Did Jerry Abramson divert $1 million in city bond proceeds that were supposed to be spent developing Waterfront Park?

B.  Date 4/9/86

To: Frank Quickert

From Joan Riehm

The mayor asked me to check on the status of $1 million in General Revenue bonds floated last spring, that were supposed to go for the Waterfront.  Do you know anything about this?

Received 4/10/86 10:02am Dept. of Law

C.  Date 4/21/86 (Sent 4/22/86)

Confidential

To: Joan Riehm

I told Bill Summers about this, and he swore me to secrecy.  Then your note arrives.

There is no legal commitment to spend this million on the riverfront.

(signed Frank Quickert) FQ

cc:  Bill Summers

Jerry Abramson used his city credit card to buy

personal vacation airline tickets.

Then he sent one of his lackeys out to lie about it.

“The mayor uses the city credit card appropriately in every case.  It is used for city business.  It is not used for personal expenses.”

                                                Jim McGovern

                                                Abramson Campaign Spokesperson

The Courier-Journal

March 3, 1993

Using public funds for personal benefit violates the Kentucky Constitution and is a Class D felony.

“Kentucky Constitution Section 173

Officer receiving profit on public funds guilty of felony.”

Even though he may have committed a felony, Democrat Jerry Abramson was

never prosecuted.  At the time he broke the law, the State Auditor and Commonwealth’s Attorney were also Democrats.

Just like he did in the airport neighborhoods,

Jerry Abramson used urban renewal powers

to condemn private property that

wasn’t “blighted” at all.

As a city attorney points out, the wrongful taking would likely cost city taxpayers a pretty penny.  In fact, because the property wasn’t actually blighted, taxpayers had to pay over $10,000,000 for properties that appraised for between $7 and $8 million.

According to the Lexington Herald Leader, “Under Kentucky Law, a government agency is not allowed to pay a higher price for property just because it plans to build a project there.”  LHL 7/12/95

But because Jerry Abramson once again used urban renewal powers improperly, local taxpayers ended up paying millions in excess costs.

D.  12/23/88

Ultra-confidential

To:  Mayor Jerry Abramson

        Joan Riehm

From: Frank Quickert

The attached is FYI – It is confidential.

(signed Frank Quicket) FQ

Jerry Abramson used city employees

to figure out a way for him to

secretly increase his annual salary.

F.  1/26/89

Personal and Confidential

To:  Mayor Jerry Abramson

From:  Frank Quickert

We have made a stab at an outline of the terms of a mechanism to address your (and the County Judges’) compensation difficulties.  Take a look and let me know what you think.

It’s our idea, but I believe the burden of putting it fully into place and working with the Louisville Community Foundation (and on the tax ramifications) should fall on a private attorney.

If you like the idea – we ought to get someone outside to finalize.

(signed Frank Quickert) FQ

cc:  Bill Summers

G.  (as is)

Jerry Abramson tried to use the

Louisville Water Company to line his own pockets.

H. 7/20/88

Confidential

To: Bill Summers

From: Frank Quickert

We are exploring the possibility of having the Mayor serve as the “paid” Chairman of the Board of the Louisville Water Company.

Don’t get the Mayor’s hopes up just yet, but this may be a possible avenue toward a solution.

(signed Frank Quickert)  FQ

While he was mayor, Jerry Abramson was kept

apprised of efforts by city department heads

to defeat union organizational drives.

I.  1/7/87

To:  Bill Summers

        Judy Eichenberger

David Leightty forwarded the attached memo, which I’m sending to you to alert you to an increasingly important matter.

(signed Frank Quickert)  FQ

cc: Mayor Jerry Abramson      

According to this memo, Jerry Abramson had

many alternatives available on how to

acquire land for airport expansion. 

The method he chose was

ruled illegal and unconstitutional

by the Kentucky Supreme Court.

City employees were used to work on then-mayor

Jerry Abramson’s personal affairs.

Jerry Abramson took good care of his “rubber stamps”.

Former Alderman Tom Denning was one of Jerry Abramson’s favorites.  Abramson even kept track of Denning’s weekly campaign activities.

When Denning lost his re-election race in 1991 Jerry Abramson created a job for him as Assistant Director for Budget and Development of Otter Creek Park.  The job didn’t exist before it was given to Denning.  Denning was paid $42,000 a year for two years.  Denning was supposed to raise $200,000 but raised less than $10,000.  After Denning resigned, the job was eliminated.

2/13/87

Personal & Confidential

To: Mayor Jerry Abramson

From: Frank Quickert

            I’ve asked Mary Broussard to prepare (and Alderman Denning is aware of it) an itemized list of his campaign activities each week and send it to you.

            You can just pitch it – but like the work-in-process lists we in the Law Dept. are sending – the mere fact it goes to you tends to generate performance.  Neato, huh!

