Sander says probe is 'politically motivated'

With a backdrop of supporters, Jackson Mayor Paul Sander spoke out Wednesday against the investigation launched against him by the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department, calling the probe a "politically motivated effort."

Five current and a handful of past board of aldermen members stood in solidarity with Sander in front of the board's curved wooden podium at Jackson City Hall. Several city employees and Cape Girardeau Mayor Jay Knudtson were in the audience for the news conference.

The mayor refused to answer any questions. Instead, he read a two-page statement recollecting a 1998 real estate transaction at Seabaugh Acres, in which some allege he illegally profited because city employees were sent outside the city limits to locate the home's sewer line -- an act that enabled Sander to sell the home and earn a sales commission.

Sander's attorney, Al Spradling III of Cape Girardeau, opened the news conference by saying the mayor would not address other aspects of the investigation, which involve other elected officials and city staff. Those issues concern the purchase of a 60-acre tract of farmland planned as a industrial park and various committee appointments, according to investigators.

Spradling said a few disgruntled residents have launched a "witch hunt" out of a desire for revenge and political motivations. He warned those making defamatory statements about Sander would be "dealt with." He didn't elaborate.

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff John Jordan, who didn't attend the event, later disagreed with comments made about the investigation.

"First of all, this is a criminal investigation and not a 'witch hunt,'" Jordan said. "The 'witch hunt' comments being used by certain persons associated with this case are nothing more than grandstanding. As far as comments saying this is politically motivated, it is certainly not on the part of the sheriff's office. In fact, we delayed the start of the investigation until after the mayoral election in April so it would avoid the mayor's re-election bid totally."

Sander's explanation

In his statement, Sander said former city consulting engineer Rich Bowen, now deceased, was working with him through Bowen's own engineering company to locate the line in 1998. Then-public works director Jim Roach, now city administrator, talked with Bowen about sending city workers to do the work.

Mayor Sander said he still went to Roach the next day to request a bill but was told there would be no charge.

"A few months later, Rich Bowen was released from his job with the city," Sander said. "At this point he developed bitter feelings toward city staff and the elected officials and this became an election issue well-aired in the 1999 city municipal election. Mr. Bowen's son, Chris, was a candidate for alderman in that election."

Chris Bowen, who earlier denied making any allegations, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

After the news conference, Spradling reaffirmed his belief that then-mayoral candidate Scott Lipke, now a member of the Missouri House of Representatives, was one of those discussing the incident publicly in 1999.

"He didn't make it a big issue, but he was one of those that was bringing it up," Spradling said.

But Lipke denies using the allegation as a campaign tool.

"I'd heard the rumors regarding the allegations, and I chose not to make them an issue in the race," Lipke said.

The allegations resurfaced this year when the sheriff's department was approached by Paul Fisher, a county resident and former agent of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. Sander said Fisher has been unhappy with numerous issues the city has addressed in the past.

Fisher did not return a phone call for comment Wednesday.

Board of aldermen members David Reiminger, Val Tuschhoff, Dale Rau, Kerry Hoffman and Larry Cunningham were among those present. Board members Phil Penzel, Barbara Lohr and Joe Bob Baker could not attend because of prior obligations.

Baker said he wants to remain neutral until all the facts of the investigation are presented.

"As an elected official, I think to be fair to everyone, I feel I have to see everything before forming an opinion," he said. "I think the sheriff's department and the state attorney's office will do a fair job, and, in the end, the truth will come out."

Reiminger believes Sander's remarks were on target.

"We feel this is so frivolous," Reiminger said. "And if this much time has been spent on this issue, perhaps the sheriff's department needs to find something else to do if they're not busy."

Poor 1999 probe

Sheriff Jordan said no one would be discussing this issue today if it had been properly investigated in 1999. Former city attorney David Beeson interviewed about seven people involved in the incident, and Jackson police detective James Humphreys interviewed two other persons. Beeson died in October 2001 and Humphreys is now police chief.

On May 14, 1999, Beeson sent copies of the five-page investigation summary only to Sander, Roach and city administrator Steve Wilson -- but not to the board of aldermen.

"The investigation that was conducted was without the approval of the city council," Jordan said. "In fact, the majority of city council members knew nothing about the alleged incident involving the misuse of city employees or the 1999 investigation until the information surfaced in the media last week."

Current city attorney Tom Ludwig said Monday he didn't know why Beeson didn't bring in an outside agency to conduct the investigation at the time, adding that he only became officially involved in April.

The internal investigation just doesn't hold weight, Jordan said.

"The misuse of city employees, the use of subordinate employees to investigate their superiors, and the city council intentionally being left in the dark concerning both of these actions reeks with impropriety," Jordan said. "These allegations are now being investigated properly under the supervision of an independent council provided by the Attorney General's office."

Staff writer Bob Miller contributed to this report

mwells@semissourian.com

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