February 13, 2008 11:21 PM UTC

Paschall Kickback Trial Underway

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• by: Colorado Pols

As the Rocky Mountain News reports:

Former Jefferson County treasurer Mark Paschall is on trial for attempted theft because of a beef with County Commissioner Jim Congrove, Paschall’s defense attorney told jurors Tuesday.

Paschall is accused of asking a top aide to give him a $9,000 cut of a $25,000 bonus he had approved for her just before leaving office in December 2006.

Kathy Redmond, a longtime acquaintance whom Paschall hired as his administrative coordinator in 2003, told Congrove and alerted authorities, who taped a conversation between Redmond and Paschall.

“It was all a setup designed as a payback for Mark Paschall because Jim Congrove was angry with him,” defense attorney David Lane said. “We are here because Jim Congrove hates Mark Paschall with an undying passion.”

Lane said Congrove retaliated because Paschall wouldn’t tell him what happened in his grand jury testimony concerning allegations that Congrove used county money to hire a private investigator “to spy on political enemies of Congrove.”

Prosecutor Sean Clifford, however, said Paschall told Redmond he wanted to go through with the bonus and kickback even after she repeatedly asked him what would happen if the press found out…

Lane said the episode is just one example of political life “in the Taj Majal,” the nickname for the Jefferson County administration building.

“Jeffco government is a close little community,” Lane said. “The palace intrigue in the Taj Majal can reach a high level.” [Pols emphasis]

Lane explained Paschall’s alleged attempt to take a cut of the money as idle conversation with Redmond about what she could do with the money. Lane likened it to a person becoming frustrated and saying they want to “kill” someone when they have no intention of doing so.