Steele Stephens, the bond broker favored with extraordinary amounts of state business by former Treasurer Martha Shoffner, testified in federal court today that he received $2.5 million in commissions over the four years of doing business with Shoffner. During that time, he gave her $36,000 in six equal cash installments, the last in a pie box under watch by the FBI.

Chuck Banks, Shoffner’s attorney, will get to cross-examine this afternoon. I guess he could ask if this was a self-respecting bribery scheme why Shoffner got such a small amount of the take. Steele quit his job after Shoffner’s arrest. He is cooperating with the government and has not been charged with any crimes.

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The government, according to KARK, rolled tape of a clandestine recording in which Shoffner told Stephens that she had told legislators she took nothing from Stephens and she’d “go to her fucking grave” with that.

UPDATE: Th government completed its case today. The defense is up tomorrow. Shoffner will not testify, reports say. If not it is unclear who if anyone might. 

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