ATLANTA — Mayor Kasim Reed says he is not involved in any way with the federal bribery investigation at City Hall.
Three people have already pleaded guilty in the case.
Federal agents recently raided the Sandy Springs office of Jeff Jafari, a businessman with city contracts who has made numerous political contributions to Reed and current mayoral candidates.
It is unclear if that raid is tied to the U.S. attorney's probe into City Hall.
“I have contributions from literally hundreds of people. What you do is if you find out someone did something improper, you do what Keisha Lance Bottoms did. You return it and move on,” Reed said.
The mayor maintains he has done nothing wrong and is not the target of the federal investigation.
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"I've told you and the people of Atlanta, I know they are not going to go to me because I know that I don't need or would never take money," he said.
The city's procurement officer, Adam Smith, pleaded guilty to taking $30,000 in bribes.
“Adam Smith, you had a man who went to Morehouse, Yale and Georgetown. Everyone that knew him thought he was doing his job in an honorable fashion. He had a church pew in his office,” Reed said.
Reed said every time the Justice Department asked for anything, he cooperated. However, he worries the federal corruption probe will have a lasting effect on his two terms as mayor.
“I’m very concerned from a legacy standpoint,” he said.
Cox Media Group
