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Sen. Robert Menendez wooed a married newspaper publisher, taking the attractive brunette on a romantic getaway to the Caribbean, a tipster alleges. The New Jersey Dem and Cecilia Reynolds jetted to Puerto Rico, where they stayed at the isolated beach retreat of the island’s then-governor, Anibal Acevedo Vila. In a photo provided by the anonymous informant, Reynolds is sitting naked on a beach and suggestively smiling at the camera. In another set of pictures, they take turns posing against the same sunset backdrop. The happy couple, dressed in shorts, also appeared to tour a national park and pose for a...

Former Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá and former Governor's Office Secretary Aníbal José Torres are two of the targets of an investigation federal authorities are conducting related to alleged payments made by developer and PFZ [Properties, Inc.] owner Joel Katz involving the Costa Serena project, sources told EL VOCERO. According to the sources, the case is before a grand jury. Katz is said to have paid "thousands of dollars" in installments during the negotiation process for the buying and selling of the land. The sources maintain that Katz and other witnesses have appeared before the grand jury. Katz was the person...

(English-language translation) SAN JUAN - Eight days before the elections, Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá made a televised address on Monday in which he spoke about the federal indictments against him, which he described as "injurious", and asked the people to make their own judgement. "These accusations against me are false, injurious, and I am not going to tolerate them. Perhaps those who believe the most important thing in life is money may ignore things such as these, but not me," the Governor said in a calm and serene tone. The Chief Executive emphasized that, among the 24 indictments the U.S....

(Abridged English-language translation) Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá said yesterday that he will sign the bills approved by the Legislature freezing salary increases for representatives and senators. Although he indicated that the initiative is insufficient, the acknowledged that, at least, it involves freezing increases. "If I receive the bill, I will logically sign it, but the legislative reform the island expects and which all the candidates of the Popular Democratic Party are committed to is much more profound," the Governor clarified. The approved measures suspend automatic salary and per diem increases for legislators for four years, but they do not address...

(English-language translation) To Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, Puerto Ricans under the current Commonwealth [status] have to limit themselves to giving the United States "generic consent" over matters that concern the island. To his understanding, a sovereign Commonwealth would turn these instances of consent into specifics and would delimit the relationship between both countries. That is how he explained the proposed "sovereign Commonwealth" his Popular Democratic Party (PPD) now defends more insistently. "With U.S. citizenship as a link, we can clearly determine what is the people's power and not what we have had until now, which is a generic consent," the...

(English-language translation) CAGUAS- Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá pointed out yesterday that a vote for Barack Obama represents a unique opportunity for Puerto Rico to participate in an open, non-prejudiced deliberation process to decide its future through a constitutional convention or a plebiscite. Acevedo made the statement after a tour of the Caguas Botanical Garden with [Obama's] wife Michelle and Mayor William Miranda Marín. The Governor maintained that voting for Obama also means economic development for Puerto Rico since he understands the Puerto Ricans' reality. He stressed that Obama understands the Puerto Ricans' traditions, culture, language, and own identity. "Barack Obama...

(English-language translation) (AP) - To Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, the so-called Total Committee established by the House of Representatives to review the accusations against him are additional evidence of the political persecution he has denounced. "This Total Committee is the most recent evidence the island has to confirm of what the island already knows, that this investigation of myself and the Popular [Democratic] Party is all politically motivated since its origin," [Acevedo] said yesterday during a press conference. The Popular Democratic Party (PPD) has constantly maintained that the 19 charges against the Governor over alleged election-law violations hurt him politically...

(English-language translation) (AP) - The very complex case against Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá and 12 associates involving alleged federal crimes consists of approximately 600 boxes' worth of evidence, U.S. Attorney María Domínguez revealed yesterday. "That is a lot of discovery of evidence, it will take a lot of time to analyze it, and I will give the defense a fair opportunity to prepare," said Paul J. Barbadoro, New Hampshire Judge assigned to the case after all the judges in San Juan recused themselves. As if to relieve the tension behind this case which has caused uncertainty and political strain in...

(English-language translation) Puerto Rico is sending a message that it wants to break its relationship with the United States. That was the first reaction from Puerto Rican Congressman José Serrano following Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá’s speech during the [pro-Commonwealth] Popular Democratic Party (PPD) general assembly he convened to announce his political future after being indicted by federal authorities on March 27, and whose [run for a second term] was ratified viva voce by 4,027 delegates, becoming the first candidate to the governorship to be indicted on criminal charges. As Serrano told Notiuno during his first interview, “….he will be taken...

(English-language translation) All indicates that Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá is not pleased at all with the idea of giving the people of Puerto Rico the chance to listen to all that transpires during his upcoming federal trial. After Chief Justice of the Federal Court José A. Fusté refused [the Noti Uno] 630 [news radio station's] request to broadcast the trial live, the Chief Executive yesterday let the ideal moment pass when he could have told the citizens and the federal authorities that he has nothing to hide, that he has no fear of having the people who elected him to...

