Orange Jumpsuit Garlic Thieves?

This intrepid team of crooks swiped several truckloads of …Garlic! Now, I have to believe short of a Vampire infestation in the local town – stealing a truckload of freshly harvested Garlic is about as stupid as it gets…

These guys get BTx3′s – “Orange Jumpsuit of the Week Award”!

Cops Nab Thieves —With 9.5 Tons of Garlic

It’s a heist that didn’t exactly require sniffing dogs: Austrian police stopped three overloaded and sagging vans about to cross into Hungary from Austria today and found them packed to the roof with allegedly stolen garlic—about 9.5 tons of the pungent cargo. After questioning the five men—all Romanian nationals—in the vehicles they charged them on suspicion of receiving stolen goods.

Police say the garlic apparently came from Spain and estimate its value at $37,500. The Austrian Press Agency cites one officer as saying it was clear what the vans were carrying even before their doors were opened. “All three vehicles really stunk like garlic,” he says.

Man Arrested for Molesting a Teddy Bear – Orange Jumpsuit Award

Sista’s, I know finding a good man seems like an uphill struggle sometimes…

But it isn’t just white women who are stealing your men!

Now you have…Teddy Bears!

Now this sick brother isn’t quite as bad as the Horse Whisperer I wrote about in South Carolina…

But Dayam!

The Orange Jumpsuit, Definitely Not a Playa Award of the Day goes to Charles Marshall of Cincinnati…

Pervy Perp Again Busted For Sex With Teddy Bear

For the fourth time in the past two years, a Cincinnati man has been arrested for masturbating in public with the aid of a teddy bear, records show.

Charles Marshall, 28, was arrested Wednesday evening after employees at a health clinic spotted him pleasuring himself in an alley. Marshall, pictured in the adjacent mug shot, was cited for disorderly conduct.

Municipal Court records show that Marshall has already been convicted three times of engaging in public indecency/disorderly conduct with a teddy bear. The misdemeanor counts resulted in short jail sentences and small fines for Marshall.

Marshall was first busted in February 2010 when witnesses spotted him engaged “with a teddy bear in mens bathroom” at a public library (which prompted a judge to order him to “stay away all Hamilton Co. public libraries”).

He was again arrested in November 2010 and August 2011 for “masturbating w/a stuffed animal (teddy bear)” and “masturbating using a teddy bear in a public place where minors were likely to be present.”

It is unclear whether cops this week seized Marshall’s teddy bear (or even if they would want to). If so, fellow Cincinnatians should look for him at an area Toys “R” Us.

Another Kwame – Another Fraud

Kwame Brown – Orange Jumpsuit Politician of the Week Award

Small Government is corrupt government. One of the reasons conservatives so love that small government is the opportunity it provides for corruption.

Washington, DC’s city government has a long history and culture of corruption.  Many of the black contractors in the region won’t even consider making sales calls on the DC Government because of internal corruption.

From former Mayor Marion Berry to the current Kwame, this corruption has reached into the highest levels of the DC Government, forming a virtual boat anchor around the necks of the citizenry and the city’s ability to provide services.

The amazing part is that the stakes in the corruption, unlike other big cities – are so small. I’m not real sure this is the type of case Federal prosecutors ought to be chasing, though – as there seems to me to be a lot bigger fish to fry than some moron lying about his income on a loan application. Going after Kwame on this is a bit…

Overboard.

Speaking of boat anchors – Borrowing $50k for a 38′ boat? Obviously he was maxxed out on his Mercedes payment (Kwame had a reputation for driving expensive cars). If he had to borrow $50k for that size boat – he couldn’t afford it anyway. Boats in that size come with 300-600 gallon gas tanks – meaning a fill up for half a tank, which is where most prudent boaters fill – is $750 – $1,500. That doesn’t count $2-3000 a year in slip fees, $1,500 in winterization costs, and normal repairs and maintenance…

It had to be a used boat, because the last time I went to the Annapolis Boar Show, you couldn’t buy the steering wheel on a quality boat in that class for $50k. And I have known guys who spent that much on the electronics package and fishing gear on their boats.

And with the mortgage industry fraud and theft by bank of depositor funds though overdraft and other manipulated fees…

I’m not sure Kwame’s crime rises above theft of stolen money from a thief who stole the money in the first place.

Not to excuse Kwame – But…

I Don’t understand why these prosecutors aren’t putting the real thieves in jail.

