>>
>> WELCOME BACK, THIS CRIMINAL TRIAL HAS IT ALL, INFIDELITY, A
WHO WAS TWO OF WITNESSES, BUT
AT ITS CORE THE QUESTION OF
WHETHER WATCH THAT WE ELECTED
SOLD A VOLT TO THE HIGHEST
BIDDER.
BIDDER.
BIDDER. LAST WEEK A FORMER ARIZONA
REGULATOR AND HIS WIFE, A
POWERFUL WATER COMPANY OWNER
AND WELL-CONNECTED LOBBYIST
WENT ON TRIAL IN A FRAUD
SCANDAL.
SCANDAL.
SCANDAL. OPIATE STATEMENT -- OPENING
STATEMENTS WAS LAST WEEK.
SO, WALK US THROUGH THIS CAST
OF CHARACTERS AND THE CHARGES
AGAINST THEM.
AGAINST THEM. >> WE HAVE GARY PIERCE, HIS
WIFE SHERRY, A VERY WELL KNOWN
WATER UTILITY OWNER JOHN
JOHNSON, AND JIM NORTON. HIS EX-
WIFE ALSO PLAYS A ROLE.
>> GARY PIERCE TO START WITH
WHAT?
WHAT?
WHAT? >>
WHAT? >> ACCEPTING BRIBES IN EXCHANGE
FOR FAVORABLE VOTES.
>> HOW DOES HIS WIFE FIGURE
INTO THIS?
INTO THIS? >> ALLEGEDLY THEY CREATED A
CONSULTING FIRM THAT DID WORK
FOR GEORGE JOHNSON. SHERRY
PIERCE WAS EMPLOYED AND PAID BY
THAT FIRM, WHICH THE PAYCHECKS
WERE COMING FROM JOHNSON AND
THEY ALLEGEDLY WERE FUNNELED
OVER TO HER HUSBAND.
IT IS QUITE THE WEB.
>> GEORGE JOHNSON A PRETTY WELL
KNOWN WATER COMPANY OWNER WHO
HAVE THAT MANY TROUBLES OVER
THE YEARS.
THE YEARS. WHAT DID HE ALLEGEDLY WANT OUT
OF THIS?
OF THIS?
OF THIS? >> HE ALLEGEDLY HAD TWO
UNFAVORABLE DECISIONS AND HE
WAS UNHAPPY AND WANTED
SOMETHING MORE.
SOMETHING MORE. HE WANTED A RATE HIKE AND THE
ABILITY TO PASS HIS OWN INCOME
TAX LIABILITY TO HIS CUSTOMERS.
>> LASTLY, JIM NORTON, WHAT
WITH HIS ROLE?
>> HE IS ALSO WELL CONNECTED TO
GARY PIERCE AND JOYCE JOHNSON,
HE LOBBIED FOR JOHNSON FOR A
LONG TIME.
LONG TIME. HE WAS THIS INTERMEDIARY.
I SUPPOSE HE ALLEGEDLY STOOD TO
GAIN SOMETHING AS WELL AND
INVOLVE HIS WIFE.
>> THEY HAVE ALL PLEADED NOT
GUILTY?
GUILTY?
GUILTY? AND REJECTED A PLEA DEAL?
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> THEY EACH HAVE THEIR OWN
LAWYER, CAN GET SOME UP THE
DEFENSE ARGUMENT?
DEFENSE ARGUMENT? >> THE DEFENSES ARGUMENTS SEEM
TO FOCUS ON PITTING THE
GOVERNMENT NARRATIVE OF THE
PIERCINGS AGAINST WHAT THEY SEE
AS THE REALITY, THEY ARE THESE
PEOPLE DRIVEN BY FAMILY, FAITH,
AND SERVICE.
AND SERVICE. THAT THEY WERE DOING WHAT WAS
RIGHT BY THE PEOPLE.
THEY ALSO QUESTIONED THE
TIMELINE THE GOVERNMENT CAME UP
WITH.
