This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, March 3, 2010 - During Tuesday night's St. Louis County Council meeting, County Executive Charlie Dooley lashed out at frequent council critic Tom Sullivan and accused him of being among those spreading an "outright lie" about a possible federal probe into county government.
"Nobody currently working for St. Louis County has been subpoenaed for anything," Dooley said angrily.
"This county has not been under investigation," Dooley continued, responding to Sullivan's assertion during the council's open-comment period that such a probe was underway.
Sullivan said later that he stood by his assertion, and that he believed the FBI was looking into the county's awarding of trash-collection contracts last year.
Dooley said during the meeting that he was furious that "innuendo and rumors" were being circulated, or reported by some news outlets, as fact.
"We have nothing to hide in this county," Dooley added. "We are completely transparent."
Dooley's campaign manager, lawyer and prominent Democrat John Temporiti -- who used to work for county government and has been involved in a couple controversies of his own in recent months -- said Tuesday night that he also has not been questioned or subpoenaed by federal authorities.
The denials by Dooley and Temporiti are in line with similar comments earlier Tuesday by Dooley spokesman Mac Scott during an interview with the Beacon.
Scott said federal authorities have not subpoenaed or requested any information about county contracts, or anything involving Dooley's office.
"Nobody is investigating this office" Scott said, in a repeat of what he had said a couple weeks ago. "Nobody has subpoenaed anything about contracts, anything having to do with basic operations."
Referring to accounts to the contrary reported by at least two local press outlets, Scott added hotly, "People who are reporting that there is a federal investigation are either misinformed or lying."
Most of the speculation has revolved around former Dooley lobbyist Darin Cline, who resigned last fall amid confirmed reports at the time that he was involved in a personal-tax dispute with the IRS.
"Have the feds called us about Darin Cline? Yes," Scott said.
But he emphasized, "We haven't gotten any subpoenaes about county government, including contracts. The county is not being investigated. And there is nothing that involves the county executive's office."
Dooley has filed for re-election this fall. So far, he has at least two rivals: Republican lawyer Bill Corrigan and Libertarian Theo "Ted" Brown Sr.
Dooley did not mention his challengers during Tuesday night's blast at Sullivan.
