FBI investigation of corruption in the legislature of Kentucky
Operation Boptrot, also referred to as Boptrot, was an investigation by the
United StatesFederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) into
corruption among the
Kentucky General Assembly, the
Commonwealth's
legislature. The operation was highly successful, with the investigation culminating in several indictments in 1992, leading to the conviction of more than a dozen legislators between 1992 and 1995. The investigation also led to reform legislation being passed in 1993.
Operation
The sting, dubbed Operation Boptrot, involved legislators who accepted bribes and other illegal inducements to support horse-racing legislation in Kentucky. The FBI's original targets were the Business, Organization, and Professions Committees (the "BOP" in Boptrot) in the
Kentucky House of Representatives and the
Kentucky Senate. Those two committees oversaw state laws regulating
horse racing (the "trot"). The exposé was especially notable for revealing how cheaply the legislators were willing to sell their votes.
Convictions
Legislators convicted as a result of Operation Boptrot included:
House SpeakerDon Blandford (D) was convicted after a trial on charges of extortion, racketeering and lying. He was sentenced to 64 months in prison and was fined $10,000.[1][2]
Buel Guy (D) aide to
Don Blandford and former legislator pled guilty to lying to the FBI.[3]
Bruce Wilkinson, the nephew of then-Governor
Wallace Wilkinson (D), who was serving as the governor's appointments secretary, was convicted of conspiracy to commit extortion and sentenced to three years' imprisonment and fined of $20,000, the amount of a bribe he was convicted of taking. Governor Wilkinson was investigated, but not charged.[4][5][6][7]
Representative Jerry Bronger (D) was indicted in 1992 and later pleaded guilty to charges that he accepted $2,000 in exchange for blocking legislation that would hurt harness racing. He was sentenced to 10 months in prison.[8]
Senator
Helen Garrett (D) was charged in 1992 with taking a $2,000 bribe from a track in exchange for helping pass legislation. She pleaded guilty and received four years' probation.
Representative
Ronny Layman (R) was indicted in 1992 on charges of conspiracy to commit extortion and
making false statements to the FBI. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three months of home detention and community service.[9]
Senator
David LeMaster (D) was indicted in 1993, and acquitted of
extortion and
racketeering, but convicted of lying. He was sentenced to a year in prison and fined $30,000, but served just one day after resigning from the legislature.[10]
Representative Bill McBee of Boone County, was sentenced to a 15-month prison term for bribery and corruption in the Bobtrot investigation.[11]
Senator
Virgil Pearman (D) pleaded guilty after 1993 indictment charging that he took an illegal $3,000 campaign contribution. He was sentenced to three months in a
halfway house, probation and was fined $5,000.[12]
Senator
John D. Rogers (R), then the Minority Leader in the Kentucky Senate, was sentenced in 1994 to 42 months in prison after conviction on charges of extortion, conspiracy, attempted extortion,
mail fraud and lying to the FBI.[13]
Senator
Landon Sexton (R) pleaded guilty after 1994 indictment charging that he took an illegal $5,000 cash campaign contribution. He was sentenced to 15 consecutive weekends in jail, home detention for two months and probation for two years. In addition he was fined $5,000.[14]
Representative Bill Strong pleaded guilty after 1993 indictment charges that he took an illegal $3,000 campaign contribution and did not deposit the money into his campaign fund. He was sentenced to three months in a halfway house, probation and was fined $3,000.
Representative
Richard Turner (R) pleaded guilty to a 1993 charge that he filed a false campaign finance report.[15][16]
Senator
Patti Weaver (D) pleaded guilty after 1993 indictment charging that she was promised help finding a job in exchange for support of legislation. She was sentenced to weekend incarceration, probation and
community service and was fined $10,000.[17][18]
Richard Turner (R) State Representative from the 22nd District, pled guilty to a charge that he filed a false campaign finance report in 1993.[19][20]
Art Schmidt (R) State Senator from the 11th District, pleaded guilty to a 1993 indictment for withholding the fact that he took a cash payment from another senator tied to Operation BopTrot. He was sentenced to probation and fined $2,500.[21]
Clay Crupper (D) State Representative from the 61st District, pleaded guilty to charges of interstate travel in aid of racketeering and resigned. He was fined $10,000 in 1992.[22]
Lobbyist John W. "Jay" Spurrier, the "dean of the Frankfort lobbyist corps"[23]
FBI investigation of corruption in the legislature of Kentucky
Operation Boptrot, also referred to as Boptrot, was an investigation by the
United StatesFederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) into
corruption among the
Kentucky General Assembly, the
Commonwealth's
legislature. The operation was highly successful, with the investigation culminating in several indictments in 1992, leading to the conviction of more than a dozen legislators between 1992 and 1995. The investigation also led to reform legislation being passed in 1993.
