Federal prosecutors say an indicted Illinois state representative took FBI agents to his house and turned over cash he allegedly took as a bribe. But IPR'S Tony Arnold reports Derrick Smith’s attorneys are trying to make sure that information doesn’t come up at his trial.
Representative Smith was arrested two years ago for allegedly taking a 7-thousand dollar bribe in exchange for supporting a grant application.
In a new court filing, federal prosecutors say Smith repeatedly told FBI agents after he was read his Miranda rights that he “effed up”, and never should’ve written the letter, or taken the 7-thousand dollars. They say he even took FBI agents to his house and got the remaining 25-hundred dollars.
Smith had already given some of the money to the campaign worker who had secretly recorded him as pay for his work. Smith’s defense attorneys say his comments should not be allowed at his trial because Smith thought they were part of his plea negotiations.
Prosecutors say Smith made those comments before an attorney ever entered the room and even then, the federal prosecutor didn’t negotiate a plea deal with him.
Smith, a Chicago Democrat, lost his bid for reelection in the primary last month.