(English-language translation) (AP) - Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá established yesterday a resemblance between his political campaign's fundraising activities, which are being investigated by U.S. authorities, and those held by former President Bill Clinton in the island this past weekend. Clinton raised and took cash collected by his wife Hillary Clinton's Democratic presidential campaign. According to the media, the amount raised may reach $350,000. "The reality of Puerto Rican, American, and world politics, and that of democracies, is that, whether we like it or not, raising funds is necessary...I have discharged my responsibility while campaigning and always with care so as...

(English-language translation) The Popular Democratic Party (PPD) filed a complaint today with the Office of Government Ethics (OEG) against Comptroller Manuel Díaz Saldaña for allegedly using his position to benefit the New Progressive Party (PNP). PPD Elections Commissioner Gerardo Cruz explained that the complaint is for allegedly violating two articles of the [Government Ethics] Law and pointed out that he hopes that, once the OEG investigates the case, it is referred to the Former Justices Panel of the [Office of] the Special Independent Prosecutor (FEI), since the violation of one of the articles costitutes a grave offense. The PPD's complaint...

(English-language translation) While officials with the Popular Democratic Party admit to the growing rumors pointing at new arrests in the corruption case against Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, Comptroller Manuel Díaz Saldaña confirmed to EL VOCERO that at least 30 other persons linked to the Governor, including several close relatives, are still the target of the U.S. Department of Justice investigation. "When you add up all the people (who are made reference to in the March 24 indictment), it comes to more than 40. It's not for me to say whether or not there will be more indictments. That's up to...

(English-language translation) At least $2 million is what the Popular Democratic Party (PPD) needs to defray the legal-defense costs for Governor [and PPD Chairman] Aníbal Acevedo Vilá and other party officials who are facing federal charges. PPD Executive Director Aníbal José Torres said that, at this moment, the Governor's attorney Thomas Green's fees total over $400,000. This amount is the approximate sum of the work done when the federal grand jury was investigating the alleged irregularities committed during Acevedo's 2004 gubernatorial campaign. Torres indicated that, with the charges pressed last Thursday, the legal defense Green (a former district attorney specializing...

Earlier this evening, Puerto Rico Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá addressed the island on today's 19 indictments against him from the local U.S. Attorney's office. Acevedo is charged with several crimes, among these violation of federal campaign-financing laws, tax evasion, and filing false tax returns. The translated text of the Governor's speech follows: "These are hard and difficult times for the people of Puerto Rico. Our economy needs attention. I know your daily struggle with the increase in the cost of living and a slow economy that is affected by the increase in the price of oil and the recession in...

PR governor, four Philadelphians charged By John Shiffman Inquirer Staff Writer Puerto Rico's governor and four Philadelphians, including prominent fund-raiser Robert M. Feldman, were charged this morning in San Juan with federal campaign-finance related crimes. The investigation of Gov. Anibal Acevedo-Vila, a Democrat who faces re-election this year, was triggered by the FBI's Philadelphia City Hall corruption probe in 2003. The governor was charged with conspiracy to violate federal campaign laws, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the IRS and filing a false tax return. In a statement issued this morning, Acevedo-Vila proclaimed his innocence and said the indictment was politically...

(English-language translation) Taking advantage of the beginning of Holy Week, [Puerto Rico] House of Representatives Speaker José Aponte recommended that Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá evaluate his journey during these days of spirituality and resign his position "for the good of Puerto Rico." Aponte maintained that the main reason behind this request is that the Chief Executive has not worked on the island's economy, at the same time pointing out that Acevedo "has demonstrated his inability to administer the government of Puerto Rico", since "he has been working on everything based on public relations and political strategies." [Aponte's] statements come one...

(English-language translation) DORADO — The Puerto Rican Constitution protects the [freedoms] of speech and assembly. However, some of the thousands who celebrated it in Dorado did not seem to understand this precept as they threw bottles and eggs at a small group of pro-independence theater artists who were criticizing the use of public funds for this official observance and several members of the Statehood Youth who also protested in a building adjacent to the public square. The youth, who demanded "statehood now", as well as the six members of the "Papel Machete" theater troupe, had to be removed from the...

(English-language translation) New Progressive Party (PNP) Electoral Commissioner Thomas Rivera Schatz asked the State Elections Commission (CEE) yesterday to conduct an investigation on the suits the Popular Democratic Party (PPD) paid for Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, based on federal statutes that prohibit [such action]. The argument is included in a document submitted yesterday to CEE President Ramón Gómez Colón in "reply to a contesting of the investigation request by the PPD Electoral Commissioner". The nine-page document quotes newspaper articles that appeared following the revelation that the PPD spent almost $41,000 in suits for Acevedo and the acknowledgement of such by...

(English-language translation) Ramón "Moncho" Velasco, former campaign treasurer for [Governor] Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, stated in a press release that he has cooperated with federal authorities regarding the Grand Jury's investigation of donations the former Resident Commissioner's campaign committee received in 2002. "I am neither hiding nor missing. As always, I have been working in my profession every day. Concerning the U.S. Attorney's office investigation of the Honorable Aníbal Acevedo Vilá's Resident Commisioner campaign finances, the only comment we have is that there has been full cooperation with that investigation, since we have absolutely nothing to hide or fear," Velasco affirmed...