Operation
The sting, dubbed Operation Boptrot, involved legislators who accepted bribes and other illegal inducements to support horse-racing legislation in Kentucky. The FBI's original targets were the Business, Organization, and Professions Committees (the "BOP" in Boptrot) in the
Kentucky House of Representatives and the
Kentucky Senate. Those two committees oversaw state laws regulating
horse racing (the "trot"). The exposé was especially notable for revealing how cheaply the legislators were willing to sell their votes.
Convictions
Legislators convicted as a result of Operation Boptrot included:
House SpeakerDon Blandford (D) was convicted after a trial on charges of extortion, racketeering and lying. He was sentenced to 64 months in prison and was fined $10,000.[1][2]
Buel Guy (D) aide to
Don Blandford and former legislator pled guilty to lying to the FBI.[3]
Bruce Wilkinson, the nephew of then-Governor
Wallace Wilkinson (D), who was serving as the governor's appointments secretary, was convicted of conspiracy to commit extortion and sentenced to three years' imprisonment and fined of $20,000, the amount of a bribe he was convicted of taking. Governor Wilkinson was investigated, but not charged.[4][5][6][7]
Representative Jerry Bronger (D) was indicted in 1992 and later pleaded guilty to charges that he accepted $2,000 in exchange for blocking legislation that would hurt harness racing. He was sentenced to 10 months in prison.[8]
Senator
Helen Garrett (D) was charged in 1992 with taking a $2,000 bribe from a track in exchange for helping pass legislation. She pleaded guilty and received four years' probation.
Representative
Ronny Layman (R) was indicted in 1992 on charges of conspiracy to commit extortion and
making false statements to the FBI. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three months of home detention and community service.[9]
Senator
David LeMaster (D) was indicted in 1993, and acquitted of
extortion and
racketeering, but convicted of lying. He was sentenced to a year in prison and fined $30,000, but served just one day after resigning from the legislature.[10]
Representative Bill McBee of Boone County, was sentenced to a 15-month prison term for bribery and corruption in the Bobtrot investigation.[11]
Senator
Virgil Pearman (D) pleaded guilty after 1993 indictment charging that he took an illegal $3,000 campaign contribution. He was sentenced to three months in a
halfway house, probation and was fined $5,000.[12]
Senator
John D. Rogers (R), then the Minority Leader in the Kentucky Senate, was sentenced in 1994 to 42 months in prison after conviction on charges of extortion, conspiracy, attempted extortion,
mail fraud and lying to the FBI.[13]
Senator
Landon Sexton (R) pleaded guilty after 1994 indictment charging that he took an illegal $5,000 cash campaign contribution. He was sentenced to 15 consecutive weekends in jail, home detention for two months and probation for two years. In addition he was fined $5,000.[14]
Representative Bill Strong pleaded guilty after 1993 indictment charges that he took an illegal $3,000 campaign contribution and did not deposit the money into his campaign fund. He was sentenced to three months in a halfway house, probation and was fined $3,000.
Representative
Richard Turner (R) pleaded guilty to a 1993 charge that he filed a false campaign finance report.[15][16]
Senator
Patti Weaver (D) pleaded guilty after 1993 indictment charging that she was promised help finding a job in exchange for support of legislation. She was sentenced to weekend incarceration, probation and
community service and was fined $10,000.[17][18]
Richard Turner (R) State Representative from the 22nd District, pled guilty to a charge that he filed a false campaign finance report in 1993.[19][20]
Art Schmidt (R) State Senator from the 11th District, pleaded guilty to a 1993 indictment for withholding the fact that he took a cash payment from another senator tied to Operation BopTrot. He was sentenced to probation and fined $2,500.[21]
Clay Crupper (D) State Representative from the 61st District, pleaded guilty to charges of interstate travel in aid of racketeering and resigned. He was fined $10,000 in 1992.[22]
Lobbyist John W. "Jay" Spurrier, the "dean of the Frankfort lobbyist corps"[23]