Former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell Indicted

Former Mayor Bill Campbell was indicted on charges of racketeering, bribery and wire fraud following a five-year federal investigation into City Hall corruption, officials announced Monday. Campbell, who was mayor from 1994 to 2002, was accused of taking cash payments in exchange for city contracts and accepting illegal campaign contributions. The indictment unsealed Monday accused him of "a pattern and practice of misconduct and illegal acts." Ten other people involved with the former mayor's administration have been convicted of corruption. Some were members of Campbell's staff; others had business contracts with the city. Campbell has repeatedly denied the allegations of wrongdoing, saying the probe was a "witch hunt of unbelievable proportions." According to the indictment, Campbell took $50,000 cash in 1999 from a computer contractor, which was then awarded a contract worth more than $1 million for upgrading city computers. The contractor was not identified. [more ]