Tag: USA v Bill Walker et al

Its like a ‘high class’ version of the Springer Show…..

Reader submitted photo from Bill Walker's 2014 Sentencing Hearing in Hattiesburg
Reader submitted photo from Bill Walker’s 2014 Sentencing Hearing in Hattiesburg

I think by now everyone has heard that former DMR Executive Director Bill Walker is back in the pokey, after failing to make his court ordered restitution. Going back through Slabbed’s extensive archives on the Mississippi DMR friends and family scandal takes us all the way back to 2012 which is amazing. Time sure does fly! That said it was late last year when the public found out first hand exactly the type of boss Walker was during his days running DMR because this was no ordinary white collar crime scandal by any stretch of the imagination. Those interested in learning more can follow this tag for Slabbed’s archival coverage of the criminal investigation.

In any event the Sun Herald was there covering yesterday’s Court hearing where Bill Walker again ended up in shackles and it is a good read.

Some of the monthly expenses Bill Walker claims, according to the government:

▪ $3,322 for a mortgage

▪ $1,938 in car notes for a Mercedes Benz, a Yukon and a Land Rover that Scott Walker drives

So there you it have folks, Bill and wife have a $16,000 a month income and yet can’t afford to make his restitution payments. Even better we gotta now wonder who is lying, Bill to the government or Scott to the media? Continue reading “Its like a ‘high class’ version of the Springer Show…..”

Mississippi Workers Comp Judge Awards Death Benefits to Michaela Hill’s Husband, A DMR Friends and Family Scandal Update

For the Walker and Shumate clans, the time spent in prison for their role in the DMR scandal is over. It took a few years but the family of the late Michaela Hill finally gets some much needed closure. Point Park explained it best in a comment that I now bump up here:

Doug good things come to those that defend justice and the truth. Sources say you will receive a late Christmas present in the New Year. Let’s hope the Hill and Sabatini families finally have some good news. Meanwhile slimy Bill Walker appears on WLOX as if nothing happened and all the while claiming he did nothing wrong. Grandchildren playing all over in the news clip. Cheap sadistic photo opp. I wonder if this creepy [email protected]&$ ever wonders what the grandchildren of Michaela feel like without their grandmother. I’m sure Bill will be true to his word and participate in public events. Local sources have already spotted him at baseball games malls and even a charity event. It leaves one to wonder when Bill will appear in church. Slime ball has much to be forgiven for. Perhaps he will sit next to a member of the Hill or Sabatini family and ask forgiveness for what he and Tina Schumate did to Michalea.

Below is the full 32 page decision of the Administrative Law Judge finding Ms. Hill’s suicide to be work related and awarding her late husband a death benefit of $438.68/week for the next 450 weeks (37 plus years). Those interested in Slabbed’s coverage of the DMR Scandal can click here to get all the posts including our coverage of the scandal. Continue reading “Mississippi Workers Comp Judge Awards Death Benefits to Michaela Hill’s Husband, A DMR Friends and Family Scandal Update”

How about a wild romp through the latest FBI Investigation that has the peeps electrified

It all started back on the 4th with the folks at the Clarion Ledger:

FBI investigating post-BP spill contracts: what we know ~ Anna Wolfe

In the three years since Director Trudy Fisher’s resignation, federal investigators have looked into DEQ’s activities under her leadership. The probe looks at contracts granted by DEQ in an attempt to determine whether Fisher personally benefited from them, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the investigation, including several people who have been interviewed by the FBI.

Under Fisher, private contractor and attorney Amy Whitten reaped nearly $2 million in DEQ contracts, either directly with the agency or through subcontracts with law firm Balch & Bingham. Whitten, a well-known state contractor, had worked with a number of agencies and secured four previous DEQ contracts before Fisher took over the agency.

The link above that Slabbed put out on Twitter was still warm when the Sun Herald picked up Wolfe’s story on Wednesday by then it had really captured the attention of many folks including here. Then we got the wet blanket that lie under the salacious headline:

Mississippi gave millions in BP funds to firm with ties to scrutinized contractor ~ Anna Wolfe

Amy Whitten, a Mississippi attorney who received a subcontract with the state Department of Environmental Quality in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster, shared her Ridgeland office address with two companies that also gained contracts related to the spill.

One of the companies, Covington Civil and Environmental Engineering, received tens of millions of dollars in contracts related to the April 2010 BP oil spill. The other company, Adaptive Management Services, received a small contract before eventually subcontracting under Covington.

It sounds juicy and salacious but further down the story: Continue reading “How about a wild romp through the latest FBI Investigation that has the peeps electrified”

DMR Memorandum lend color to insider purchase of parent’s land with Coastal Impact Funds

This is the defense side of things per Anita Lee’s DMR employee’s South Mississippi home searched circa January 2013.

The DMR paid $245,000 for the lot on a bayou near the Pascagoula River.

Holleman said Shumate removed herself completely from the land transaction. He said her parents, Curt and Ann Hebert, saw the program advertised and approached the DMR about buying the property.

