Brian Potashnik

Boy, That Was Quick: Brian Potashnik to Spend March Outside Federal Prison on Work Release

Photo by Sam Merten​Merely two months after Brian Potashnik was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn to 14 months in federal prison for his role in the Dallas City Hall corruption case, he's been approved for a month-long release from behind bars. In a notification sent to victims of ... More >>

Bill Fisher handed the FBI a chance to clean up City Hall. Does that make Fisher Mr. Clean?

Well, At Least the City of Dallas Is Getting a $1.25 Million Check Out of Brian Potashnik

Sam MertenBrian Potashnik​As you'll no doubt recall, Brian and Cheryl Potashnik were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn the week before Christmas. The couple, of course, was among the first to take guilty pleas in the Dallas City Hall federal corruption case that eventually landed forme ... More >>

Friday-Morning Follow-Ups

This old photo of the Texas Theatre was among a stack of unsold pictures being auctioned off yesterday.​To begin the day, some housekeeping ...A happy ending to yesterday's story about the kidnapping of Eileen Loskot: She was found dehydrated but otherwise unharmed in New Mexico, and one of the th ... More >>

Back in Federal Court, Awaiting Sentencing for the Brian and Cheryl Potashnik (A Live Blog)

Sam MertenBrian Potashnik back in July 2009​[Update: Cheryl Potashnik was given two years probation and has to pay $50,000 to the U.S. Attorney's Office within seven days.] It's sentencing day for Brian and Cheryl Potashnik this morning at the Earle Cabell Federal Building, as U.S. District J ... More >>

The Wiretap That Tainted Our View Of Ron Slovacek Long Before His Conviction

Sam MertenWhy does Lee look so good in that suit? Gotta be the aerobics in the morning and yoga at night.​On July 23 -- the second day of Brian Potashnik's testimony in the Dallas City Hall corruption trial -- prosecutor Marcus Busch played a series of damning wiretaps for jurors. He paused th ... More >>

More From This Weekend's Blues, Bandits and Barbecue Shindig in North Oak Cliff

Photos by Sam MertenSchutze's been having a tough time tracking down council member Dave Neumann for comments. So close.​As Robert pointed out below, Go Oak Cliff hosted the inaugural Blues, Bandits and Barbecue street party and Better Block Redux this weekend around the Kessler, where a clay ... More >>

Two Months After Taking Guilty Plea, Terri Hodge Sentenced to Year in Prison

Sam MertenTerri Hodge​The staff was all tied up today and couldn't make it to the Earle Cabell for Terri Hodge's sentencing. But the guilty-plea-taking ex-state represenative got a year in federal prison, because U.S. District Judge Barbara M. G. Lynn didn't really buy her story that, look, it was ... More >>

U.S. Attorney's Office: State Rep. Terri Hodge Has Taken a Guilty Plea, Is Stepping Down

Sam Merten State Rep. Terri Hodge, a state representative no more​The story's circulating this morning that Terri Hodge is this close to pleading guilty in her involvement in the Dallas City Hall federal corruption case and is stepping down from the Texas House of Representatives. Unfair Pa ... More >>

The Day Before Spring Is Sprung, Brian and Cheryl Potashnik Will Receive Sentences

Sam MertenBrian Potashnik, outside the Earle Cabell Federal Building in July​Sorry, but one last bit of bookkeeping before I hit the nog: We've known for a while when Don Hill and the missus, former City Plan Commissioner D'Angelo Lee and two others found guilty in the federal City Hall corruption ... More >>

More Delicious Corruption Trial Leftovers: Juror Says "There Was a Lot of Disagreeing," Fax Machine Was "the Talk of the Day"

Sam MertenAccording to juror Nedra Frazier, the arguments against conspiracy surrounded Rickey Robertson, seen here leaving the courthouse with his wife and baby daughter after the jury found him guilty on two counts.A few hours after she and 11 other jurors found Don Hill and his four co-defendants ... More >>

Don and Sheila Hill, the Unfair Park Interview

Photos and cutlines by Danny FulgencioAn inclination for religious references did not save Don Hill from lawful judgment.A little more than 24 hours after a jury found Don and Sheila Hill guilty on a total of 12 counts in the City Hall corruption case, the two sat down with me for a lengthy intervie ... More >>

