Two Michigan lobbyists on Wednesday have been sentenced to federal jail phrases for his or her function in paying bribes to Rick Johnson, the previous chair of the Michigan Marijuana Licensing Board. Brian Pierce was sentenced to 24 months in jail, together with two years of supervised launch and a $25,000 fantastic, whereas Vincent Brown was sentenced to twenty months in jail, with two years of supervised launch and a $25,000 fantastic.
In a press release, U.S. Legal professional Mark Totten mentioned the duo “intentionally bribed Rick Johnson for their very own private achieve.”
“As I’ve mentioned earlier than, public corruption is a poison to our democracy and shatters the folks’s belief in public officers. My workplace will maintain offenders accountable – whomever, every time, and wherever we discover corruption and blatant disregard for the rule of legislation.” — Totten in a press launch
Pierce and Brown labored as lobbyists in Lansing and did enterprise collectively as Philip Alan Brown Consulting, LLC and Michigan Grower’s Consultants, LLC and lobbied on behalf of varied companies looking for working licenses from the licensing board. The pair admitted paying Johnson a complete of $40,000 between June 2017 to November 2018 when Johnson was chair of the board, the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace for the Western District of Michigan mentioned in a press release. At Johnson’s request, Pierce paid a complete of $2,000 to a Detroit unique dancer who was having business intercourse with Johnson. These funds have been made to affect and reward Johnson in connection together with his official duties on the board, together with receiving his help for his or her purchasers who utilized for licenses to function within the hashish trade.
Final month, Johnson, a Republican who beforehand served as Speaker of the Michigan Home of Representatives, was sentenced to almost 5 years in jail for accepting the bribes. In all, Johnson mentioned he accepted a complete of no less than $110,000 in bribes. Throughout his sentencing, Johnson instructed the choose he was a “corrupt politician.”
Michigan businessman John Dalaly was additionally sentenced final month to greater than two years in jail after admitting to paying Johnson no less than $68,200 in money and different advantages, together with two personal flights to Canada and hiring Johnson’s spouse, who helped him fill out types that may find yourself in entrance of the state Medical Marijuana Licensing Board, as a advisor for $4,000 a month.
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