Attorney Tells Johnson's Side
(1/15/99)
He's at the center of the Olympic bribery scandal. And now, he speaks out, for the first time, through his lawyer.
Dave Johnson lost his job and his dream to oversee the Winter Games. But he says he did nothing wrong. And he certainly did nothing alone.
News Specialist Nadine Wimmer talked with Johnson's attorney and has the exclusive story.
Johnson's attorney told us they're not ready to speak publicly, but that could change depending on what comes of the ethics investigation.
He was the number two man in the Salt Lake olympic movement and is now the focus of numerous bribery and payoff investigations.
It was just last week Johnson was forced to resign after more than 10 years of involvment with the Salt Lake Olympic movement.
Now Johnson has hired well-known attorney Max Wheeler, a former federal prosecutor and a man familiar with high profile cases.
Johnson has not spoken publically since his ouster. But today his attorney had some very specific details to tell Eyewitness News.
Including:
Johnson is fully cooperating with all investigations.
Johnson has provided detailed information about the allegations.
But, he is not ready to make a public statement until after the ethics
report is complete.
That report was scheduled for release yesterday, but has been postponed indefinitely.
Wheeler also strongly claimed Johnson did nothing in secret in connection with his duties in securing the games for Salt Lake.
Sources close to the current investigations point to several examples of IOC members receiving special treatment and expensive gifts--all in public.
Whether golfing, watching a special fireworks show, or taking helicopter rides through Utah mountains-- Prominent elected officials and high profile SLOC board members knew of these lobbying efforts.
Johnson's lawyer says without question, they knew intimately about the scholarship payments made to IOC member's relatives -- payments that have been described as bribes, and which ignited the entire Olympic scandal.
He also says high ranking board membes also knew directly of lavish gifts and other gratuities.
Further, Eyewitness News has been told there are photographs, letters and other documents to support Johnson's claims that many people were aware of what was going on.