How the Feds Convicted Don Hill

As Hills Look Forward to Appeal, Don Says Brian Potashnik "Did What He Had To Do"

Sam MertenAt approximately 10:40 this morning, a packed courtroom on the 15th floor of the Earle Cabell Federal Building and Courthouse filled with friends and family of the co-defendants, members of the media and lawyers sits abuzz with anticipation. This is it. Finally. U.S. District Judge Barbar ... More >>

Don Hill Explains Fairness and Why He Didn't Do Brian Potashnik a Solid on the Walker Consent Decree (Now a Live Blog)

Sam MertenDon Hill's third day on the stand in the City Hall corruption trial began with his attorney, Ray Jackson, asking about statements he made in wiretaps about fairness concerning developer Brian Potashnik's decision to reject bids from Ron Slovacek and Andrea Spencer because they were too hig ... More >>

At City Hall Federal Corruption Trial, Former DHA CEO Says Hill Wanted a Lott of Love

Former Dallas Housing Authority CEO Ann Lott​This morning at the Dallas City Hall federal corruption trial at the Earle Cabell, we are getting insight into the involvement of Ann Lott, former CEO of the Dallas Housing Authority, in this whole sorry mess. I'm not sure where we're headed. But so f ... More >>

Yet Again, Bill Fisher's on the Stand in Federal City Hall Corruption Trial -- And Former Mayor Laura Miller Gets a Shout-Out

Sam MertenFormer Dallas Mayor Laura Miller outside the Earle Cabell Federal Building and Courthouse, when she testified in the City Hall federal corruption trial a few weeks ago​Victor Vital, attorney for Sheila Farrington, began the morning's proceedings in the federal Dallas City Hall corrupti ... More >>

Don Hill's Latest Defense: He Just Wasn't Powerful Enough to Influence Deals

Sam MertenWhat, them worried? D'Angelo Lee, Don Hill and Sheila Farrington outside the federal courthouse​[Editor's note: Jim's on deadline, and Sam's on vacation. So Trey Garrison's down at the Earle Cabell Federal Building and Courthouse live-blogging the City Hall corruption trial for Unfair Pa ... More >>

Good News -- Really -- From the City Hall Corruption Trial

With FBI Informant's Credibility in Question, Prosecution Decides It's Laura Miller Time

Sam Merten Miller crosses Commerce Street this morning, along with husband Steve Wolens and daughter Alex.Moments ago, folks standing outside the Earle Cabell Federal Building and Courthouse got a sneak peek at the prosecution's next witness in the City Hall corruption trial: former ... More >>

How City Hall Really Works: Notes from the City Hall Corruption Trial

Once again, this more or less provides the perfect description of the testimony now being heard in the federal City Hall corruption trial.​O.K., I want to give you an example of the very good lawyering being done by the defense in the City Hall corruption trial going on right now at the Earle Cab ... More >>

Defense Uses Factual Résumé, Church Donation and Ties With Leo Chaney to Fluster Key Witness In City Hall Corruption Case

Sam MertenVictor VitalLow-income housing developer Brian Potashnik appeared frustrated and confused Monday in the federal City Hall corruption trial as a trio of defense lawyers rattled the prosecution's star witness while attacking his previous testimony. Near the end of a long day on the stand, he ... More >>

That's the Dallas Way! Schutze is Live Blogging From the City Hall Corruption Trial.

Sam MertenLow-income housing developer Brian Potashnik, who's still on the stand in the City Hall corruption trial​In federal court today Ray Jackson, lawyer for former Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill, has been working on affordable housing developer Brian Potashnik in an attempt to get him to tel ... More >>

Prosecution Hands Over Key Witness to Defense Without Proving Don Hill's Guilt, Bolsters Case Against D'Angelo Lee

Sam MertenD'Angelo Lee crosses Commerce Street in front of the Earle Cabell Federal Building Thursday afternoon.The second full day of testimony from affordable housing developer Brian Potashnik strengthened the prosecution's case against former city plan commissioner D'Angelo Lee in the City Hall c ... More >>

