DALLAS CITY HALL FEDERAL INVESTIGATION
State legislator indicted in Dallas public corruption case

Terri Hodge among 14 charged in alleged public housing scheme involving bribery, extortion, kickbacks; two others named in separate case.

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
Tuesday, October 02, 2007

DALLAS � Federal authorities unsealed indictments Monday alleging a bribery and extortion scheme within Dallas City Hall involving state Rep. Terri Hodge, numerous past and present city officials and a prominent real estate developer.

The indictments charge 14 people with illegal dealings with contractors who were building publicly funded affordable-housing developments in Dallas. Two others were charged in a separate indictment with embezzlement and tax fraud. The charges stem from an FBI investigation that became public more than two years ago, when agents raided city offices.

She reportedly turned down a plea deal offered several weeks ago.

Hodge, 66, a retired phone company worker who was elected to the Legislature in 1996, declined to comment Monday. She can keep her seat until the case against her is decided.

Hodge's supporters were quick to defend her record of service as an outspoken defender of prisoners' rights.

"I am definitely defending her to the utmost for the work she has done on behalf of inmates and their families," said Helga Dill, chairwoman of Texas Cure, a Dallas-based prisoner advocacy group. "She should be recognized for the tireless and honorable work that she has done."

[Note: Governor Perry vetoed legislation by Hodge this last session that would have retroactively granted the return of good conduct credit lost by misbehavior of inmates.]