Capitol and in swanky restaurants in Harrisburg and Philly.

The informant for the Attorney General's Office, Tyron Ali, a native of Trinidad, was smooth talking and savvy. He owned a day care center in Philly. Investigators busted him for fraud, first estimated to total nearly a half-million dollars but eventually determined to be less than $100,000. Prosecutors had leverage on him to force his cooperation.

But for all the lawmakers knew, Ali was representing wealthy interests with lots of money to throw around — interests representing those who wanted liquor store privatization, banks and companies seeking collection contracts. The fictitious companies Ali represented had cash to push legislation, he claimed.

Rep. Ronald G. Waters had some influence on the House liquor committee. Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown was relatively new. The money started flowing in 2010.

Ali dressed like he had money — plenty of it. Very cool. Very “bling.”

As a result of Ali's taped encounters with Waters, Brown and at least two other legislators, all Democrats, Waters and Brown are charged with bribery, conflict of interest, criminal conspiracy and failure to report cash in return for promised political action. As of now, taxpayers still pay them $85,338 a year. Both admitted taking cash payments from the undercover lobbyist, Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams said. A traffic court judge has pleaded guilty to taking a $2,000 bracelet from Ali.

Attorney General Kathleen Kane, a Democrat like Williams, said the case was too flawed to be prosecuted.

In Ali's first meeting with Waters on behalf of fictitious bank clients, Ali discussed the “setaside” — the term for kickbacks. Ali said he had control of the project.

“That helps,” Waters said in their initial dance, according to the grand jury report. Did Waters need money for his next election? No, he said. But, Waters replied, “I got stuff I always need.”

“Here, this is for you. That's a grand,” Ali said.

“OK, my man,” Waters said.

Another time he gave Waters $500 cash. “It's the usual amount.”

Waters: “OK, my man.”

Ali: “All right.”

Waters: “My man.”

When discussing $300,000 a client would spend to get a collection contract at the Philadelphia Parking Authority where Waters had worked, Ali said, “That's not a quid pro quo.”

Waters: “Right.”

Asked whether he wanted a scholarship fund or a kickback from the authority contract, Waters said, “Why not both?”

On Waters' birthday, Ali paid $400 for a Michael Jackson impersonator at a party. He gave Waters expensive cigars and $1,000 cash because a fictitious client was happy with progress.

“My man ... Happy Birthday to Ron Waters,” Waters said.

In one taped conversation, Waters commented on money in politics: “I'm going to tell you the (expletive deleted) truth. You have money, then you can get something done.”

In 2011, when Ali handed Brown $2,000 for her vote against a bill, she said, “Ooo, good lookin'! Ooh wee! Thank you twice.”

Brad Bumsted is Trib Total Media's state Capitol reporter (717-787-1405 or bbumsted@tribweb.com).

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