Potashnik May Be the Prosecution's Smoking Gun, But He Sure Didn't Sound Like One

Sam MertenBrian PotashnikNearly all of the 16 jurors grabbed their notebooks and focused on Brian Potashnik as the prosecution Wednesday morning called the witness expected to provide the most damning evidence in the City Hall corruption case. But while Potashnik's testimony raised concerns about th ... More >>

Prosecution Looks to Right Stumbling City Hall Corruption Case By Calling Brian Potashnik

Sam MertenDon and Sheila Hill left the courthouse Tuesday afternoon in good spirits.An admittedly nervous Steve Williams spent all of Tuesday afternoon on the stand discussing his eight-year tenure as Don Hill's administrative assistant, pushing the anticipated debut of developer Brian Potashnik to ... More >>

Mitchell Rasansky Says He "Got the Sense" Some Council Members Tried to Kill FBI Informant's Affordable Housing Deals

Brian HarkinWill the jury get to hear from Mitchell Rasansky? Based on what he told us, we're going out on a limb and saying yes.Mitchell Rasansky, who served with Don Hill on the Dallas City Council for six years and is listed as a potential witness in Hill's ongoing federal corruption trial, says ... More >>

In Corruption Trial, Defense Keep Asking, "But What About Laura?" (Again, Live Bloging)

Well, looks like the frequent mentions of former Dallas Mayor Laura Miller in the federal Dallas City Hall corruption trial ain't just Dixie. The defense clearly plans to argue that the FBI should have gone after Miller, because she took a ton of money from developer Brian Potashnik, who's agreed t ... More >>

Brian Potashnik Will Appear in Federal Court -- To Testify Against Don Hill (Now, a Live Blog)

Cheryl and Brian PotashnikI'm at the Earle Cabell Federal Building and Courthouse waiting for the afternoon session of the City Hall corruption trial to launch. The feds presented their case this morning. The only substantial news was a confirmation that affordable housing developer Brian Potashnik ... More >>

Is This Brian Potashnik's White Flag?

A motion was filed in federal court today in the Dallas City Hall public corruption case in which developer Brian Potashnik's high-priced, high-profile attorneys tell the feds that their client's all good and really doesn't need to see their evidence, but thanks. Brian and Cheryl Potashnik, of cours ... More >>

Serving the "Ends of Justice," Judge Delays City Hall Trial Till June

How many shopping days left till Christmas, Don Hill? Dang, then we'd best hurry! A couple of housekeeping items this morning, including the disappointing news of a scheduling change. You can cross January 20 off your calendar if you were planning on attending the trial of former Dallas Mayor Pr ... More >>

The Odious Associates and Dubious Swords in City Hall Corruption Case

On Wednesday, less than a week after breaking bits and pieces of the City Hall corruption trial into smaller bites, U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn issued another ruling concerning how the government will try its case (or, rather, cases) against the likes of former Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill, developer ... More >>

Don Hill Claims: Federal Prosecutors Don't Like Black People

Domino No. 2 in the City Hall Corruption Case Falls: Andrea Spencer Pleas Guilty to Bribery Conspiracy

Mrs. Don Hill Speaks! And Says She and Her Hubby Are Innocent! No, Really?

Don Hill Slides From Mayoral Candidate to Alleged Criminal

How did that happen?

City Hall's Same Sick Story

White guys bribing black guys at Dallas City Hall

Got Time to Kill? Here's That 166-Page City Hall Indictment You've Been Waiting For.

The Other Three Indictments

Brian Potashnik Says Charges Are "Unfair and Cruel"

Street Tax

Tracy Rowlett's Tired of the FBI Investigation at City Hall

Nonissue

Set Don Hill free

Credit Risks

Stacked Deck

Giving penny-ante politicians a say over lucrative affordable-housing developments seemed like a good idea--until the FBI came calling

Rant, Rave

A year-end banquet of my two-bit opinions

Paper Trails

Morning News waits and waits to acknowledge CBS-11's scoop of an ethically challenged state rep

Thumb Job

At City Hall, it's not called extortion. It's empowerment.

Shoe One

...was the FBI. Watch out, City Hall. Shoe Two's comin'.

P.U.!

Who made a stink at City Hall?