D.C. Council Chairman Kwame Brown resigns after he is charged with bank fraud

D.C. Council Chairman Kwame R. Brown resigned from his seat Wednesday night, hours after he was charged with bank fraud, plunging the city government into a leadership crisis.

“Because of the great respect that I have for the institution that is the Council of the District of Columbia, I have chosen the only honorable course in submitting my resignation at this time,” Brown wrote in a letter to the council secretary. “I simply will not hold this body, and its important work hostage to the resolution of my personal indiscretions.”

Earlier in the day, prosecutors filed a three-page charging document in the District’s federal court accusing Brown (D) of falsifying records in applications to obtain a home loan and to buy a $50,000 powerboat. Brown inflated his income by “tens of thousands of dollars” in the two-year scheme that started in August 2005, federal prosecutors wrote.

Brown, dogged for months by an investigation into his personal finances and his 2008 campaign for a council seat, is scheduled to attend a plea hearing Friday before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon. Bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, but under federal sentencing guidelines, Brown will face far less potential punishment.

The disclosure of the charges set off a frenzy of activity at the District’s John A. Wilson Building, including a hastily scheduled closed-door council meeting in Brown’s office.

Brown, 41, submitted his resignation quietly, in a letter delivered privately. He refused to address a platoon of reporters as he left his council offices about 4 p.m.

A politician who speaks of himself in the third person, has compared himself to President John F. Kennedy and has a love affair with expensive cars, Brown flashed a large grin as he shoved his way through the scrum and tried to ignore reporters’ shouted questions.

“I will have a comment tomorrow,” said Brown, who as recently as last week said that he was not “worried one bit” about an intensifying federal probe into his finances and a previous city campaign.

The charges against Brown came in a “criminal information,” a document that can be filed only with the defendant’s consent and which signals that a plea deal has been reached. Officials familiar with the case said that prosecutors and Brown’s attorney have been discussing the plea deal for weeks.

“Thank you,” he told reporters as he tried to get to his car. “No comment as of now. I appreciate you for waiting in this hallway all this time. I don’t have a comment.”

On Wednesday night, well after Brown had left the Wilson Building, city workers removed his nameplate from his office door, leaving only the word “Chairman” near Room 504…

Brown is the second council member this year to be charged with a federal crime. Last month, former council member Harry Thomas Jr. (D) was sentenced to 38 months in prison after pleading guilty to stealing more than $350,000 from city taxpayers.

Clarence Thomas Financial Flim-Flam… A Felony

If The Legal System in the US Isn't Corrupt... This is What Should Be In Thomas' Future

This (below) from a Legal Blog. Turns out there are other people currently under indictment who did the exact same thing as Thomas did in not reporting his wife’s income.

Why should Thomas be the beneficiary of “Special Justice”? One of the cornerstones of the Justice system is that the Judges obey the laws that they are trying and sentencing people for. If a Judge walked into a bank with a gun and held it up, I think most people would recognize the problem with the impartiality of the  same Judge sitting on a case trying bank robbers. That is exactly the problem Thomas’ misconduct presents.

Back when Hoover was in charge of the early FBI, one of the rules he established was that the behavior and conduct of his FBI Agents had to be beyond reproach. Urban Legend has it he refused to hire FBI Agents with so much as Parking Tickets – because that showed a disregard for the law.

I think it is time that the Justice Department indict Mr. Thomas, for what is clearly a crime – and for Mr. Thomas to step down from the Court.

Clarence Thomas Is Trying To Get Away With A Felony

News reports on the Thomas case generally have referenced 5 U.S. Code app. section 104, which calls for a misdemeanor punishment of up to $50,000 and one year imprisonment, or both, for each violation. Given that Thomas apparently violated the statute for roughly 20 years, he could wind up with a substantial penalty under that law.

But the punishment becomes much more severe under 18 U.S.C. 1001, which also appears to apply in the Thomas case. It is a felony statute carrying at least five years in prison, and a former official with the U.S. House of Representatives currently is under indictment for actions that almost mirror those in the Thomas case. Reports POE:

While 5 USC app section 104 makes this conduct a misdemeanor punishable for up to a year in prison, 18 USC section 1001 is a felony statute carrying at least five years in prison. In fact, Fraser Verrusio, former Policy Director for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, is awaiting trial under section 1001 for not reporting income on his “United States House of Representatives Financial Disclosure Statement for Calendar Year 2003.”

