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Former Orangeburg County Council Chairman John Rickenbacker, left, enters the federal courthouse in Columbia with his attorney, I.S. Leevy Johnson. Rickenbacker pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal corruption charges. He will be sentenced after a federal presentencing report is completed, which typically takes several months. LARRY HARDY/T&D

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Rickenbacker pleads guilty

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By T&D STAFF and THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tuesday, December 19, 2006

This story is compiled from reports by T&D Staff Writer Richard Walker and Meg Kinnard of The Associated Press.

COLUMBIA -- Former Orangeburg County Council Chairman John H. Rickenbacker pleaded guilty Tuesday to taking $50,000 in bribes from an undercover FBI agent in exchange for supporting the sale of the Regional Medical Center in Orangeburg.

A 22-year member of Orangeburg County Council, Rickenbacker entered the surprise plea to one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds and one count of extortion under color of official right.

Those charges arose in June after a six-month sting in which the former councilman accepted about $50,000 from an undercover FBI agent posing as a consultant for a company interested in buying the hospital, which is owned by Orangeburg and Calhoun counties. He initially pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Rickenbacker told the agent he would work to get the council's support on the sale of the RMC and provided confidential financial information, Assistant U.S. Attorney Winston Holliday said.

An emotional Hazel Rickenbacker, Rickenbacker's wife, sat through Tuesday's change-of-plea hearing while embracing what appeared to be a small New Testament.

Because of the complexity of the federal sentencing guidelines, the court ordered a presentence investigation to be conducted by the U.S. Probation Office.

U.S. District Judge Margaret B. Seymour will sentence Rickenbacker after the report is completed, which typically can take several months.

The 54-year-old Rickenbacker faces up to 10 years and a $250,000 fine on the bribery charge and 20 years in prison and another $250,000 fine on the extortion count.

Meanwhile, I.S. Leevy Johnson, Rickenbacker's attorney, declined to comment Tuesday afternoon.

Per the federal system, all plea agreements must be submitted to the court clerk no later than noon the day before the pretrial hearing.

However, during a phone interview on Monday afternoon, Johnson indicated Tuesday's scheduled hearing was standard pretrial procedure.

Holliday said Rickenbacker first met with a consultant interested in buying the hospital in November 2005. In exchange for $5,000 a month, Rickenbacker said he would provide the council's confidential review of the hospital's financial condition, expected to take three to four months to complete, Holliday said.

The consultant later introduced Rickenbacker to an FBI agent posing as a second consultant. During several meetings, Rickenbacker gave the agent the name of a second council member for whom he would accept bribes, but Holliday said that council member had "no knowledge of the scheme."

Rickenbacker told the agent "he was attempting to get as many council members as possible" to support the sale, and said bribes to other members might be necessary. Rickenbacker said he would act as a go-between, Holliday said.

During Tuesday's hearing, prosecutors pointed out that they have video and audio evidence of Rickenbacker meeting with the undercover agent.

Holliday said Rickenbacker met with undercover agents on at least six occasions between December 2005 and May 17, 2006.

Rickenbacker was paid $5,000 during each of the first three visits, $10,000 during the fourth meeting, $6,000 during the fifth meeting and $19,000 during the last meeting.

On May 17, the date of the last meeting, Rickenbacker gave the financial report to the undercover agent in exchange for $19,000 -- $10,000 for himself, and $9,000 for the unnamed council member, Holliday said.

Rickenbacker eventually told investigators no second council member ever was involved, Holliday said.

At the end of that meeting, Rickenbacker was told he had been dealing with an undercover agent and "admitted substantially to the details of the scheme," Holliday said.

According to the federal indictment, an unidentified company that operates hospitals in rural and suburban areas around the country was considering attempting to acquire the hospital that is owned by Orangeburg and Calhoun counties. A "contract consultant" who "regularly traveled to Orangeburg ... met with various individuals to determine whether the company should attempt to acquire RMC."

The consultant arranged a Nov. 3, 2005, meeting with Rickenbacker to discuss the company's interest in RMC, the indictment states.

