Ethics agency investigating trips by California high-speed rail officials

LA Times ^ | 11/10/10 | Rich Connell

[NormsRevenge]

The state’s ethics enforcement agency disclosed Wednesday it is investigating several present and former leaders of California’s $43-billion bullet train project to determine if they violated regulations on receipt of gifts.

The investigation follows reports in The Times that officials with the California High-Speed Rail Authority took overseas trips paid for by foreign governments jockeying to help their homeland firms secure state contracts.

Though not providing specifics, Fair Political Practices Commission Executive Director Roman Porter said based on the paper’s reporting, his agency has “undertaken a proactive investigation.”

The inquiries are focusing on California High-Speed Rail Authority Chairman Curt Pringle and board members Quentin Kopp, Lynn Schenk and Tom Umberg, according to the FPPC’s website. Former authority executive director Mehdi Morshed, who retired earlier this year, also is being investigated.

The five officials took various European trips last year to Spain, Germany and France sponsored by foreign government entities. The trips, some of which were worth thousands of dollars, were donated to the authority and then allotted to board members and executives, according to rail agency officials.

Because of that, officials said most board members did not have to disclose the travel on annual reports of gifts, income and personal investments.

But The Times also found that the rail authority was unable to account for the donated trips, as generally required by state ethics regulations. In addition, the agency failed to post details on the sources, costs and itineraries of the trips on its website, as required by FPPC rules.

[Army Air Corps]

Choo-choo Ping.

[JimmyMc]

$43 billion??? Must be one of those shovel ready jobs.
No wonder CA is a disaster.