(signed Frank X. Quickert)  FQ

Cost to taxpayers for Jerry Abramson to payoff one of his most loyal rubber stamps:          $84,000

Jerry Abramson wants a “rubber stamp” metro council.

When he was mayor, Bebe Melton was one of his aldermanic rubber stamps.

  .    

Excerpt from e-mail sent by former Deputy Mayor Tina Heavrin to former Mayor Jerry Abramson and others.

“As you know, we’ve been able to keep the Aldermen out of the pension cases LARGELY because BEBE has stood firm on it and given us cover from all but Ald. Gregg.

Bebe can keep the ord. [ordinance] from seeing the light of day…”

Jerry Abramson knew he could count on Bebe Melton, who was President of the Board of Aldermen, to do his bidding.  He worked hard to ensure she was re-elected.  He sent a personal letter to every voter in the 7^th Ward.

“When you go to the polls on May 28 please remember to vote for Bebe Melton.

                                                Sincerely,  Jerry Abramson”

Jerry Abramson had every City department head contribute to Bebe Melton’s campaign, even though none of them contributed to any other alderman.

Jerry Abramson handed out no-bid city contracts based on who he “owed” for helping him politically.

R.  Steve Yussman

Lawyer – Kipda Law Dept.

Part-time – 18-20

Full time – 25,000-30,000

Check with FXQ

To: FXQ (Frank Quickert)

I don’t owe this guy – but is there anything available?

(Jerry Abramson’s handwritten note)

Insert confidential memo to Mayor Jerry Abramson.

L.  2/5/87

Confidential

To:  Mayor Jerry Abramson

From:  Frank Quickert

Stuart Jay, Mary Ann Watkins, Rick Wyatt & myself met with Stuart Billington & Ron Rubin about J.C. Bedford’s analysis of the $1.5 million +/- savings possible from refinancing the Parking Authority’s outstanding $30 million of bonds.

We’ve given our blessing – the savings is real.  To do the issue –  and the fee will be a large one, we need to select an attorney.

J.C. is “plumbing” for Wyatt, Tarrant.  They’ve furnished some advice to Bradford on this deal.  They did the last one.  They are familiar with PARC – it’s operations and documentations.  They could move the quickest.

We “owe” Carl Fust who put in an extensive amount of time on the city’s 1986 Mortgage Subsidy Bond issue which aborted due to market conditions.

There may – obviously – be others:  Stites – Brown Todd.  Whom?

(signed Frank Quickert) FQ

cc: Stuart Jay

      Rick Wyatt

2/9

To: FXQ

Wyatt – did Water Co

Stites – doing Parking Garage

Brown Todd - ?

Fust - ?

Barnet - ?

Let’s choose someone who helped and is due.  Recommend and let me call.

(Jerry Abramson’s handwritten note attached to Quickert memo)

O.  4/4/89

Confidential

To:  Mayor Jerry Abramson

From: Frank Quickert

Our law clerks are hired on a year round basis, and all of our positions are currently filled.  One of our clerks, however, is going to clerk for a Federal Judge and is expected to leave in the future.

There could be a vacancy but the date is not certain. 

We’re desperate for minorities.  FQ

P.P.S.  We can make room if you want!  Or we owe!

(signed by Frank Quickert)  FQ

M.  2/11/87

FYI Confidential

To:  Mayor Jerry Abramson

From: Frank Quickert

Wyatt Tarrant is putting up a battle to at least get a part of the PARC refunding.  Steve Burger has provided J.C. Bradford with a two step mechanism that would operate (in essence) as follows:

            1)  Bond Issue #1 – a step bond refinancing would bear low interest in early years and higher later.  This issue would permit potentially some arbitrage gain.  Step #2 – Bond issue #2 – This would be a refinancing of Bond Issue #1 occurring about 30 days later.

Our gain would go, under this 2 step process, from $1.5 million to $2.8 million +/-  Wyatt Tarrant either wants to be hired as “issuer counsel” in a one issue process (which isn’t needed) or as bond counsel on Bond Issue #2 if the two step process is adopted.

I don’t want to push them out unless you know and approve.  It might generate bad blood.

(signed Frank Quickert)  FQ

N.  Confidential

To: Mayor Jerry Abramson

From:  Frank Quickert

You sent me the resume on Richard Heideman’s firm.  The Law Dept. will hire any attorney the Mayor says hire; provided the Board of Aldermen has given us the money to do so.

You asked if anything was available.  If you want’em it’s available.  If not – of course, it’s not.                                     (signed Frank Quickert) FQ

To: FXQ (Frank Quickert)

When will we propose attorney contract to aldermen?

(Jerry Abramson’s handwritten note)

To:  FXQ ( Frank Quickert)

No push from me…but if something comes up keep them in mind.

Thanx

(Jerry Abramson’s handwritten note)

Jerry Abramson's First City Finance Director apparently had multiple social security Numbers.