Calfornia state senator accused of taking $100,000 in bribes--to keep $500 Million fraud going
A state senator in California--member of a powerful political family--has been charged with taking over $100,000 in bribes.
"What, a lousy $100,000? Why would anyone get exercised about such a small bribe?"
Well, one of the bribes was paid by a hospital that was defrauding the state's workers' compensation program--in the amount of $500 Million over five years. I'd say $100 million a year is pretty serious. The bribe was to get the senator to back a bill that would keep the scheme going. The guy who offered the bribe has already pleaded guilty.
Okay, I don't live in California and you don't either, so why bother doing a post on this little non-story?
It's because the senator in question is a Democrat, in a state in which *every* state-wide office is held by a Democrat, and in which Democrats have controlled both chambers of the legislature for longer than I can remember. It's a one-party government.
Why is that significant? Because it means the Party will do everything possible to ensure that the perp will get a sweet plea deal. The Party has a huge interest in sweeping this under the rug as soon as possible. So it's in their interest to persuade the U.S. Attorney to offer the perp a really attractive plea bargain. Because the Party's leaders know that if the guy doesn't get an offer he finds attractive, he may reveal *other* instances of corruption in the California legislature.
"Wait," I hear you saying, "that's absurd. How can the *state* Democratic party have any influence over the *federal* U.S. Attorney's office?"
Hahahahahahahaha!
Okay, you probably wouldn't really ask that because it would show you're terminally naive.
I've got this guy in my alert file so I'll try to fill you in on what deal he eventually gets.
Hey, if you were a Republican senator and took $100G in bribes, how sweet a deal do you think *you'd* get?
"What, a lousy $100,000? Why would anyone get exercised about such a small bribe?"
Well, one of the bribes was paid by a hospital that was defrauding the state's workers' compensation program--in the amount of $500 Million over five years. I'd say $100 million a year is pretty serious. The bribe was to get the senator to back a bill that would keep the scheme going. The guy who offered the bribe has already pleaded guilty.
Okay, I don't live in California and you don't either, so why bother doing a post on this little non-story?
It's because the senator in question is a Democrat, in a state in which *every* state-wide office is held by a Democrat, and in which Democrats have controlled both chambers of the legislature for longer than I can remember. It's a one-party government.
Why is that significant? Because it means the Party will do everything possible to ensure that the perp will get a sweet plea deal. The Party has a huge interest in sweeping this under the rug as soon as possible. So it's in their interest to persuade the U.S. Attorney to offer the perp a really attractive plea bargain. Because the Party's leaders know that if the guy doesn't get an offer he finds attractive, he may reveal *other* instances of corruption in the California legislature.
"Wait," I hear you saying, "that's absurd. How can the *state* Democratic party have any influence over the *federal* U.S. Attorney's office?"
Hahahahahahahaha!
Okay, you probably wouldn't really ask that because it would show you're terminally naive.
I've got this guy in my alert file so I'll try to fill you in on what deal he eventually gets.
Hey, if you were a Republican senator and took $100G in bribes, how sweet a deal do you think *you'd* get?
posted by SF at
11:51 AM
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