Posted on 08/04/2008 7:57:40 AM PDT by Brilliant
The Democratic majority in the California Legislature is counting on a veteran leader, Don Perata, to see the party through a fight with Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger over the state's $15 billion budget deficit. But a federal corruption investigation of Mr. Perata could stymie his efforts to get the job done...
San Francisco federal prosecutors have been investigating whether payments made by lobbyists and others to Mr. Perata in the past four years were improper.
Prosecutors have indicated to defense lawyers that they're close to wrapping up their probe, said people close to the defense, who added that they expect Mr. Perata to be indicted within the next month or two...
If Mr. Perata is indicted, the timing would be inconvenient for state Democrats. As the state senate's president pro tem, Mr. Perata 63, is helping lead them as California politicians try to make up for a projected $15 billion deficit for next year. Republicans want to cut spending on social programs; Democrats seek tax increases...
Mr. Perata "is central to this fight and not just because he's senate president," said Democratic Sen. Denise Ducheny... "He is the most experienced by a long shot, he was a teacher, a county supervisor; he's been around politics and state government for a very long time..."
Mr. Perata has maintained the support of the state Democratic Party, which has paid close to $1 million in legal fees...
Federal prosecutors have been looking at Mr. Perata's dealings with lobbyists and family members, said several people close to the defense. The investigation has looked closely at payments to political consultants made by people seeking to influence Mr. Perata, those people said. The prosecutors have sought to link those payments with money that Mr. Perata himself may have later received, they said...
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
He’s a dem so he’s almost certainly guilty, but the investigation will go nowhere and the reporting will fade away. Same as with all the other investigations into dem corruption.
This is exactly why Mexico is lawless and crime ridden. Their government has been corrupt for so long that the populace has become just like them. Whoever has the biggest and most guns rules Mexico. It's the drug cartels who appear to be running things now. This is a forewarning of what's coming to America if we don't clean up our government.
I would be in favor of making it a crime to be a politician.
LOL! I'm with you. ;o)
Gee, what a stroke of genius, the felonious thug just solidified his election prospects. As a RAT the media will hail him as a conquering hero while the moronic majority will vote him in. Such is life in the Peoples Repubic of California.
Woohoo! 'Bout time!
We should've invaded Mexico before Iraq.
I still can't get over the fact that a Republican administration did this to a senior Congressman as well as a righteous conservative!!!
BUMP to that!
I still can't get over the fact that a Republican administration did this to a senior Congressman as well as a righteous conservative!!!
It is telling, isn't it? Kinda like Petey Wilson's assaults on McClintock. Some do NOT want conservatives in the Republican Party.
They had already invaded America by then. We would have to have that war on our own soil. Not to worry, I'm sure we'll be getting that chance before long. It may be one at a time, but oh well, as long as we get rid of them. LOL!
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