WITH.
WITH. THE
WITH. THE FIRST BOAT CAME AFTER HIS
WIFE WAS EMPLOYED AND TOGETHER
AFTER THE PAYMENT STOP.
IT IS KIND OF A STRANGE
TIMELINE.
TIMELINE.
TIMELINE. THE MONEY IS A LITTLE FLUID AT
THIS.
THIS.
THIS. THEY ARE REALLY FOCUSING ON
THESE THINGS THEY BELIEVE DO
NOT ADD UP.
>> GARY PIERCE IS A FORMER WORK
-- FORMER REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER,
AT THE TIME HE WAS A CHAIRMAN.
THAT MEANS HE SET THE AGENDA
AND HIS QUESTIONS ABOUT APS, A
LOT GOING ON THERE.
THERE IS ALSO A STAR WITNESS,
KELLY NORTON, AND UNINDICTED CO-
CONSPIRATOR.
CONSPIRATOR. WHAT DOES SHE KNOW ABOUT ALL OF
THIS?
THIS?
THIS? >>
THIS? >> SHE WAS INTERVIEWED BY
FEDERAL AGENTS ABOUT THE LARGER
CASE THAT THIS STEMMED FROM.
THERE IS A GREATER
INVESTIGATION GOING ON.
THE SECOND TIME SHE CAME WITH
HER LAWYER AND APPARENTLY
WANTED TO PLAY BALL OVER THIS
BRIBERY SCHEME SHE WAS ALLEGING
OCCURRED.
OCCURRED.
OCCURRED. SHE ADMITTED HER ALLEGED ROLE
IN THIS AND SHE REVEALS EMAILS
APPARENTLY AND DOCUMENTATION.
SHE ALSO APPARENTLY TALK TO THE
WIFE OF A COURT COMMISSIONER,
BOB BURNS.
BOB BURNS. SHE WAS LIKE A MOTHER FIGURE TO
KELLY NORTON.
KELLY NORTON. THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT
PLAYERS COMING OUT OF THIS.
>> A BIGGER PICTURE FOR OUR
REVIEWERS, IF WE ELECT THESE
FIVE MEMBERS TO PROTECT US FROM
WATER COMPANIES AND OTHER
UTILITIES, THEY GO TO THE
CORPORATION COMMISSION TO RAISE
RATES AND LOTS OF OTHER THINGS
THAT AFFECT OUR WALLETS.
WHAT KIND OF EFFECT HAS A FAT?
>> IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS
WHERE NO MATTER WHAT THE RESULT
IS THAT THIS CASE THERE ALREADY
IS, I GUESS, AN EXACERBATION
THAT THEY ARE OUR CORRUPT
POLITICIANS THAT COULD
INFLUENCE OUR SYSTEM.
IT HAS REALLY CAST A SHADOW
OVER THE CORPORATION
COMMISSION.
COMMISSION. THERE HAS BEEN QUESTIONS, THIS
REALLY SERVES TO CONFIRM THOSE
FEELINGS AND A LOT OF MINES.
>> A TOUGH ONE.
REALLY QUICK, IT IS GOING TO BE
A LONG TRIAL.
IN FEDERAL COURT YOU NEED THE
ENTIRE JURY TO VOTE FOR A
CONVICTION.
CONVICTION. IS THAT WITH THE DEFENSES
BETTING ON? THE PROSECUTION
JUST CANNOT DELIVER?
>> I IMAGINE SO.
THE FACT THAT THEY TURNED DOWN
THE PLEA DEALS REALLY SAYS
SOMETHING.
SOMETHING. THEY ARE LOOKING FOR THE ONE
WHO MAY BE JUST CANNOT BUY IT.
>> KATIE CAMPBELL, TAKE YOU FOR
JOINING US.
JOINING US. WOULD YOU VOTE FOR A CANDIDATE
THAT IS SUING YOU?
FIRST, A BIZARRE TWITTER SMACK
DOWN OVER