“When her parents got involved, she had nothing to do with it,” Holleman said. “There will be documents that support that.”

I have what I believe to be the documents to which Tim Holleman referred. Continue reading “DMR Memorandum lend color to insider purchase of parent’s land with Coastal Impact Funds”

Exactly one thought on the Bill Walker plea

More precisely one thought on the information contained in Anita Lee’s story on same.

Shumate allegedly approached the Land Trust for the Mississippi Coastal Plain about buying the property. The Land Trust and Scott Walker signed a sales contract in April 2011.

Shumate’s attorney, Tim Holleman of Gulfport, who attended the plea hearing, said afterward that Shumate maintains her innocence. He noted that the government alleges Bill Walker “directed” her to approach the Land Trust, not that she conspired with the Walkers. But she is included in the conspiracy charge with the Walkers.

I seem to remember that a conspiracy could involve other acts. Shumate’s purchase of her parent’s property with Coastal Impact funds could be one such possible act the prosecutors would use. The Good Book appears to back this understanding.

It will be interesting to see if Shumate and Ziegler cave or take this into a courtroom.  Both have top notch legal representation.

Scott Walker plea: Additional Indictments possible

I’ll believe it when I see it Ladies and Gents. Meantime I could not make it to Hattiesburg yesterday so I have no analysis to offer beyond that already in the media so here are the salient links:

Plea accepted: Scott Walker pleads guilty to conspiracy, fraud ~ Anita Lee

Anita solves the Matt mystery for those that are still wondering.

Scott Walker pleads guilty to 2 federal crimes, heads to hospital for birth of son ~ April Havens

Come to think about it maybe I can add a wee bit to Anita’s story because she was a love putting this blurb in her account of the Walker plea hearing:

Walker is working, he told Starrett. He and two others own a Gulfport company called Precision Marketing Group.

Anita does not identify the two people with whom Scott Walker is working but she left a clue Continue reading “Scott Walker plea: Additional Indictments possible”

Thursday Links: The Walkers cave as the jailbreak begins

You gotta figure Mr. Ziegler and Ms. Shumate can’t be far behind. As for me I think I need a bit more coffee.  😉

Bill and Scott Walker ready to plead guilty to felonies ~ Anita Lee

From the it must be nice to know Fugate files…… (h/t Sun Herald)

Why Taxpayers Will Bail Out the Rich When the Next Storm Hits ~ Bill Dedman

Meet the Flood Insurance ‘Robin Hood’ Who Saves Condo Owners Millions ~ Bill Dedman

So there you have it folks, people with side condos on the beach get the NFIP’s best rates while homeowners in Bay St Louis get stuck with their bill. Worth noting is Congressman Steven Palazzo voted for Biggert-Waters Act, an act that will likely bankrupt substantial numbers of his own constituents. Heckuva job Palazzi!

3 Doors Down’s Todd Harrell needs an intervention ~ Sun Herald Editorial Board

Cochran’s not the only one who doesn’t know McDaniel ~ Paul Hampton

Finally a two pack from the Advocate:

Jefferson hospital consultant to review only proposals to run both facilities ~ Jeff Adelson

Man charged with running ‘child exploitation’ ring ~ Jim Mustain

Quick Update

Last night on Twitter:

 

Scott Walker broke in both cases and this turn of events will certainly have impacts in the separate case against, his dad Bill, Tina Shumate and Joe Ziegler.

In other news today is Parish Council meeting day over in Jefferson Parish. You can access Jefferson Parish TeeVee by clicking here.

Jason Berry adds to the Aircheck intrigue in USA v Jackson via his post the $th Estate.  The bottom line is there are a large number engaged individuals that believe Fred Heebe had a mole inside the Times Picayune and that is how Team Heebe outed Sal Perricone and company for commenting on pending criminal cases and secret grand jury proceedings.

I’ll have more in another post a bit later. Feel free to add your own links

Tuesday Open: Stick a fork in it!

File this one under canceled.

A&E airs final episodes of ‘The Governor’s Wife’ early Sunday without warning ~ Chelsea Brasted

It was that bad and that is saying something for reality TeeVee, which is generally bad.

From the Jefferson Parish Hospital front Parish Councilman Chris Robert’s, despite being sued personally for defaulting on his business loans is suddenly a hospital financial expert.

HCA, critics disagree over how much it would pay in taxes on Jefferson hospitals
COUNCILMAN ROBERTS QUESTIONS HCA FIGURES ~ Jeff Adelson

In Jefferson Parish hospitals lease competition, Children’s and HCA spar over property taxes ~ Ben Myers

The bottom line is HCA will pay property taxes while Children’s will not so this latest bit of BS from Team Children’s is how much over zero will HCA benefit the Parish via payment of property taxes.

Next up a two pack from the Sun Herald on the DMR Scandal:

Auditor wants secret court proceedings in public records case; Sun Herald objects ~ Anita Lee

And from the business must be a little slow in Hattiesburg files:

Judges switched in DMR criminal case ~ Anita Lee

Feel free to add your own links in comments.