WSB's Veronica Waters reports Gabe Pascarella is a travel agent used by then-Mayor Bill Campbell. The Government alleges half of some 400 trips Mayor Bill Campbell took while in office were personal; Assistant U. S. Attorney Sally Yates said in her opening statement that the Mayor even took a trip to Paris in 1999 with a female friend--and that the trip was paid for by United Water, which had a contract with the City.

Sources tell WSB the female friend is on the government's witness list and could be called to the stand during the second week of February. She's expected to say she paid for at least some of her trips with Campbell.

'Bag Man' Dewey Clark To Testify

The afternoon testimony of the Campbell trial could see fireworks as prosecutors call Dewey Clark to the stand. Clark lived in Bill Campbell's basement for six years, worked in City Hall in constituent services, and, according to witnesses, frequently acted as Campbell's driver or valet—running errands for the Mayor like bringing lunch or getting his dry cleaning.

But the feds say Clark also accepted about $50,000 in bribes on the Mayor's behalf. The cash, they allege, came from a man named Michael Childs, who hoped paying the Mayor would clear the way for approval of a liquor license for a new strip club Childs wanted to open. Clark allegedly passed the money to Campbell either in the Mayor's bathroom in his City Hall suite, or at the basement apartment. Prosecutors say Clark has told them that he twice saw a city contractor pass Campbell huge wads of cash, and that he even set up hotel rooms for Campbell's dalliances with female friends.

The defense fired back in its openings that Clark is one of several key government witnesses who is "unworthy of belief."

Defense attorney Billy Martin told the jury that Campbell simply had made mistakes in giving people breaks and opportunities. Martin said Clark solicited cash from people who hoped to get work with the City by telling them he had influence with the Mayor. When the hopefuls paid out, Martin said, Clark then pocketed any money he collected for himself.

Monday, 30 January 2006