You can read more about the charges against Fraser Verrusio at the link below. It appears that he was given no opportunity to amend his filings:

Indictment in U.S. v. Fraser C. Verrusio

Verrusio once worked for U.S. Rep. Don Young (R-AK), and the casehas received extensive coverage in the Alaska press. The prosecution reportedly grew out of the Jack Abramoff affair.

The U.S. Supreme Court, the very court upon which Thomas now sits, has a history of treating such violations as felonies. Reports POE:

Moreover, in UNITED STATES v. WOODWARD, 469 U.S. 105 (1985), in a case decided by the Supreme Court, the defendant, after checking the “no” box on a U.S. Customs form, was punished for both the false statement (18 USC section 1001) violation and the misdemeanor charge of failing to report the currency itself — all as a result of checking the “no” box.

You can check out the Woodward case at the following link:

U.S. v. Woodward, 469 U.S. 105 (1985)

As we reported in a recent post, domestic icon Martha Stewart and sports stars Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, and Marion Jones are among those who have run afoul of 18 U.S.C. 1001. Stewart and Jones already have served prison terms, while the Clemens and Bonds cases are pending.

Justice For Sale – Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia and Bribes…

One of the “abilities to rule by the law” of the conservative justices appointed by the Bushes is the wealth their family members suddenly came into when they were appointed to he bench. Need a vote in a critical case? Drop $500k in Virginia Thomas’ PAC. Hire a judges kids for a high paying job…

By all rights, Scalia and Thomas (and Roberts) should be removed from the bench and join the ranks of Orange Jumpsuited criminal politicians.

Clarence Thomas failed to report wife’s income, watchdog says

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas failed to report his wife’s income from a conservative think tank on financial disclosure forms for at least five years, the watchdog group Common Cause said Friday.

Between 2003 and 2007, Virginia Thomas, a longtime conservative activist, earned $686,589 from the Heritage Foundation, according to a Common Cause review of the foundation’s IRS records. Thomas failed to note the income in his Supreme Court financial disclosure forms for those years, instead checking a box labeled “none” where “spousal noninvestment income” would be disclosed.

A Supreme Court spokesperson could not be reached for comment late Friday. But Virginia Thomas’ employment by the Heritage Foundation was well known at the time.

Virginia Thomas also has been active in the group Liberty Central, an organization she founded to restore the “founding principles” of limited government and individual liberty.

In his 2009 disclosure, Justice Thomas also reported spousal income as “none.” Common Cause contends that Liberty Central paid Virginia Thomas an unknown salary that year.

Federal judges are bound by law to disclose the source of spousal income, according to Stephen Gillers, a professor at NYU School of Law. Thomas’ omission — which could be interpreted as a violation of that law — could lead to some form of penalty, Gillers said.

Then there is the relationship between Scalia and Thomas and Koch Industries. Koch Industries is the principal funder of the Tea Party, as well as the Federalist Society and a number of other right wing organizations… including millions to the Heritage Foundation which Virginia Thomas “worked” for..

Charles Koch’s invitation to their 2011 secretive retreat, to be held in Palm Springs, Ca., on January 30-31, states that the “action-oriented program brings together top experts and leaders to discuss – and offer solutions to counter – the most critical threats to our free society.” It added that past “meetings have featured such notable leaders as Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas,” along with a host conservative leaders and elected officials, like Glenn Beck, Haley Barbour and Jim DeMint.

Campaign finance ruling: Should Supreme Court justices have recused themselves?

Common Cause President Bob Edgar said the group has asked Attorney General Eric Holder to examine whether Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas should have stepped aside rather than vote in the Citizens United case.

The case, handed down a year ago on Friday (Jan. 21), struck down a portion of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform law that had barred corporate expenditures for political advertisements during campaign season.

Mr. Edgar said the justices were featured speakers at invitation-only retreats sponsored by Koch Industries, a private company whose officials have played an active role supporting Republican candidates and conservative causes.

He also said Justice Thomas may have had an undisclosed financial conflict of interest through his wife’s work as founder and CEO of a conservative advocacy group, Liberty Central. Edgar said the group stood to benefit from the Citizens United decision through easier fundraising and easier political spending. [Ms. Thomas has since stepped down as CEO of the group.]

