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Statements made at the prosecutor's forum Tuesday night continue to shadow two local candidates.
Daniel Hampton responded Friday to a statement made by incumbent prosecutor David Kolbe during the forum. Kolbe said Hampton allegedly tried to bribe Kolbe to stay out of the 1994 election.
Kolbe said Tuesday night that Hampton offered Kolbe the public defender's contract, reportedly worth nearly $100,000 a year, if Kolbe would stay out of the election. Kolbe went on to defeat Hampton in the primary.
Hampton said Friday he did not respond to the accusation at the time because, "I did not want to dignify it with any kind of response." He said a reply may have given the accusation some kind of credibility.
Hampton said that when Kolbe brought up the alleged bribe Tuesday night, "It was almost the sign of a desperate man."
"It is totally ludicrous to think that the prosecutor has the authority to give the public defender's contract," Hampton said Friday. "Only the judges have that authority. For the prosecutor to offer it would be totally unethical."
Hampton said that he approached Kolbe in the fall of 1993 when Kolbe decided to run for prosecutor. Hampton told Kolbe he was also going to run for prosecutor. Hampton told Kolbe that if he was running only to change the administration, he didn't have to go through with the campaign.
Hampton said he offered Kolbe a position as a deputy prosecutor if Kolbe decided not to run. Kolbe turned down the offer.
But, Hampton said, the alleged bribe, "totally did not happen."
Kolbe said his memory of the meeting was completely different. He said Friday that after that meeting in 1993, he talked with his law office staff and told them Hampton offered him the contract.
"Whether he has the authority to offer the contract is irrelevant," Kolbe said of Hampton. "He did make it [the offer]."
"The conversation did take place," Kolbe said. "I'm not in a position to say he made the offer with authority."
After the offer was allegedly made, Kolbe said, "I closed the conversation [with Hampton.] I was not interested in discussing seeking office or not seeking office along those lines."
As for Hampton not responding to Kolbe immediately Tuesday, Kolbe said, "If the statement I made was not true, I think the normal person would have immediately and vigorously denied it. The delay is quite suspicious."
