The indictment of a former aide of Mayor Sheila Dixon for failing to file state tax returns turned political on Thursday, as a rival candidate for mayor said the charges reflect a “culture” of corruption within the Dixon administration.
“It?s part of the pay-for-play culture at City Hall,” mayoral candidate City Councilman Kieffer Mitchell Jr. said. “It shows that the investigation of the interim mayor is not over.”
But Dixon spokesman Anthony McCarthy said Mitchell was in no position to blast the mayor.
“Councilman Mitchell still has thousands of dollars of unaccounted-for campaign expenditures to explain,” he said, referring to the campaign finance scandal that led to the resignation of Mitchell?s father, Dr. Kieffer Mitchell Sr., as the campaign?s treasurer. “People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.”
Dale Clark, a former campaign aide for Dixon, was indicted Thursday for failing to file state tax returns from 2002-2004. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail and a $10,000 fine.
Clark served as chairman of Dixon?s City Council presidential campaign in 1996. From 2001 to 2004, Clark earned $600,000 under a no-bid contract to work on the city?s Web site while Dixon was City Council president. All city contracts over $5,000 must be approved by the Board of Estimates.
The indictment marks the second Dixon associate facing state charges.
In December, Mildred Boyer, president of UTECH ? the company that employed Dixon?s sister Janice ? was indicted for filing false invoices. Two months later, Dixon was cleared by the city ethics board of any wrongdoing for voting to approve UTECH contracts in her capacity as president of the city?s board of estimates.
The mayor expressed sympathy for Clark.
“It?s an unfortunate situation,” she said. “Mr. Clark had some family tragedies over the last year, and I hope that this indictment means this chapter is coming to a close.”
Meanwhile, Mitchell declined to provide additional information on missing campaign funds still unaccounted for.
“We have hired two accountants and they are reviewing everything,” Mitchell said.
