Archive for March 22nd, 2017

You’re going down in flames, you tax-fattened hyena! (#37 in a series)

Wednesday, March 22nd, 2017

The district attorney of Philadelphia, Seth Williams, was indicted yesterday.

A 50-page, 23-count indictment accused Mr. Williams of accepting lavish gifts — including trips to a Dominican resort, Burberry accessories, checks for thousands of dollars and a custom sofa worth $3,212 — from businessmen for whom he was willing to do favors. The indictment also accused Mr. Williams of diverting money from a relative’s pension and Social Security for his personal use.

Philly.com reports that relative was his mother.

He also gave Williams his old 1997 Jaguar XK8 convertible worth $4,160, the indictment says.

No wonder Williams was “cash-strapped”. What do you think the repair bills are on a 20-year-old Jaguar?

He has complained of his inability to pay alimony stemming from a 2011 divorce and private-school tuition for his daughters, despite his salary of $175,572 a year.
In January, the Philadelphia Board of Ethics assessed the largest fine in its 10-year history for Williams’ failure to report for years more than $175,000 in gifts he had accepted including a new roof, luxury vacations, Eagles sidelines passes, and use of a defense attorney’s home in Florida.

I don’t see any evidence of hookers or blow yet. However, Philly.com does mention that hr was known to hang out in cigar bars; that seems to have replaced call girls and Bolivian marching powder in the affections of many corrupt politicians these days. I really ought to start keeping a tally.

Obit watch: March 22, 2017.

Wednesday, March 22nd, 2017

Chuck Barris, “Gong Show” host and noted CIA assassin, has passed away.

Or has he? You know, a conspiracy to fake his own death and go on one last mission for The Company is exactly the kind of thing that would appeal to Mr. Barris…

Colin Dexter, mystery writer. I haven’t read any of the Inspector Morse novels yet, though they are on my big list to read someday, so I can’t offer much about Mr. Dexter. However, The Rap Sheet has a good round-up and I would expect more tributes there as time goes by.