Kelvin Walton, his husky frame covered in a tailored suit and carefully matched tie, sat in the front row of a DeKalb County Commission meeting Tuesday.
Near the end, he walked to the podium with his ever-present clipboard to answer a commissioner’s query: Why was a company removed from the bidding process for a $6.5 million paving contract?
The vendor did not provide the required general contractor license, Walton, the county’s purchasing director, explained. Moments later, acting on his recommendation, the board unanimously approved the recommended bidder.
Four months after being named an “unindicted co-conspirator” in the corruption case against county CEO Burrell Ellis, Walton remains on the job and retains the trust of elected officials as he oversees how tens of millions of taxpayer dollars are spent on public contracts in DeKalb.
Walton, a 10-year-employee making $153,000, is expected to be the star witness in the case against his former boss. Walton was named in nine of 15 criminal counts against Ellis, allegedly gathering up the names and phone numbers of vendors so the CEO could hit them up for political contributions. Walton then conspired with Ellis to punish those who did not give, the indictment said. Ellis, who has been suspended, has strongly denied having done anything illegal.
Last week, prosecutors released dozens of hours of tape recordings to Ellis’ defense attorneys. Among those tapes would likely be recordings made by Walton, who secretly taped conversations with public officials, according to people familiar with the investigation.
The extent of what has been recorded is still being highly guarded by prosecutors. But a special-purpose grand jury report indicates Ellis was being recorded as early as August 2012, nearly five months before investigators searched his home and office.
In that recording, the grand jury alleges Ellis is trying to stack a contract evaluation committee with favorable members.
Nearly two months later, according to the indictment, Ellis told Walton to prevent a firm called NPI from receiving more county work because its owners did not contribute to his political campaign.
via DeKalb’s purchasing director key to CEO corruption case | www.myajc.com.
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