Federal investigators were aided by secret recordings of meetings and phone calls, as well as records of text messages and emails, and prosecutors have been quoting from those conversations in court documents.

In court, Goldsmith said that investigators had “tens and tens of hours” of those recordings, as well as “numerous” first-hand accounts of events from witnesses in and out of government.

According to that evidence, Stenger instructed Miller and other staffers to contact Sweeney to “ensure” that Bardgett won the contract.

Miller is quoted in the plea as telling executive staff members on Oct. 30, 2018, that the company owner called and “wants some consideration,” and Stenger said that it has “got to happen.”

“So, in other words, some message has to be delivered to Sheila,” he continued.