Paul Bass Photo
Nichole Jefferson.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has ended its corruption investigation into former city fair-hiring chief Nichole Jefferson’s dealings, according to her attorney.
The feds had launched a grand jury investigation into whether the fair-hiring chief, Nichole Jefferson, had mishandled public money or shaken down contractors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Liam Brennan informed her attorney, David Kritzman, during Christmas week that “they dropped the investigation,” Kritzman said Monday.
“There’s no evidence of criminal wrongdoing. None whatsovever,” Kritzman said. “The criminal investigation is over. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, after seizing her tax records, bank records, computer, and phone has returned all the evidence to her.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office declined comment Monday.
Jefferson ran the city’s Commission on Equal Opportunities, which monitors hiring of blacks and Latinos and women on government-funded construction projects, until the Harp administration fired her Aug. 6 based on the findings of an investigatory report accusing her of shaking down contractors whose work she oversaw to contribute money to, or hire apprentices from, a separate not-for-profit agency she ran, the Construction Workforce Initiative 2 (CWI2), a now-shuttered training-school on Dixwell Avenue; and refusing to provide documents pertinent to the agency’s finances and decision-making under her watch. Based on that report, Mayor Toni Harp fired Jefferson on Aug. 6. (Read all about that in this story.) Jefferson denied the allegations, which she said stemmed from a political vendetta. Jefferson’s union has appealed that termination, which is now in state arbitration.
City Corporation Counsel John Rose stood behind the city’s position in the wake of the U.S. Attorney’s decision.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office apprised me of its decision not to bring federal law violations against Mrs. Jefferson. It is important to note that the city’s decision to terminate Nichole Jefferson was not in any way motivated by or contingent upon there being a determination/or not to prosecute her for violation of federal law,” Rose stated in a release issued by the city. “The city terminated Nichole Jefferson lawfully for ethical abuses in violation of state law; for violations of the city’s Code of Ethics and for abuse of her power. We stand four-square behind that termination decision.”
Previous coverage of this story:
• DeStefano Questioned In CEO Probe
• Harp Fires Fair-Housing Chief For “Corruption”
• Items Removed From Agency Under Investigation
• Who Poured Cement In The Drains?
• CEO Chief Reveals, Rebuts Accusations
• This Loo Was Left Behind — With Cement