Are the California special interests funding State Senator Don Perata's fight against political corruption?
Collecting money under false pretenses should be a crime: perhaps fraudulent misrepresentation …
According to the Sacramento Bee …
“Former Senate leader Don Perata has transferred another $400,000 to his legal defense fund from a campaign account he created to advocate for ballot measures.”
Using the people’s donations to fight a personal legal battle?
“The latest transfer means the Oakland Democrat has now taken a total of $1.9 million raised in an account earmarked for ballot campaigns and used it to shore up the legal fund he created to fight an FBI corruption probe.”
“The Bee reported on the first $1.5 million transfer earlier this month.”
Legal, but immoral – the story of California democrat politics …
“The transfers are legal, though California's campaign watchdog agency is considering stricter regulations of ballot accounts like Perata's.”
Why would a political corruption investigation take four years if there were specific and provable charges?
“The FBI has been investigating Perata since 2004, inquiring about his business dealings and those of his family and close friends. Both Perata's and his son's homes were raided by FBI agents four years ago.”
“No charges have ever been filed, though Perata has tallied up more than $2.1 million in expenses fending off the investigation.”
Could it be that the investigation was botched by the FBI, a prosecutor reluctant to bring charges against a politically powerful legislator or legal maneuverings to delay the process?
Last minute money grab?
“His defense fund was $250,000 in debt as of the end of September, as the former leader faced the unwelcome prospect of being out of office - and without leverage over potential donors.”
“So Perata has transferred $1.9 million (out of the $2.7 million he had amassed) from the ballot committee to ease his legal debt load.”
“Jason Kinney, a Perata spokesman for legal issues, told The Bee in a Dec. 12 story that Perata ‘had some remaining funds after the election and he appropriately made the decision to move that money to legal defense.’"
Shouldn’t this money have been kept for political rather than personal use?
The first $1.5 million transfer was made the day after the election. The second $400,000 transfer was made on Dec. 5 and reported late Friday.
Why didn’t he use all of the money available on the campaign?
“It's an open question whether Perata's money could have tipped the balance in the campaign against Proposition 11, the Nov. 4 redistricting measure that stripped lawmakers of the power to draw their own political districts.”
“Perata had been the leader of the No on 11 campaign, which was outspent 10 to 1 by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his allies. It passed by the narrowest margin of the dozen measures on the ballot -- with 50.9 percent of the vote.”
“Perata donated $161,000 from his ballot fund to defeat Proposition 11, compared to the $1.9 million he saved for his own legal defense. He has roughly $600,000 left in the ballot account, according to a back-of-the-envelope estimation.”
Another apparently suspect California politician let off the hook …
Whether or not Perata is guilty of these particular political corruption charges remains to be scene. What we do know is that Perata led the special interest fundraising bandwagon with little transparency or accountability.
What can YOU do?
It is high time to send relatively honest people to Sacramento. No more celebrities or professional politicians. No more representatives of the unions or other special interests. The people need to take back their government or wind up looking like Illinois with a one-party, majorly corrupt, political system.
Demand our elected officials use funds for their intended purpose or turn them over to the general account for the use of all people in the State of California.
-- steve
Quote of the day: “When a stupid man is doing something he is ashamed of, he always declares that it is his duty.” -- George Bernard Shaw
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Reference Links:
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“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS "The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius “A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell “Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar “Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS