United States v. Cyrus T. Anderson

509 F.2d 312, 165 U.S. App. D.C. 390
CourtCourt of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
DecidedMarch 24, 1975
Docket73--1304
StatusPublished
Cited by122 cases

This text of 509 F.2d 312 (United States v. Cyrus T. Anderson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Cyrus T. Anderson, 509 F.2d 312, 165 U.S. App. D.C. 390 (D.C. Cir. 1975).

Opinion

SPOTTSWOOD W. ROBINSON, III, Circuit Judge:

Cyrus T. Anderson contests his conviction by a jury on three counts of bribery of a United States Senator. 1 His main argument is that he was deprived of a fair trial as the result of surprise and perjury in connection with the testimony of Betsey Shipley Norton, a key witness for the Government. 2 Anderson also ad *316 vanees other grounds for reversal, each of which we address in the course of this opinion. 3 We find Anderson’s arguments unpersuasive, and accordingly affirm the conviction on all counts.

I. THE FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Anderson was a registered congressional lobbyist for Spiegel, Inc., 4 a Chicago-based merchandiser. 5 Since Spiegel conducted its sales primarily through the mails, its financial well-being was directly related to the level of third-class mail rates. Daniel B. Brewster was a United States Senator, and a member of the Senate Committee on Post Office and Civil Service. It was the alleged bribery of Brewster by Anderson, as the alter ego of Spiegel, that gave birth to this litigation.

The theory of the prosecution was that Anderson on several occasions delivered monies to Brewster with corrupt intent to influence his action on postal-rate legislation coming before him in his official capacity. An indictment so charged, 6 and the jury, at Anderson’s trial jointly with Spiegel 7 and Brewster, 8 found Anderson guilty as charged. 9

The Government’s case against Anderson, and by the same token the jury’s verdict, rested notably upon the testimony of John Francis Sullivan, formerly an aide to Brewster, 10 and Betsey Shipley Norton, a close friend of Anderson. 11 Primarily through these two witnesses, the Government sought to prove the execution of a scheme designed to route payments from Spiegel through Anderson to Brewster and to a nominal campaign committee for him. We need not recite in full the maze of details comprising the conflicting testimonial versions of the questioned transactions. Rather, we recount only so much of the evidence, pro and con, as will bring into sharp focus the several points Anderson raises on this appeal. 12

A. The Sullivan Testimony

Testifying under a grant of immunity from prosecution, John Sullivan delineated for the jury a series of contacts between Anderson, Brewster and himself, in the course of which the events germi *317 nating the bribery counts against Anderson assertedly transpired. 13 What follows is a summary of Sullivan’s testimony in that regard.

Late in 1965, a political fundraiser visited Brewster at his Senate office in Sullivan’s presence. Brewster was nearing the end of his term and, though not then an announced candidate, he contemplated a run for reelection. The visitor mentioned a proposal by the Postmaster General to increase mail rates, and Brewster said that he had no fixed opinion on the merits of the proposal. The visitor then told Brewster that if he remained uncommitted on the subject, she could get money for his reelection campaign from Anderson. 14 Brewster suggested that Anderson call Sullivan in that connection. 15

In January, 1966, Sullivan received a telephone call from Anderson, who stated his understanding that Brewster “was going to keep an open mind” on the rate-increase proposal and said that he “was sending something” to the office. A few days later a check for $5,000 arrived, addressed to Brewster’s earlier visitor. The check was drawn by the Hotel and Restaurant Employees and Bartenders International Union of Cincinnati, Ohio, 16 and was made payable to the “D. C. Committee for Maryland Education” (DCCME). 17 The check was deposited in a bank account opened in the name of DCCME, which became a committee to accept campaign contributions for Brewster. 18

A year passed without any other known contact by or with Anderson. In January, 1967, however, Anderson conferred with Brewster and Sullivan in their Senate offices. Anderson revealed his connection with Spiegel 19 and voiced Spiegel’s opposition to higher postal rates. As the meeting drew to a close, Anderson gave Brewster an envelope containing $5,000 in cash, and Brewster told Anderson that he “would do all he _ possibly could to be of assistance to Spiegel . . .. ” The $5,000 was placed. in a safe in Sullivan’s office, and was subsequently used for cash expenditures. 20

On April 5, 1967, a bill seeking postal-rate raises was introduced in Congress. Shortly thereafter, Anderson obtained from Spiegel a check for $13,500 payable to DCCME and, with help from Betsey Norton, converted it into cash. 21 Later that month Anderson, accompanied by a *318 man introduced as Morris Spiegel, 22 again called on Brewster and Sullivan. There was discussion of the pending bill, during which Morris Spiegel handed an envelope to Brewster. Inside the envelope was $4,500 in cash, which also found its way into the DCCME bank account. 23

A third payment was made in July, 1967. On Brewster’s order, Sullivan telephoned Anderson and inquired as to whether any more money would be forthcoming. Anderson answered “yes, he did have some more money, for the Senator — five thousand dollars — but he had not received a check from Spiegel in Chicago, yet.” After receiving several more telephone calls from Sullivan, Anderson went to Sullivan’s office and made out a personal check for $5,000, leaving the name of the payee blank. 24 Sullivan wrote in DCCME as payee and later deposited it in DCCME’s account. 25

B. The Norton Testimony

Though, like Sullivan, the recipient of a grant of immunity, Betsey Norton 26 remained an outwardly reluctant witness. 27

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Bluebook (online)
509 F.2d 312, 165 U.S. App. D.C. 390, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-cyrus-t-anderson-cadc-1975.