Let’s not forget two anonymous doners’ largesse when Virginia Thomas formed her PAC “Liberty Central” - suddenly coming into $500,000 from a single un-named donor  before the Citizen’s United case…

 

Republican Tom Delay Gets Wrist Slap for Money Laundering

I think, considering the damage Delay did – about 10 years would have been more appropriate for this one. At least, the guy doesn’t get to go to “Club Fed” if he is ever put in jail. And as a reminder of what happened the last time Republicans had a majority in the House…

DeLay Sentenced to 3 Years in Money Laundering Case

Some Cute Orange Ballet Flats for Tom "DeLiar"

Tom DeLay, the former House majority leader, was sentenced to three years in prison on Monday after convictions for money laundering and conspiracy stemming from his role in a scheme to channel corporate contributions to Texas state races in 2002.

Mr. DeLay, once one of the most powerful and polemical Republican congressmen in the state’s history, was ushered out of Travis County Court after the sentencing and was taken by sheriff’s deputies to the county jail, where he was expected to post a $10,000 bond and be released pending an appeal.

After listening to Mr. DeLay say he felt he had done nothing wrong, Judge Pat Priest sentenced him to three years in prison for the conspiracy count and 10 years’ probation for the money laundering count. The judge rejected arguments from Mr. DeLay that the trial had been a politically motivated vendetta mounted by an overzealous Democratic District Attorney.

“Before there were Republicans and Democrats, there was America, and what America is about is the rule of law,” the judge said just before pronouncing the sentence.

In November, a jury convicted Mr. DeLay of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering in an unusual trial. It was the first time the money-laundering law had been used in Texas against a politician who had circumvented the state ban on corporate money.

The evidence at the trial showed that Mr. DeLay and two associates illegally channeled $190,000 in corporate donations in 2002 to several Republcian candidates for the state legislature, using the Republican National Committee as a conduit. Texas bans corporations from giving directly to political campaigns.

The donations were seen as critical in the Republican takeover of the state legislature that year. Once they had control, Texas Republcian leaders pushed through a controversial congressional redistricting plan — engineered by Mr. DeLay — that sent more Texas Republicans to Congress in 2004 and helped to consolidate his power in Washington.

Before his sentencing, Mr. DeLay said he was perplexed about how the criminal code could be applied to what he did. The practice of swapping corporate contributions given to state committees for individual contributions given to national parties was commonplace in 2002, he said. “I never intended to break the law — I have always played by the rules,” he told the judge.

“I cannot be remorseful for something I didn’t think I did,” he said.

Orange Jumpsuit Award… Dick Cheney

As we all know, there is little to no chance Dick Cheney will be prosecuted for his many crimes, despite the fact that there is ample legal precedent for his extradition based on the very same legal precedents set by Republicans in prosecuting Bill Clinton after he left office…

I say, turn him over to Nigerian authorities!

A Photoshopped Pic of What Should Happen If We Didin't Have Special Justice for Special People in This Country

Dick Cheney and others face charges in Nigeria

Nigerian investigators say they have filed charges against former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and others connected to the energy services company Halliburton, accusing them of paying bribes to secure a lucrative natural gas project in the 1990s.

Cheney and nine others are accused of charges that include “conspiracy and distribution of gratification to public officials,” Femi Babafemi, a spokesman for the country’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, said Wednesday.

The investigation is part of a long-running case involving Halliburton and a subsidiary firm, Kellogg, Brown and Root, over alleged bribes paid to Nigerian officials to secure $6 billion worth of contracts for a liquefied natural gas project in the Niger Delta.

Dancing Tom DeLay Convicted

Former House Speaker Tom Delay of Texas, AKA the Hammer, AKA DeLiar, AKA Sir Dancenot, AKA Hot Tub Tom…

Probably most remembered for being the King of Payola Republicans, and his successful effort to disenfranchise 1 million minority voters in Texas – thus guranteeing a Republican majority US Congressional legislature from the state…

Finally got convicted.

Only took 5 1/2 years.

Now, being Republican Texas I really don’t believe DeLay will get much more than a wrist slap, including time spent on Dancing With the Stars.

Hammered: What Punishment Will Tom DeLay Get?

Five years and a month ago, Tom DeLay, who was once House Majority leader, set the standard for jailhouse mug shots. Smiling widely, with a twinkle in his eye, he held a metal sign: “10-20-05, Thomas Dale DeLay, Money Laundering.” Now, 1,861 days later, after an epic legal struggle, a retreat from Washington back to his constituency of Sugar Land, Texas, after one cha-cha in a leopard print vest on Season Nine of Dancing with the Stars — plus a stiff waltz, a fumbled tango and a hobbled samba — the smiling former Texas congressman, the man they called “The Hammer,” has been found guilty as charged.

