Ex-Reading mayor pleads not guilty in corruption case
PHILADELPHIA — A formerPennsylvania mayor who prosecutors say sold off the powers of his office to the highest bidder in pay-to-play schemes pleaded not guilty to federal corruption chargesTuesday.
Former Reading Mayor Vaughn Spencer declined to comment on accusations that he steered lucrative city contracts toward campaign donors who showered him with cash and gifts as exited the Philadelphia courtroom withthe help of walker.
But his lawyer said they are ready to fight the fraud and bribery charges. “We won’t back down,” defense attorney Geoffrey Johnson said. Mr. Spencer, a Democrat who took office in 2012, will remain free until his trial.
Theformer mayor sought to keep large sums of cash flowing to his 2015 re-election effort and made it clear todonors he would withhold officialaction from individuals and businesses that didn’t provide satisfactory campaign contributions, prosecutorssaid.
Those willing to pay, authorities said, were rewarded with city contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In one instance, Mr. Spencer agreed to hand over a contract worth $227,000 to an engineering firm after a representative for the company told him he would receive a $1,500 contribution and four tickets to a Philadelphia Philliesgame. He previously told a campaign operative he cleared a contract for the firm“so we need to get somethingfrom them,” according tothe indictment.
Mr. Spencer also is accused of bribing the city council president to repeal an anti-corruption law that capped the limit on campaign contributions. The council president was previously sentenced to two years in federal prison for takingthe bribe.
The mayor of Allentown also pleaded not guilty to similar charges last week. Mayor Ed Pawlowski has said he’s done nothing wrong.