Posted on 09/21/2010 9:50:01 AM PDT by dragnet2
At least eight city of Bell officials were arrested this morning as L.A. County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley prepared to announce criminal charges in the municipal salary scandal.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimesblogs.latimes.com ...
KFI Los Angeles also just broke the story regarding multiple arrest of City of Bell officials.
Only about 100,000 cities left to go.....
There are hundreds more local govt types that need to be arrested, tried and convicted of fraud in pay and retirement issues. RICO should apply.
Agree!
Demand your local cities, town and counties make their salaries public...
Force them to put it on the Internet and local papers....
Demand they show over time records, and reveal tax paid benefits for all local government employees.
Hmmm, I wonder what political party these city officials belong to ... ? The author neglected to mention that in the article. /sarc
Of course, if they were Republican it would have read differently. REPUBLICAN city officials were arrested. REPUBLICAN Rizzo collected a salary of $1.5 million ... etc.
I saw the people attending a Bell Council meeting on the news last night. These are what Tea Party members SHOULD be. They’re on the verge of torches and pitchforks there. Heads SHOULD roll there. Let’s hope it has a ripple effect.
Oh my John and Ken will be all over this story when they go on air this afternoon!
Are these the folks who were making like 850,000 a year? I sure hope so. This is basically theft.
This is the most clear and straightforward case of thievery by one of these piss ass cities — but what about all the other cases of no bid contracts and self-dealing, kick backs from unions, etc?
Great news! I hope it spreads like wildfire because this is happening in cities all over the country.
Rizzo and other top city officials stepped down in July after the salary scandal broke. City Council members — who were earning nearly $100,000 a year — significantly slashed their pay.
These people are much worse than common criminals....
I can't wait to see Rizzo dragged from his horse ranch, into state prison....
Wire fraud. Used public funds to pay back private loans. Maybe grounds to take away pensions.
“Into a little tin box,
A little tin box
That a little tin key unlocks.
There is nothing unorthodox
About a little tin box.
In a little tin box.
A little tin box
That a little tin key unlocks.
There is honor and purity,
Lots of security,
In a little tin box.”
Former Bell city manager Robert Rizzo -– whose nearly $800,000 salary sparked widespread outrage and intense public scrutiny of city practices -– was among those arrested Tuesday morning in a sweep by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.
No details have been released, but a source not authorized to speak publicly about the case said that Rizzo; former Assistant City Manager Angela Spaccia; Mayor Oscar Hernandez; Councilmembers Luis Artiga, Teresa Jacobo and George Mirabal; and former Councilmembers George Cole and Victor Bello were among those arrested.
For two months, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office and state and federal authorities have investigated Bell, where high salaries for Rizzo and other top officials prompted calls for resignations. The Times reported last month that Rizzo was set to earn more than $1.5 million in 2010. Additionally, he gave loans totaling $1.6 million to more than 50 city officials, including himself.
At least when John Dillenger robbed you, he pointed a gun at you and smiled, but you still knew what his intentions were. The politicians of Bell, CA just smiled at the citizens...and then robbed them.
Sounds like the Bell is cracking................
If he bails, he'll be a flight risk.
We only have about 100,000 more corrupt city governments to investigate.
This is a good start.
Start with the little burg on the Potomac.
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