Subject:  Large meeting preceded Fieger raid |
Author:
Chris
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Date Posted: 05/16/08 10:17pm
In reply to:
Diane
's message, "Fiegers' Trial Tomorrow ????" on 04/13/08 6:44pm
Friday, May 16, 2008
Large meeting preceded Fieger raid, agent testifies
George Hunter / The Detroit News
DETROIT -- The FBI agent in charge of the investigation of attorney Geoffrey Fieger testified Friday that between 80 and 100 federal agents held a meeting the day before raiding Fieger's Southfield office.
Special Agent Jeffrey Rees testified during a four-hour cross-examination in federal court Friday that he has never been involved in such a large-scale discussion prior to a campaign contribution fraud case. Federal agents raided Fieger's office Nov. 30, 2005, and seized about 87,000 documents.
Fieger, 57, and partner Ven Johnson, 46, were indicted in 2007 on charges of conspiracy and illegal campaign contribution. The attorneys are accused of making $127,000 in illegal donations to the John Edwards' 2004 presidential campaign by reimbursing donations from employees, employee relatives and vendors of the firm. Fieger is also charged with obstruction of justice.
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Fieger's attorney, Gerry Spence, claimed in his opening statement that the federal government was out to get his client. He alluded that such a large meeting at the Patrick V. McNamara federal building in Detroit, which included a PowerPoint presentation, showed the government was out to get Fieger.
"Have you ever been at a meeting with 80 to 100 people discussing a campaign contribution case?" Spence asked Rees, who is scheduled to take the stand Monday for his forth day of testimony.
"Not before this one, no," Rees answered.
Spence entered into evidence documents seized during the raid of Fieger's office that showed bonuses the attorney planned to give his staff based in part on campaign reimbursements given to the Edwards campaign. The word "CAMP" -- short for "campaign" was written on the documents.
"So it's right there in black and white -- they didn't try to hide it," Spence said. "These books aren't cooked, are they?"
"Yes," Rees said. "That's a false document."
Also Friday, U.S. District Judge Paul D. Borman ordered prosecutors for the Department of Justice to turn over reports written by FBI agents about interviews that were conducted with people who have not testified in the case. Borman ordered the documents to be sent to defense attorneys today.
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