05:00 PM CST on Wednesday, December 8, 2004

From 11 News Staff Reports

Mayor Bill White spoke Wednesday about city integrity following the bribery indictment of a one-time aide to former Mayor Lee Brown.

Oliver Spellman, who until last Friday also worked as a top aide to County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia, has been charged with criminal conspiracy to obtain bribes as a public official.

It stems from allegations he helped a consultant in Cleveland, Ohio win City of Houston contracts.

Mayor White says all contracts handled by Spellman are under review, and corruption will not be tolerated.

"I've said in public microphones for two years, public contracting should be clean and transparent, no patriotism system, no tolerance of this conduct," said Mayor White.

If convicted, Spellman faces 20 years in prison.

And just two years ago, Spellman resigned abruptly as Mayor Brown's chief of staff, citing personal reasons after only 10 months on the job.