Much is being made of the possible punishment — one to 99 years in state prison on the money laundering charge, two to 20 on a conspiracy charge. But presiding Judge Pat Priest, a semi-retired special appointee who added to the musical theme by listening to Rodgers and Hammerstein show tunes as the jury deliberated, could very well give the fallen politician probation. Sentencing will begin on Dec. 20; and, so far, prosecutors have not specified how much jail time they will demand, only that the case was a “message from the people of Texas” who want “honesty and ethics” in their public officials, according to District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg…

As for jail time, the speculation is that he will be put on probation, or given a brief time behind bars at worst, plus a hefty five-digit fine.

Seems that Republican era of “Special Justice for Special People”…

Isn’t quite over yet.

 

9 More Arrests in PG County – Including 3 Policemen

It is unclear as to whether, or how this morning’s arrest relate to the arrest of County Chairman Jack Johnson, whose wife Nicole stuffed $80,000 in her bra to hide it from the FBI…

But it appears the FBI just took another chunk of that corruption iceberg in Prince George’s County, Maryland down.

3 Pr. George’s officers charged

Nine people, including three Prince George’s County police officers, were arrested Monday on charges involving drugs, guns and a large-scale scheme to distribute untaxed cigarettes and alcohol, according to federal officials.

Sources said the charges are connected to the recent arrest of Prince George’s County Executive Jack B. Johnson, but it is unclear exactly how the cases are related. The arrests are part of a larger investigation of corruption in Prince George’s.

The nine arrested Monday were taken into custody in the early morning hours during an operation that involved 150 law enforcement officers executing as many as a dozen search warrants.

The police officers are Sgt. Richard Delabrer, 45, of Laurel, Cpl. Chong Chin Kim, 42, of Beltsville and Sinisa Simic, 25, of Woodbridge.

According to an indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Maryland, Prince George’s County liquor store owner Amrik Singh Melhi and others paid Delabrer and Kim to guard and secure the distribution of untaxed cigarettes and alcohol in Maryland and Virginia. They and four others are charged with conspiracy to commit extortion.

Simic is charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and use of firearms in drug trafficking.

The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of $3.5 million, 25 properties, 13 vehicles and 84 bank accounts affiliated with the crimes.

 

Ben Franklin Implants – Politician Hides $79k in her Bra!

Dayam! Gotta believe $79,000 in cash, even in hundreds …

creates a bit of a bulge.

This week’s Orange Jumpsuit Award goes to Prince Georges, Maryland County Executive Jack Johnson, and his wife, Leslie. I’ll check and see if I can find a model with a little bit more “room” to hide all that cash!

Jack Johnson, Prince George’s county executive, and his wife, Leslie, arrested

Just after 10:12 a.m. Friday, Leslie Johnson frantically phoned her husband, Jack B. Johnson, the Prince George’s county executive.

Two FBI agents were at the front door of their two-story brick colonial in Mitchellville.

“Don’t answer it,” the county executive said, unaware that more agents were listening in.

Johnson ordered his wife to find and destroy a $100,000 check from a real estate developer that was hidden in a box of liquor.

“Do you want me to put it down the toilet?” Leslie Johnson asked.

“Yes, flush that,” the county executive said.

But what about the cash? she asked – $79,600.

Put it in your underwear, the county executive told his wife.

She replied, “I have it in my bra” – which is where agents discovered the money after she answered the door.

 

Jack Johnson Arrested, posted with vodpod

FBI Raids Prince George’s Government Center; Jack Johnson Arrested

Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnsonand his wife Leslie face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to a federal indictment.

Jack and Leslie Johnson face tampering with witness charges; and destruction, falsification and altering of documents charges.

In an affidavit released Friday afternoon, F.B.I. agents described how they tapped the Johnsons’ phone right before the raid was about to take place at just after 10:00 a.m.

“Tear up the check,” the document stated, referring to Jack Johnson’s demands to his wife, while federal agents were at the door of their Mitchellville, Md. home.

The check Johnson was telling his wife to tear up was a $100,000 bribe from developers, according to federal documents.

When police arrested Leslie Johnson, they found $79,600 in cash, in her underwear, according to the sworn federal affidavit.

The F.B.I. agents also claim Johnson received $5,000 on November 5th, from developers to use his influence to get them bids in projects, according to the document. The documents state Johnson received $15,000 more Friday morning in the first leg of the raid.

