It was Christmastime 2013, and Portage Mayor James Snyder was in trouble. His mortgage business had tanked, the IRS was after him for a significant tax debt, and on top of that he had holiday spending to account for. His $62,000 salary as mayor of the small working-class town just wasn’t cutting it. So Snyder showed up unannounced to Great Lakes Peterbilt, the local truck dealership he’d helped to win two lucrative city contracts. “I need money. That’s what I’m here for,” the mayor told the owners. Days later, they cut Snyder a check for $13,000, saying it was for “consulting” that was never f…
