Orlando toller ex-chair Keen did "organized shakedown" of vendors - grand jury

A grand jury report in Orlando Florida says that under former chairman Allan Keen there was a "culture of corruption" at the Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority (OOCEA) that amounted to an "organized shakedown" of vendors on behalf of Republican candidates for office.

Said one passage: “These fund raising activities instigated by chairman Keen amounted to an organized shakedown of OOCEA vendors and were excessive and coercive. They created a culture of corruption by giving the appearance that it is necessary to contribute to those candidates or issues supported by the chairman in order to continue doing business with the authority.”

The grand jury report  was written 16 months ago but Keen's lawyers managed with legal maneuvers to suppress it until last week.

The report said that as chairman of OOCEA Keen used two tollroad contractors as moneymen for Republican party causes - Ron Pecora who held a marketing/PR contract with the OOCEA and Bob Paulson of PBS&J, a major contractor at OOCEA.

The report quotes emails between Keen, Pecora and Paulson about fundraising.

The grand jury said that using his position as chairman Keen raised some $468k for 18 GOP candidates. They included the current chairman and Orange County mayor Rich Crotty who succeeded Keen after a bribery scandal broke. Others were US Senator Mel Martinez, a former US Rep, state candidates and nearby county commissioners.

No charges have been filed in the case, but Lawson Lamar state's attorney for Orange-Osceolo County is quoted in local media as saying it "may be legal, but it sure as heck isn't right."

A spokesman for OOCEA is quoted in the Orlando Sentinel: "It is wholly inappropriate that any vendor worked with any board member to solicit (political) contributions under the impression that they are working on behalf of, or in concert with, the Expressway Authority or Board."

She said CEO Mike Snyder was unaware of the activities of the chairman of the board.

Bribery ignored

The grand jury report doesn't get into the apparent bribery instigated by Allan Keen in which he got the toll authority to employ one of its noisiest critics Doug Guetzloe, an activist and local talkshow host, in a secret no-work contract as a "consultant" for $107,500 in order to silence him prior to a planned toll increase.

That scandal which broke in October 2006 led to the ouster of Keen from the board and Pecora from his contract with OOCEA, and delayed consideration of toll increases by fifteen months. That cost the toll authority many millions of dollars, as well as serious damage to its public reputation.

Keen did apologize saying he regretted the Guetzloe payments - after the local media had brought them to light.

TOLLROADSnews 2009-02-28