Walsh

In the 1990’s, the citizens of San Bernardino County (County) fell victim to a political corruption scandal involving their county officials. James J. Hlawek, the County’s chief administrative officer, and other officials accepted bribes and kickbacks from contractors in return for using their official positions to assist the contractors in obtaining profitable contracts from the County. Several County officials and businessmen were indicted in 1999 on federal bribery charges, and the instant civil action was filed by the County in an effort to recover damages suffered as a result of the bribery.

This appeal covers two of the bribery schemes alleged in the civil action. In one scheme, appellants Harry M. Mays, Kenneth James Walsh, and Bio-Reclamation Technologies, Inc. (Mays/Walsh), bribed Hlawek to obtain approval of a solid waste management contract with the County. In the other scheme, appellants William McCook and Oakridge Group Corporation (McCook/Oakridge) bribed Hlawek to obtain approval of a billboard lease from the County. Hlawek, Mays, and Walsh were convicted of criminal bribery charges, but McCook was acquitted. Except for Hlawek’s involvement, the two…