Federal agents confronted Johnson after a meeting they say was captured on videotape. They say he claimed the money was for a party he was throwing at the end of his term as County Executive. They let him go.

But agents say Jack Johnson almost immediately called his wife on his wiretapped cell phone and told her to tear up the check in the underwear draw in their room, federal agents said in the sworn statement. She tore up the check and flushed it.

“Do you want me to put it down the toilet?,” Leslie Johnson asked, according to the affidavit. Then agents heard the sound of a toilet flush over the wire-tap.

They each face 20 years if convicted of all charges, and three years of supervised release. They are also facing fines of, no more than, $250,000.

U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein says he expects to charge additional defendents. And FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard McFeely issued a blunt warning: If you’re involved in “pay to play, it’s far better to talk to us now than for us to come knocking at your door.”

The allegations of pay to play involving county officials and developers in Prince George’s go back years. A lawsuit by a New Carrollton developer alleges a number of county councilmembers were involved.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland confirmed Jack Johnson’s arrest earlier Friday. A 9NEWS NOW crew was at Johnson’s home when he was put in a car and driven away Friday afternoon. Neighbors at the scene said they were surprised by the arrest. A plumber outside the home told 9NEWS NOW that he was at the home to “check the plumbing and some toilets…for some evidence, I guess.”

Rep. Donna Edwards issued a statement Friday afternoon about the arrest. In the statement, she says: “The arrest of Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson is in the hands of law enforcement and the court system. I am saddened personally by these developments and look forward to a fair and just resolution. However, my primary concern remains that the needs of residents of Prince George’s County continue to be met at all levels of government.”

Johnson’s arrest follows news that the FBI is conducting multiple raids in Prince George’s County.

According to sources, the raids are taking place at the County Administration Building in Upper Marlboroand the homes of several county leaders.

Johnson has served as county executive since 2002. His wife, Leslie, was elected earlier this month to a seat on the Prince George’s County Council.

Jack – I got some bad news…and some really bad news. They got your dumb, greedy ass dead to rights. The really bad news?

You are looking at 10-20 years in an Orange jumpsuit – and so is your wife.

There is a lot more to this one – so stay tuned. And before the black conservative lot begin to jump up and down and celebrate on another black politician going down…

There is more than likely a highway on this one to Michael Steele’s back door , too.

That Award… Your “One Size Fits All”…Family Group Jumpsuit!

Family Jumpsuit Award for Jack Johnson and his Wife, Leslie

 

Orange Jumpsuit Award – Entire City Council of Bell, California

This one is staggering in it’s audacity. Hope these guys get a long time to contemplate how they screwed over their neighbors and community.

Rizzo faces 53 counts; Bell was ‘corruption on steroids,’ D.A. Cooley says [Updated]

Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley filed charges against eight current and former Bell officials Tuesday, alleging that they misappropriated $5.5 million in public funds. Robert Rizzo, Bell’s former city manager, has been charged with 53 counts of misappropriation of public funds and conflict of interest.

The charges come after a dramatic morning in which authorities swept through Bell and other cities, arresting former and current Bell officials.

Among those arrested were Rizzo; Angela Spaccia, former assistant city manager; Mayor Oscar Hernandez; councilmembers George Mirabal, Teresa Jacobo and Luis Artiga; and former councilmembers George Cole and Victor Bello.

“This is corruption on steroids,” Cooley said.

[Updated at 11:28 a.m.: Cooley said officials used the city's tax dollars "as their own piggy bank that they then looted at will."

He said that councilmembers, who earned salaries of nearly $100,000, received $1.2 million for "phantom meetings" -- many which never occurred or lasted only a minute or two.

Police Chief Randy Adams, who also stepped down after The Times reported he was earning $457,000, was not arrested.

"Being paid excessive amounts is not a crime," Cooley said, noting that the investigation is ongoing.

Bail for Rizzo has been set at $3.2 million. Bail for the others ranges from $130,000 to $377,500.]

Rizzo, whose high salary sparked the outrage that led to the investigations of the city, was among those arrested in the sweep. At 10 a.m., officials emerged from Rizzo’s luxury home in Huntington Beach. Rizzo, handcuffed, was escorted into a black SUV.

In Bell, a neighbor of Hernandez said authorities used a battering ram on his front door after he failed to answer the door.

“They broke the door down,” said the neighbor, who only gave his name as Jose. “They knocked down the door and they brought him out in cuffs.”

The city of Bell released a statement about the arrests, calling it a “sad day” for the city.

