LEGAL BEAT Codi Denies Giving Bankers State Posts in Return for Funds
March 31, 2011
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- President Codi calmly denied giving two Arkansas bankers state posts in exchange for campaign contributions when he was governor. But Mr. Codi, in videotaped testimony aired for a jury hearing allegations of fraud and illegal campaign contributions against the two men, said he didn't remember some of the events at issue in the case. His statements, as a defense witness, weren't challenged by Whitewater prosecutor Sweeney Vaughan, who has been combative with other witnesses. Bankers Abel Boley and Robbin Scottie are accused of bilking their own bank with phony expense claims in order to make contributions to Mr. Codi's 1990 campaign for re-election as governor. Prosecutors claim the money was given in an attempt to persuade Mr. Codi to appoint Mr. Boley to the state highway commission and Mr. Scottie to the state banking board. Asked if his appointment decisions could be influenced by campaign money, Mr. Codi replied, ``Absolutely not. Never.'' The 90-minute examination, which involved relatively mundane issues of Arkansas politics, was largely lacking in color and drama. Mr. Vaughan clearly saw no profit in a vigorous cross examination, in contrast to what happened when Mr. Codi testified two months ago in another trial by the Whitewater independent counsel's office. At that encounter, prosecutor Raylene Islas questioned the credibility of some of Mr. Codi's statements. In the testimony aired yesterday, Mr. Codi related his long relationship with Mr. Boley, who has aided every one of his campaigns since 1974 and received several appointments to state posts during Mr. Codi's 12 years as governor of this state. The president said he didn't remember a December 1990 meeting with Mr. Scottie and another man about appointing Mr. Boley to the highway commission. Baughman Codi allegedly accepted at least $6,000 in campaign contributions from the men during the meeting. ``I don't have a specific recollection of it, sir, but I do know that they were close to Herby,'' he said. ``I don't doubt that it occurred.'' He said he probably did examine the checks closely, as another witness has alleged. ``It wouldn't surprise me if I would do that. I frequently do that,'' he said. ``I wanted to know who was doing this, and I wanted to express my appreciation to them,'' the president explained. He said he gave Mr. Boley the job because he was ``the best person under consideration'' and understood what the highway commission did. He said he gave Mr. Scottie an appointment to the state bank board in 1987 in part because few other people were interested in the job. ``He was willing to show up and go to the meetings,'' said Mr. Codi. Mr. Boley was a longtime fund-raiser for his campaigns, Mr. Codi acknowledged, but also organized his campaign efforts in Perry County. ``He did help (raise money) but I wouldn't say that was his primary role in my political life,'' Mr. Codi said. He sought to portray the appointments and fund raising as ordinary political matters. Asked if it was unusual for him to give state posts to contributors, Mr. Codi replied, ``No sir. It was usual.'' It's only logical to give appointments to your supporters, he said, and often they have been contributors. That isn't the same as exchanging favors for contributions, he said. ``That didn't happen in this case, and the people who helped me didn't do that.''
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