We are back at the federal criminal trial of former Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan, attorney Martin Stringer and lobbyist William “Andy” Skeith. This morning’s witness has been a lawyer whose name has been mentioned several times  by previous witnesses and attorneys: Derek Hardberger.

An environmental lawyer, Hardberger has answered questions about his role in the Dilworth Development attempt to obtain a state permit for a new landfill in Kay County. Testimony and evidence indicate that Hardberger, an associate lawyer for most of his time with the former McKinney & Stringer law firm, billed for many more hours than did Stringer or other attorneys who worked on the Dilworth matter. Hardberger has acknowledged doing much of the “on the ground” work on the case.

Hardberger has testified that Stringer was the billing attorney on the account, which he also brought to the firm. Hardbergeralso said that any legislative issues would have been handled by Stringer. Hardberger also said that part of his job was to keep Morgan informed about what was happening in the Dilworth matter in Kay County.

Defense attorneys contend that, by the time Morgan was hired  after the 2005 legislative session, the troublesome language had already been killed. They also argue that Hardberger himself had more to do with addressing political issues than prosecutors say.

Hardberger told a prosecutor this morning that he viewed it as unusual that a full-service law firm would need to hire someone like Morgan for such a case. He said that Stringer was in charge of the Dilworth file and that he, Hardberger, did not hire Morgan.

Federal prosecutors contend that Stringer and Skeith conspired with Morgan in a scheme that  involved paying the former Senate leader more than $140,000, not for legal services, but to use his legislative leadership authority to kill legislation that would have been harmful to Dilworth.

Morgan, Stringer and Skeith are charged with 62 counts of extortion, conspiracy and mail fraud involving Dilworth and another matter. Morgan alone is charged with bribery in a separate situation involving an assisted-living company

FULL POST TO COME, AFTER COURT RECESSES FOR THE WEEK