Jul 22, 2009 10:41 pm US/Central
Woman Refuses To Pay Bribe; Gets Shakedown Lesson
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Phyllis Porter got a devastating lesson in shakedowns after she refused to pay a bribe to a Chicago Public School official.
CBS
She says it's morally and legally wrong, so she refused to pay a bribe to a Chicago Public School official. She tells CBS 2 Investigator Pam Zekman that after she said no, she got a devastating lesson in shakedowns.
Phyllis Porter owns a consulting firm called PPES. She used to have thousands of dollars in consulting contracts with Chicago Public Schools, to run seminars like this one where teachers got special education training.
"Once I didn't pay the bribe, Karen Saffold cancelled all the contracts in her district," said Porter.
Porter is now suing CPS and Saffold, an administrator who supervises 31 schools in her area.
"She basically said 'Phyllis, you give me $10,000 and I'll give you schools,'" said Porter.
The lawsuit charges that Saffold requested the bribe three times during a teaching conference in Las Vegas.
"I thought she was crazy," said Porter. "She did it in front of a witness. I mean, we were just shocked."
We talked to the witness, a school principal who was afraid to go on camera for fear of losing her job. But the principal confirmed key elements of Porter's story.
Porter says Saffold finally demanded, "When am I going to get my money?"
"And that's when I told her you know I'm not going to give you a damn thing," said Porter. "The very next day, principals started calling and saying, 'I'm sorry I have to cancel the contract,'" said Porter.
Now Porter is asking a judge to award her $250,000 for completed work and even more for losses suffered when she refused to pay to play.
"I lost 90 percent of my contracts. I lost relationships with principals, who I had a good relationship with since 1998," said Porter.
Her attorneys say the case has implications beyond what happened to Porter.
"The special education children are one of the most vulnerable populations in the school district," said Attorney Rima Kapitan. "The board's decision to hire one consultant or another should not be based on bribes. It should be based on the quality of the consulting services."
Porter says she didn't pay the bribe, "because it's illegal, it's immoral."
"No consultant should have to pay to do business with Chicago public schools," said Porter.
She reported what happened to CPS's Inspector General. But a CPS spokeswoman said the Inspector General did not feel there was enough evidence to take action.
Saffold did not return our phone calls. But in court documents she denies that she solicited a bribe or told principals to stop doing business with Porter.
Board officials declined to comment because of the pending case.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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