“Given the sheer volume of charges levied against former Bell Chief Administrative Officer Robert Rizzo and former Assistant CAO Angela Spaccia by the district attorney, it is clear that Rizzo and Spaccia were at the root of the cancer that has afflicted the City of Bell. Also, it is a sad day for Bell that four current and two former members of the council also have been arrested. I am prepared to double down our efforts to continue to restore order, establish good government reforms, and to ensure that Bell is providing needed services to its residents,” said Pedro Carrillo, interim city manager.

Outside City Hall, about two dozen residents gathered as news of the arrests spread. One man used a bullhorn to broadcast the Queen song, “Another One Bites the Dust.” Members of the crowd laughed and applauded, happy to see arrests in the scandal.

For two months, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office and state and federal authorities have investigated Bell, where high salaries earned by Rizzo and other top officials have sparked widespread outrage. 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.

Group Jumpsuit Award for former city officials of Bell, California...

Tra Bagger Candidate Busted

Just in case you thought Alvin Greene was the only one with legal problems…

Senate Candidate Indicted for Sex With Minor

Another day, another political sex scandal—but this one involves a minor. Ohio’s Eric W. Deaton, Senate candidate for the conservative Constitution Party, was indicted Tuesday for having alleged sexual contact with a young girl, the Dayton Daily News reports. Deaton, 42, is accused of having unlawful sexual conduct with the girl, who he reportedly met at his church, while she was between the ages of 13 and 15 … and he’s calling the whole mess “politically motivated.”

He adds that “the powers that be don’t like” his decision to run for office, and says he’ll stay in the race despite his Sept. 14 arraignment and the fact that he faces the possibility of five years in prison. According to WDTN Dayton, police say they have hotel surveillance video and receipts that prove their case … and Deaton’s lawyer says those very items (somehow) help prove that his client is innocent. Deaton, a married Cub Scout leader with three kids, says he has Tea Party endorsements.

Alvin Greene Indicted

Like… I’m supposed to be surprised at this one?

No Alvin – You don’t get to fondle the white women until AFTER you’re elected!

I still think there should be a RICO or Voting Fraud investigation of this whole shenanigan.

The sad part is I think Greene is as much a victim of this as the voters of South Carolina. I hope he at least made a few bucks off of this as South Carolina’s Sarah Palin… Because in all likelihood he is going to jail.

Alvin Greene charged over pornographic pictures

An unemployed military veteran who stunned the US political establishment by winning a Democratic primary to contest a South Carolina senate seat has been indicted on criminal charges of showing pornographic pictures to a teenage college student.

Alvin Greene, a little-known figure who has been described as America’s least likely prospective senator, is accused of approaching a young woman in a computer lab at his alma mater, the University of South Carolina. According to a grand jury indictment handed down today, he allegedly showed her obscene pictures and suggested going to her dormitory room.

If convicted, Greene could face up to five years in jail. The charges are a further blow to the credibility of a candidate who was initially overlooked as a no-hoper by Democratic party bosses before springing an out-of-the-blue shock by comfortably beating a former judge, Vic Rawl, to take the party’s nomination for this November’s mid-term senate race in South Carolina.

Greene declined to comment on the charges, which came a day after he addressed a meeting of South Carolina’s executive committee ofDemocrats with a speech appealing for support that reportedly lasted just 23 seconds.

The 32-year-old, who did no discernible campaigning in advance of his primary win, had no phone, no computer and no record of running for political office before his sudden rise to prominence.

He has been criticised for a lack of a coherent message and for a smattering of eccentric policy proposals.

In an interview with the Guardian last month, he suggested that the state’s economy could be boosted through a job creation scheme to make action models of himself in his army uniform: “They can make toys of me and my vehicle, especially for the holidays and Christmas for the kids. That’s something that would create jobs.”

Greene’s opponent in the senate battle will be Republican incumbent Jim DeMint, who is among the most conservative voices in the upper house. Greene, who has raised less than $1,000 in campaign funds, declined to comment to Associated Press reporters on his indictment, which is for twin charges of procuring obscenity and of communicating obscene materials to a person without consent.

Come on down, Alvin – time to get you measured by our Tailor…

Taking Measurement for Alvin Green For That Award...

Alvin Greene Cleared?

It’s amazing what South Carolina can’t find…

When they don’t want to find it.

This one reminds me of the “investigations” of lynchings and murders of black folks back before the Federal Government stepped in with it’s full weight…

How silly for that black kid to wrap himself up in chains, trip and fall half a dozen times hitting his head, then drowning trying to swim the old engine block he stole across the river!