It was during that meeting that Rickenbacker "solicited the company consultant for cash payments" in exchange for Rickenbacker's assistance and eventual support on the council for a sale and lease of RMC by the company.

"In return for the cash, John H. Rickenbacker agreed to provide the company with a copy of a confidential evaluation report to be generated at the request of the council by a private consulting company analyzing the financial condition of RMC," the indictment stated.

The report, which was to take three to four months to complete, was authorized by council four days later on Nov. 7. Results then were submitted to the Orangeburg and Calhoun councils, and the RMC board.

Holliday said Rickenbacker's attorney gave the government a check for $31,000, the amount he had accepted from the agent prior to the May 17 meeting. Holliday recommended the government hold the check until Rickenbacker's sentencing, at which time it be given to the FBI for its investigation expenses.

Rickenbacker, a Democrat, was re-elected Nov. 7 after his name appeared without opposition on the ballot.

A special election to fill his seat will be held.

The FBI has a Web link, reportcorruption.fbi.gov, designed to enable the public to send information about corruption to the FBI.

Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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Comments:

Aristotle wrote on December 20, 2006 2:22 PM:"What no comments? I remember in the beginning when this case was first printed in the T&D, everybody wrote in how Mr. Rickenbacker was being framed and how he was innocent. Now he has admitted to it with a guilty plea. What does evrybody say now?"

David wrote on December 20, 2006 2:21 PM:"Give him and Leevey Johnson the chair!!!"

BHT wrote on December 20, 2006 1:37 PM:"IT SURE WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE IF MR.RICK HAD OWNED UP TO WHAT HE DID BEFORE HE TOOK ALL THE SALARY FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. ALSO, NOW THE TAXPAYER GETS TO PAY FOR A SPECIAL ELECTION THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. I AM REALLY DISAPPOINTED IN NOT ONLY THE THINGS HE DID BUT THE LIES HE TOLD AND THE WAY SO MANY PEOPLE BELIEVED IN HIM. I HOPE TO SEE JUSTICE DONE. I DO, HOWEVER, FEEL SORRY FOR HIS KIDS."

DLG wrote on December 20, 2006 1:03 PM:"This is unfortunate! As a student that looked up to Mr. Rickenbacher - it is unfortunate that he would do such a thing. But my comment relates to Mr. Rickenbacher seemingly being set-up by the FBI. What would make them come to him, offer him money to bring him down? Again Mr. Rickenbacher's actions are inexcusable, but is it against the law to attempt to bribe a public offical?"

confisus sum wrote on December 20, 2006 11:28 AM:"I am proud of Mr. Rickenbacker's strength in accepting responsibility for what he has done. For all those that tried to paint this as a racial event, the shame falls back on you. He has decided to pay his debt to society, without playing the race card. Oh, if all would follow his fine example."

A Friend of Ricks wrote on December 20, 2006 10:12 AM:"We are all still praying for you and your family!!"

So Sorry wrote on December 20, 2006 9:49 AM:"My prayers are with the family of the Rickenbackers."

BA wrote on December 20, 2006 9:07 AM:"How can the man plead guilty when he was supposedly "set up" as so many of our fine citizens pointed out when he first got busted? Maybe he should move to Denmark. He would fit in well with the rest of that town's "politicians.""

LWH wrote on December 20, 2006 9:02 AM:"I am really disappointed in Mr. Rickenbaker. As an African American that looks up to and support other African Americans in politics. The people of Orangeburg County do not deserve this neither did your wife, we supported you."

Captivated wrote on December 20, 2006 8:35 AM:"Thank God Mr. Rickenbacker finally realized the error of his ways and made the descision to come clean about his influence peddling and untruthfulness. Just goes to show that money is still the root of all evil. My prayers to him and his family."

... wrote on December 20, 2006 2:47 AM:"It's a shame how certain people can be targeted for the satisfaction of the"FBI" my question to them is why would they set him up why???"

.......... wrote on December 20, 2006 12:08 AM:"god will be with you"

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