Two important moments in the Scruggs plea colloquy

Two important moments in the Scruggs plea colloquy this morning.  These are direct quotes.  The first is how we know that other investigations are still at play.  The second presents Scruggs’s account of what happened– that Balducci brought up the idea of contacting Lackey in the first instance (to earwig him).  After Scruggs said that, his lawyer– knowing that Scruggs had to admit to facts amounting to a crime or the plea could not be accepted, interjected.  Read it.  Essentially I’m reading this to say that Balducci was out freelancing and Scruggs agreed to join in, first to earwig and then later to bribe.

Prosecutor Tom Dawson said “I want to make it painfully clear that the investigation with respect to the Wilson matter that is currently under investigation — that this plea agreement and this plea has no effect with respect to any charging decision or subsequent prosecution with respect to that case.”

After hearing the facts the prosecutor would prove, which described a conspiracy to corruptly influence Judge Lackey beginning in March, Scruggs stated: ”I joined the conspiracy later in the game. It’s not exactly as the prosecutor allocuted, in that there was no intent the bribe the judge; it was an intent to earwig the judge, Judge Lackey; and that that — the earwigging idea — was not originated by me or anyone in our firm, although we went along with it, at the beginning of — sometime in March.”

The Court:  Well –

Mr. Keker:    But then later — what about later?  You got to say something about later.

Mr. Scruggs:  I did join the conspiracy later.

The Court:  So you agree — are you telling me that you did join the conspiracy, and you did furnish some money to give to Judge Lackey in return for him issuing an order in your favor in this case?  Is that what you’re saying?  Do you disagree with that?

Mr. Scruggs:  That’s what I’m saying.

NMC