Scranton mayor resigns, faces charges of extortion, bribery

[Jose Garcia]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by JudyM (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS

The mayor of Scranton used his office to extort bribes from people who did business with the city, federal prosecutors said in documents filed Monday, shortly after the second-term chief executive announced his resignation.

In a plea agreement signed last week by now-former Mayor Bill Courtright and his lawyer, the U.S. attorney’s office said the Democrat pressured people who needed permits or contracts for cash, sometimes having them funnel it to him through intermediaries.

The criminal information that charges him with bribery, extortion and conspiracy said Courtright, 61, used his position “corruptly to obtain cash and other valuable property from others, with their consent, under color of official right.”

They said he also obtained “cash, campaign contributions and other valuable property from others, with their consent, induced by the wrongful use of fear of economic harm.”

Read more: https://www.mcall.com/news/pennsylvania/mc-nws-pa-scranton-mayor-resigning-20190701-trmb72epzvcebotz72jtubvrji-story.html

[salin]

1. Corruption, is corruption - regardless of party.

Glad he is facing legal consequences.

[rickford66]

2. The parties take turns in Scranton.

[Bradical79]

3. What a scumbag

And a moron.

[Harker]

4. That's a lot of peach pies. n/t

[JudyM]

5. Locking.

Your post was alerted on for being local news rather than important national news as required for posts in LBN. The hosts agreed ... so we are locking it and ask that you please post local news in GD instead, going forward. Thanks.

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