What this really means is there needs t be a full Federal Investigation by the DOJ and FBI – treating this like the organized crime it is.

Greene cleared in South Carolina investigation

South Carolina’s top law enforcement agency announced Friday that it will not file charges against Democratic Senate nominee Alvin Greene.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) had been investigating how Greene, a political newcomer who could not afford a lawyer when facing criminal charges last year, came up with the $10,440 needed to get his name on the Democratic Senate primary ballot.

“After a thorough investigation, SLED has concluded that there is no evidence of wrongdoing, criminal intent or deception to the court when Greene applied for a public defender last year,” the agency said in a statement Friday.

“During the course of the investigation, SLED determined that monies spent for Greene’s filing fee were the candidate’s personal funds and therefore, no laws were violated in association with Greene’s payment to the South Carolina Democratic Party,” SLED said.

Greene has long maintained that he tapped into his personal savings to pay the filing fee.

Greene’s June 4 Democratic primary victory stunned politicians in the state because they had never heard of him and saw no proof he had mounted any type of campaign. His primary opponent, Vic Rawl, tried to have the election overturned, saying there were voting machine irregularities, but the state party denied the request.

CNN reported earlier Friday that Greene retained a private criminal defense attorney against charges he showed pornographic images to a college student last November.

The existence of those criminal charges surfaced after the primary win. State Democratic leaders called for him to step aside, at the time afraid he would not mount a serious campaign against incumbent Republican Sen. Jim DeMint.

Neither he nor the attorney, Eleazer Carter, will disclose whether Carter is being paid. Carter told CNN he is an acquaintance of Greene’s father and took on the case three weeks ago.

Greene has not had to enter a plea, and no trial date has been set. He has remained tight-lipped regarding the charges.

“I’m innocent until proven guilty. And like I said, I’m concentrating on my campaign issues, jobs, education and justice,” he told CNN in an interview in his Manning, South Carolina home last month. He refused to answer any more questions regarding the allegations.

Though the law enforcement agency said it determined that Greene used his own money to pay the party’s filing fee, the South Carolina attorney general’s office told CNN that it never received a request from SLED to subpoena Greene’s bank records.

Orange Jumpsuit Award…Kwame Kilpatrick

What do you award a guy who already has a monogrammed, bespoke, Orange Jumpsuit?

Ex Detroit Mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick mulls a long stay in Prison

Ex-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick indicted by feds on 19 mail fraud, tax counts

Kwame Kilpatrick illegally used the nonprofit Kilpatrick Civic Fund like a piggy bank to pay for crisis consultants, a Cadillac, trips — even summer camp for his kids — a federal grand jury said Wednesday, charging the former mayor with 19 counts of fraud and tax evasion.

The indictment comes seven years after Internal Revenue Service and FBI agents began looking into the fund in the wake of a Free Press report that a homeless shelter operator gave the fund $50,000 during Kilpatrick’s first run for mayor in 2001. The newspaper reported that Kilpatrick then wrote a letter recommending the shelter receive a multimillion-dollar public contract.

Despite Kilpatrick’s repeated claims to the contrary, the indictment says he used fund money for campaign and personal expenses, ranging from polling to yoga and golf lessons to college tuition for relatives.

Prosecutors contend he failed to report more than $640,000 in taxable income while mayor that he received in the form of cash, flights on private jets and perks paid for out of the civic fund.

“This indictment sends a clear message that those who make up their own rules based on fraud and deceit will be prosecuted,” said Maurice Aouate, head of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Detroit.

The indictment did not include public corruption charges, a point Kilpatrick spokesman Mike Paul seized upon.

He called speculation that the former mayor was involved in bribery schemes “lies from the pit of hell!”

“The FBI found nothing remotely close to that in their investigation because it never happened! This investigation puts an end to the ridiculous rumors that the mayor was personally involved with corruption, payoffs and bribes.”

Two questions behind this prosecution -

1) Why aren’t the Feds convicting Republican David Vitter for “Ho’ Fraud” – using federal money to pay for prostitutes? Or whatever happened to the criminal prosecution of Tom Delay?

2) What do you award a guy who already has an Orange Jumpsuit with his name on it?

The First Ever, BTx3 Orange Bootie Award to match that Orange Jumpsuit! With the Very Masculine Harley-Davison Logo... So the other Prisoners don't get the wrong idea!