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[WEED NEWS]
Seedy Affairs Records shows continued FBI interest in Independence marijuana, utility contract deals Written by
STEVE VOCKRODT AND JASON HANCOCK This story was originally published by KCUR 89.3 and the Missouri Independent.
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ederal law enforcement was still seeking information as recently as last summer about medical marijuana licensing in Missouri and utility contracts in Independence that have attracted FBI scrutiny for years. That’s according to sworn deposition testimony from a Kansas City-area businessman that surfaced publicly this month. The deposition of Joseph Campbell, owner of the real estate development firm itan ish, was conducted in November as part of an ongoing defamation lawsuit he and his company filed in against the City of Independence and two city council members. Excerpts of the deposition became public last wee after they were filed in ac son County Circuit Court by Independence’s attorneys. ampbell testified that agents from the FBI, Internal Revenue Service and the Justice Department’s public integrity unit interviewed him on uly , The questions, according to Campbell’s testimony, focused on his involvement with a pair of utility contracts in Independence and medical marijuana licensing in Missouri — the latest indication that a potentially wide-ranging public corruption probe may be ongoing. Campbell in his deposition indicated the FBI wanted to talk to him further, but hadn’t as of the time he gave his testimony. During the deposition, Campbell said that as part of his July interview he was asked by federal agents about several people involved in state and local politics,
Missouri’s medical marijuana regulators have recieved multiple grand jury subpoenas in the last two years as part of a federal investigation centered on Independence, Missouri. | CARLOS MORENO/KCUR 89.7 including: • Independence Mayor Eileen Weir • former Independence council members Curt Dougherty and Tom Van Camp • Independence City Manager Zach Walker • Missouri lobbyist Steve Tilley • former Missouri House Speaker John Diehl ampbell also testified that overnor Mike Parson’s name came up during the interview. But the deposition transcript that was filed last wee in ac son ounty Circuit Court does not contain Campbell’s full testimony — only pages of at least pages were included — and does not go further into why some of the names like Parson and others were discussed. ampbell’s attorney filed a motion to suppress the document two days after it appeared in the public record, arguing that it should not have been filed because the deposition isn’t yet complete. Campbell did not return requests for an interview and his attorney, Mark McFarland, declined to discuss the matter. Neither Campbell nor any of the people he was asked about during his interview last summer have been charged with any wrongdo-
ing in regard to Independence or Missouri political affairs. Campbell said repeatedly during his deposition that his only involvement in the FBI’s Independence probe is as a witness. A spokesperson for the FBI said the agency cannot confirm or deny the existence of an investigation. The records provide a fresh glimpse into an FBI probe that’s transfixed state and local politics ever since news of it surfaced in Independence deals In , ampbell bought the former Roc wood olf ourse in Independence from a company that had owned it for several years. Months later, the Independence City Council voted to buy the golf course from his real estate company, Titan Fish, for almost $1 million, close to twice what he paid to buy the property. The land was used to build a solar farm. The deal drew scrutiny over a series of donations to Weir days before she voted with the majority of council members to approve the purchase. The donations came from four political action committees connected to Tilley, a former state lawmaker and longtime friend and adviser to the governor. illey’s lobbying firm represents
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Independence’s electric utility and the company chosen to operate the solar farm. Weir has denied any wrongdoing in relation to the donations. Campbell’s testimony reveals he is also connected to the other Independence utility contract from that has received I scrutiny: the demolition of the power plant in Missouri City owned by Independence Power & Light. The Independence City Council awarded a St ouis firm called Environmental Operations Inc. a million contract to tear down the plant, even though another bidder offered to do the job for less than half that amount. A majority of the Independence City Council approved the contract despite opposition from some council members and a board that advises the city-owned utility. ampbell testified that he was involved in the Missouri City power-plant deal through a consulting contract he had with Environmental perations He testified that the land upon which the power plant stood would become “very valuable” given its proximity to a port along the Missouri River. ampbell testified that he was originally supposed to receive
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