The Tapes

The following are excerpts from transcripts, released by the Ventura County district attorney’s office, of conversations with former Moorpark Mayor Thomas C. (Bud) Ferguson that were secretly recorded by Danny Woolard, former Moorpark councilman and convicted embezzler.

During a discussion of events leading up to the City Council vote on the Griffin project, Woolard recorded the following exchange with Ferguson:

Woolard: “Had Al already given me the money at that time?”

Ferguson: “I can’t say it was during that time, he might have of and he might not--you’re talking about the $2,000?”

Woolard: “Yeah.”

Ferguson: “I can’t tie it in there. It’s in that period.”

Ferguson recalls his advice to Woolard when Woolard sought help to conceal the post office thefts:

Ferguson: “That’s the reason I told you, right here, if you’d come up with a solid story you can say it over and over in your mind, until you knew that was the only way it could have happened. The only way it did happen. Never change your mind, even if you had a chance, regardless of what you said at the time . . . because remember one thing--they’ve got to prove, and they can’t prove it with conversation.

Ferguson on his relationship with Woolard:

Ferguson: “ . . . I’m not going to put any hardship on you, cause that wasn’t what we started out to do. Goddamn, you know I’ve got quite a bit--I’ve done more for you than I’ve done for 99% of the people in the world. I took that money out of my kid’s goddamn college fund.”