W. Post: "Drugs, lies, bribery exposed in Virginia’s transportation agency"

[AlexandriaVA]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/bribery-scheme-run-out-of-va-transportation-department-nets-7-convictions/2018/03/28/25e94688-1e3d-11e8-ae5a-16e60e4605f3_story.html?utm_term=.f5f388307523

All seven defendants said in court that the corruption at the Virginia Department of Transportation is endemic to the culture and more extensive than the scheme that put them behind bars.


"It is happening now, it will happen in the future,"  contractor John Williamson said before being sentenced to three months in jail. "It is rampant, and it is part of the culture of the agency."

Prosecutor Samantha Bateman acknowledged in court that "this is a more pervasive problem in the Virginia Department of Transportation than is known."

[Beltway]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/bribery-scheme-run-out-of-va-transportation-department-nets-7-convictions/2018/03/28/25e94688-1e3d-11e8-ae5a-16e60e4605f3_story.html?utm_term=.f5f388307523

All seven defendants said in court that the corruption at the Virginia Department of Transportation is endemic to the culture and more extensive than the scheme that put them behind bars.
"It is happening now, it will happen in the future,"  contractor John Williamson said before being sentenced to three months in jail. "It is rampant, and it is part of the culture of the agency."

The defendants who appear very guilty are then basically saying, "Everybody is doing it so we're not all that bad and we should be acquitted".

[cpzilliacus]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/bribery-scheme-run-out-of-va-transportation-department-nets-7-convictions/2018/03/28/25e94688-1e3d-11e8-ae5a-16e60e4605f3_story.html?utm_term=.f5f388307523

All seven defendants said in court that the corruption at the Virginia Department of Transportation is endemic to the culture and more extensive than the scheme that put them behind bars.


"It is happening now, it will happen in the future,"  contractor John Williamson said before being sentenced to three months in jail. "It is rampant, and it is part of the culture of the agency."

Prosecutor Samantha Bateman acknowledged in court that "this is a more pervasive problem in the Virginia Department of Transportation than is known."

1. Any reason why you did not post this in the Virginia forum?

2. I have been dealing with VDOT (and before it was VDOT, VDHT) for many, many years (though not in matters related to winter maintenance), and I have never regarded them as a corrupt operation.  IMO, this was an isolated incident.

[Beltway]

2. I have been dealing with VDOT (and before it was VDOT, VDHT) for many, many years (though not in matters related to winter maintenance), and I have never regarded them as a corrupt operation.  IMO, this was an isolated incident.

Agreed.  I worked for them 1977-2017 and was following their programs from 1969.

[AlexandriaVA]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/bribery-scheme-run-out-of-va-transportation-department-nets-7-convictions/2018/03/28/25e94688-1e3d-11e8-ae5a-16e60e4605f3_story.html?utm_term=.f5f388307523

All seven defendants said in court that the corruption at the Virginia Department of Transportation is endemic to the culture and more extensive than the scheme that put them behind bars.


"It is happening now, it will happen in the future,"  contractor John Williamson said before being sentenced to three months in jail. "It is rampant, and it is part of the culture of the agency."

Prosecutor Samantha Bateman acknowledged in court that "this is a more pervasive problem in the Virginia Department of Transportation than is known."

1. Any reason why you did not post this in the Virginia forum?

2. I have been dealing with VDOT (and before it was VDOT, VDHT) for many, many years (though not in matters related to winter maintenance), and I have never regarded them as a corrupt operation.  IMO, this was an isolated incident.

Oops, forgot about the state issues thread. Mod, feel free to move if warranted.

[kalvado]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/bribery-scheme-run-out-of-va-transportation-department-nets-7-convictions/2018/03/28/25e94688-1e3d-11e8-ae5a-16e60e4605f3_story.html?utm_term=.f5f388307523

All seven defendants said in court that the corruption at the Virginia Department of Transportation is endemic to the culture and more extensive than the scheme that put them behind bars.


"It is happening now, it will happen in the future,"  contractor John Williamson said before being sentenced to three months in jail. "It is rampant, and it is part of the culture of the agency."

Prosecutor Samantha Bateman acknowledged in court that "this is a more pervasive problem in the Virginia Department of Transportation than is known."

1. Any reason why you did not post this in the Virginia forum?

2. I have been dealing with VDOT (and before it was VDOT, VDHT) for many, many years (though not in matters related to winter maintenance), and I have never regarded them as a corrupt operation.  IMO, this was an isolated incident.

Oops, forgot about the state issues thread. Mod, feel free to move if warranted.

Exactly, no need to expose embarrassing facts to the strangers. Damn Putin's hackers at work - airing dirty laundry without permission...

[US71]

Advisory: please keep politics to a minimum

[cpzilliacus]

Exactly, no need to expose embarrassing facts to the strangers. Damn Putin's hackers at work - airing dirty laundry without permission...

Non-issue.  It was from the Web site of the Washington Post, which gets millions of hits every day.

[kalvado]

Exactly, no need to expose embarrassing facts to the strangers. Damn Putin's hackers at work - airing dirty laundry without permission...

Non-issue.  It was from the Web site of the Washington Post, which gets millions of hits every day.

How many of those millions will think twice about yet  another accident? This is not high level president-cabinet-governor event ...  what was the agency, once again?..
It is on this forum where DOT may ring the bell.. 

[Beltway]

Exactly, no need to expose embarrassing facts to the strangers. Damn Putin's hackers at work - airing dirty laundry without permission...

Non-issue.  It was from the Web site of the Washington Post, which gets millions of hits every day.

The Washington comPost

[AlexandriaVA]

I'd make a joke about Richmond's newspaper, but I've never read it and probably never will.

[Beltway]

I'd make a joke about Richmond's newspaper, but I've never read it and probably never will.

The Richmond Slimes-Dispatch