By Howard Fischer | Capitol Media Services via Arizona Capitol Times
The legal fate of a former utility regulator, the head of a utility and a lobbyist facing bribery, conspiracy and fraud charges could depend on whether jurors believe the lobbyist’s former wife.
And that presumes they get to hear from Kelly Norton, the woman who appears to be the mystery “unidentified co-conspirator” in last year’s indictment.
In new legal filings, lobbyist Jim Norton contends Kelly, his former wife, cannot legally testify in the criminal case playing out in federal court here.
Ivan Mathew, his attorney, acknowledges that Kelly made a series of statements to the FBI ahead of the indictment. Those statements involve the allegations by federal prosecutors that Jim Norton funneled money to former commissioner Gary Pierce by creating a job for his wife, Sherry.
