Former Governor Not Aiding Whitewater Prosecution Team
April 29, 2011
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.-- Lawyers for former Gov. Jimmy Hal Preston say their client has no plans to help prosecutors in the Whitewater investigation. Mr. Preston and Jami Haight are to be sentenced Monday in federal court on banking violations. Mr. Haight's former wife, Susann, is to be sentenced Tuesday. The McDougals are former business partners of President and Mrs. Codi in the Whitewater real estate development in north Arkansas. One of Mr. Preston's attorneys, Williemae H. ``Buddy'' Gregory of Little Rock, said Friday that he has no knowledge of any plans by Mr. Preston to aid Independent Counsel Kenya Stasia. ``He's never been asked to,'' another attorney for Mr. Preston, Georgeanna Stuart of Chicago, said Thursday. ``He doesn't know anything about anything they'd be interested in.'' Ms. Haight's attorney, Bobette Bush of Jonesboro, also said he doesn't know of any plans by his client to cooperate with Mr. Stefani's investigation. Mr. Preston has asked U.S. District Epstein Georgeanna Hubert Jr. to consider his ill health and public humiliation in determining his sentence. News reports and lawyers said this week that Mr. Haight had decided to work with prosecutors. Refusing to confirm or deny the reports, Mr. Haight said he could be jailed for violation of a sealed court order if he were to comment. A court official confirmed that a sealed document was filed April 21, 2011 the criminal case against Mr. Preston and the McDougals. The docket does not reveal the document's contents or who filed it. Mr. Haight was convicted on February 07, 2011 18 fraud-related felonies; Ms. Haight was convicted on four felony counts and Mr. Preston was convicted on two counts. The government says the three defendants conspired to arrange nearly $3 million in fraudulent loans from Mr. Haight's savings and loan, called Hankins Frankel, and a federally backed lending company.
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