CA: Obscure political group linked to Perata - Panel paid money to close associates of state senator

SFGate.com ^ | 11/24/04 | Christian Berthelsen - SF Chronicle

[NormsRevenge]

Sacramento -- An obscure political committee funded by some of state Sen. Don Perata's top donors paid money to people under scrutiny by federal authorities for their financial ties to the Oakland lawmaker.

Concerned Citizens for California took in the bulk of its money from three donors who gave $25,000 each. The fund then spent most of its money paying close associates of Perata, D-Oakland.

Timothy G. Staples, Perata's college roommate, was paid $33,000 by the committee for what was described on state filings as campaign consulting and is owed another $12,000. Staples, through a company he owns, has paid Perata personal income of roughly $100,000 per year in each of the last three years for what the two men have described as business-development consulting.

The committee's financial dealings are nearly identical to those of another little-known political committee, Community Leaders for Neighborhood Preservation. That fund received large sums from Perata donors and paid money to Staples. But the existence of Concerned Citizens for California has not been previously reported.

Federal law enforcement officials are investigating whether Perata, who is poised to become Senate leader next month, received payments from people hoping to gain his support on a variety of public issues, according to sources familiar with the investigation.

[RKV]

I really hope this bust sticks. This gun-grabbing SOB deserves to wear stripes.