Prosecutor: More indictments in works against former Sen. Dixon

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim DiScenza didn’t specify during the routine court hearing what the new indictments would charge, but prosecutors had said this summer that the investigation known as Tennessee Waltz wasn’t finished.

Dixon, who resigned from the Legislature in January, was one of five current and former lawmakers indicted on bribery and conspiracy charges in May. They are accused of taking payoffs to sponsor legislation benefiting a fake company created for an FBI sting operation.

“We’re preparing our defense,” Dixon’s attorney, Walter Bailey, said after the hearing. “We just have to wait and see how the events unfold.”

Dixon told reporters outside the courthouse that “none of this is surprising” concerning the new indictments because it’s part of the “persecution.”

“Once they get after you, they get after you,” he said. “You just spread those hands and get nailed to the cross.”

Bailey had indicated last month that it wasn’t certain Dixon would fight the charges at trial. Dixon didn’t withdraw his innocent plea on Thursday and U.S. District Judge Jon McCalla set trial for Dec. 5.

“My client looks forward to being vindicated,” Bailey said.

Three defendants in the case have pleaded guilty — two accused of being “bag men” and former state Rep. Chris Newton, the only Republican indicted.

All the others charged have pleaded not guilty. Besides Dixon, they include former Memphis Democratic Sen. John Ford; Sen. Ward Crutchfield, D-Chattanooga; Sen. Kathryn Bowers, D-Memphis; and Shelby County Commission chairman Michael Hooks Sr.

Newton and the two bag men — Barry Myers of Memphis and lobbyist Charles Love of Chattanooga — are scheduled to be sentenced in February.

Earlier Thursday, Hooks’ attorney, Steve Farese Sr., told U.S. District Judge J. Daniel Breen at another routine hearing that more time is needed to prepare for trial.

He said outside the courtroom that it’s too early for his client to consider a plea agreement.

“I see it being contested to the end,” Farese said of the trial, which he believes won’t take place any earlier than Spring 2006.

Meanwhile, Dixon said his legal bills are mounting and he’s considering “raising money” for his impending trial — in addition to remaining “prayerful.”

“It’s been hard,” said the Memphis Democrat, who didn’t elaborate on how he plans to raise the money. “Once you got the whole U.S. government coming down on you, you’ve just got to trust in the Lord.”

Dixon resigned before the indictments to take a job with the Shelby County mayor. Ford resigned days after his arrest in May, although he has contended that he left the Legislature because of new laws restricting consulting work. Newton announced he was going to resign shortly before he pleaded guilty.