With the help of years-old text messages, the government today offered its strongest evidence yet that former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was part of a conspiracy to rig city

contracts to enrich his friend and himself.
Jurors saw several text messages involving at least two water projects that landed Kilpatrick's longtime contractor friend and co-defendant Bobby Ferguson nearly $27 million in

work. Jurors also saw text exchanges between Ferguson and Kilpatrick in which they discussed concerns that Ferguson might be left out of deals. Their main gripe was with their

co-defendant, former Detroit water chief Victor Mercado, whom they blasted in several texts.
"His slick (expletive) is running out. I got his (expletive) on something. I basketball shoes aint happy," Kilpatrick texted

Ferguson on March 14, 2004.
Kilpatrick was responding to a text from Ferguson, who had expressed concern that Mercado was leaving him out of a deal to replace water mains in downtown Detroit. Ferguson

ultimately got the job for $6.9 million.
Ferguson's defense team has argued that Ferguson is an honest businessman who performed quality work for the city, even before Kilpatrick became mayor. They also argue that

Ferguson is being targeted unfairly for routine practices in the contracting world, such as asking for more money on a project, and that he earned everything he got, including

the $6.9-million downtown water main contract.
According to courtroom testimony and text messages, this is how behind-the-scenes talks and meetings helped Ferguson land that contract:
The project was cheap nba shoes overseen by a company called DLZ and its executive, Pratap Rajadhyaksha, who testified today that

city officials encouraged him to give Ferguson work "and that helping Mr. Ferguson would please the mayor."
Ferguson, in text messages, complained about how contractors were getting picked for the downtown job. When he learned he may not get in on the deal, he texted this to

Kilpatrick in February 2004:
"Hate to bother you, but you need to hear this. (Chief contractors) people stopped negotiations with my people and is trying to give the job to one of the other contractors."
Kilpatrick: "WHAT."
Ferguson: "Just what you said before, when we are not apart of the decision making, we get (expletive) no matter how the process started. you still in the office."
Eventually, on March 15, 2004, DLZ disclosed its recommendation to award the downtown water main project to the three lowest bidders. Ferguson was lebron james shoes not on the list, triggering more text messages.
The next day, Mercado texted Kilpatrick: "mr. mayor. I need to speak with you. Can you call me or set up a meeting. It is urgent."
That day, Kilpatrick texted Ferguson for a meeting, saying it was "very important."
Kilpatrick: "Can you come to my office ... It's about downtown project."
A week later, Ferguson was blindsided. He sent a text to Kilpatrick, complaining that the water main project was awarded to three white firms.
Ferguson: Victor just outsmarted us, he just had me come to his office. I thought it was about the job we have, it was about the three lowest bidders, white folks.
Despite all the controversy, in the end, Ferguson got what he wanted. In July 2004, he was awarded the downtown contract for $6.9 million.
Another bigger project yielded Ferguson even more money: $16.9 million. That's how much Ferguson's two entities -- Ferguson Enterprises and Xcel Construction -- made for helping

install water mains on the city's east and west sides, according to the testimony of federal agent Carol Paszkiewicz, who investigated the contracts.
Kilpatrick; his father, Bernard Kilpatrick; Ferguson, and Mercado are charged with running new basketball shoes a criminal

enterprise through the mayor's office to enrich themselves. They are accused of, among other things, rigging bids and shaking down contractors to steer work Ferguson's way and

using nonprofit funds for personal use.
They all deny the allegations.
Testimony resumes Thursday.

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