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Sen. Ron Calderon’s office and California Latino Caucus raided by U.S. Attorney and FBI

The Montebello offices of California State Senator Ronald Calderon were empty late Tuesday afternoon.  Randy Economy Photo

The Montebello offices of California State Senator Ronald Calderon were empty late Tuesday afternoon. Randy Economy Photo

UPDATED AT 9:35 P.M.

By Brian Hews and Brian Hews

The Sacramento offices of Senator Ron Calderon along with the California Latino Legislative Caucus were raided by federal officials including the US Attorney’s Office and the FBI early this evening.

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Officers raid Sen. Ron Calderon’s office. EXCLUSIVE PHOTO PROVIDED TO LOS CERRITOS COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER from www.watchourcity.com

The raids began shortly before 5 pm, a former California State Assemblyman who did not want to be identified told LCCN that officers converged on Calderon’s office “en masse.”

Sources also tell LCCN that other state lawmakers involved with the Latino Caucus are being targeted.

Several calls into the offices of Senator Ron Calderon were not returned this evening and his District Office located in Montebello appeared to be empty tonight.

Senator Ronald Calderon is considering a campaign in 2014 to become Assessor of Los Angeles County.  The current Assessor John Noguez is the focus of the largest public corruption case in the history of LA County. Calderon told LCCN that he was “exploring the Assessor’s office as an option in 2014.”

Officials from the FBI and US Attorney's Office raid the Sacramento offices of California State Senator Ronald Calderon on Tuesday late afternoon.  Photo provided to Los Cerritos Community Newspaper from www.Watchourcity.com.

Officials from the FBI and US Attorney’s Office raid the Sacramento offices of California State Senator Ronald Calderon on Tuesday late afternoon. Photo provided to Los Cerritos Community Newspaper from www.Watchourcity.com.

“This afternoon, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation served search warrants in the State Capitol at the office of Senator Ron Calderon and in the Legislative Office Building at the Latino Legislative Caucus office,” said Tony Beard, the Senate’s chief sergeant at arms, in a statement to the media.

“Those warrants are sealed by order of the Federal Court; therefore we have no further information,” he said. “The Senate has and will continue to fully cooperate with the agents in this matter.

Laura Eimiller, a spokeswoman for the agency in Los Angeles, said the search involved two locations, both related to the same investigation. She declined to discuss the investigation in any detail.

Neeki Bianchi, a special agent in Sacramento, said the investigation is “not a public safety issue.”

The Sacramento Bee is reporting that famed Los Angeles Attorney Mark Geragos is representing Calderon.  The Bee is reporting thatr, said prosecutors “have no case,” and accused them of acting inappropriately in disclosing that the FBI was conducting a search.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office should be ashamed of themselves,” Geragos told the Bee. “They have no case, so what they do is they leak the sealed information in an effort to hassle innocent people, and that’s all the comment I have.”

Geragos also told the Bee, “What they’re going after is anything to divert attention from their own misfeasance or malfeasance.” “All I know is that it’s very easy to make an allegation when you’ve got search warrants that are under seal and don’t have to defend it, and they should be ashamed of themselves.”

Los Cerritos Community Newspaper has also contacted former State Assemblyman Tony Mendoza of Artesia who is a past Chairman of the Latino Caucus before he left Sacramento due to term limits in 2012 for a statement about tonight’s raid to no avail.  It is not known if Mendoza is a focal point of the raid, but in March 2012, LCCN reported that Mendoza was a central figure in “an elaborate money laundering scheme to skirt California campaign finance laws to help benefit the campaign of the candidate who is running to take his place in Sacramento.”
Current Latino Caucus Chairman, Senator Ricardo Lara told LCCN in an interview that “Latino Caucus Chairman Assembly Member Tony Mendoza, acting on his own accord and without input from Members of the Latino Caucus, provided a recommendation to transfer $50,000 from Yes We Can, an Independent Expenditure Committee (IEC), to another IEC prior to his resignation as Chair of the Caucus.”
“The funds have since been transferred numerous times and have been used to support candidates who are not endorsed by the Latino Caucus. As the current Chair of the Latino Caucus, I do not condone or support his actions,” Lara told LCCN back in 2012.
Mendoza is currently running to replace Ronald Calderon in the June 2014 California Primary election.   It is not known if Mendoza is a target in the investigation.
Several media outlets have converged on Calderon’s office in Montebello on Tuesday night.
LCCN will continue to update this developing story over the next several hours and days.

 

  • FLF says:

    Well it all fits now – I have been writing and trying to communicate with this socialist liberal democrat senator ever since I was gerrymandered into his district by the libtard skewered redistricting committee! Now I find out he has been too busy doing illegal stuff to answer a common citizen! ESPECIALLY a constituent who is NOT a liberal.. so it will be interesting to see how the drive-by media treats this one! I hope this smug and arrogant a-hole gets exactly what he deserves!!

  • FLF says:

    I sincerely hope Mendoza is the target of and investigation! He is one of the worst and most smugly arrogant latino politicians, even if he is NOT in Ca Ca land office anymore. Where there is big money, loosely accounted for he will be there..he is capable of chicanery and very likely involved in a LOT of shady deals. He was my state assemblyman for six incredibly wasted years! Watching this a-hole in the legislature was like listening to fingernails on a blackboard! I communicated with him for years and NEVER EVER received a form letter back- because I was NOT hispanic, he could care less and didn’t give a damn..If anyone is DUMB enough to believe him, he will scam and screw you too! He needs to be sitting in a jail cell with tar and feathers!!!

  • NoMoreTonyMendoza says:

    In 2012, Tony Mendoza ran unsuccessfully for Central Basin Water District and tried to shake down water board member Phil Hawkins for a coveted job in the water district in exchange for not running initially. You combine this with the money laundering probe and it smells like a soon to be convicted felon that has no business running for public office. Seems that the termed out legislator is now looking for work and is apparently on the payroll of Hawaiian Gardens Casino owner and Town Boss Mr. Moscowitz.
    In Cerritos and beyond, we are tired of career politicians that are beholden to special interests and lack real life experience and education. Instead of Teacher for Assembly, Mr. Mendoza your signs need to read THIEF or Thug For Assembly! Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls we are tired of Tony the dirty water games!

  • Victor says:

    The Calderon’s Family connection to other corrupt politicians in the southeast cities was reported by Los Cerritos community news months ago .
    George cole aka ” Fat George ” who was also partners with Tom Calderon at Old Timers Foundations funneled millions of $$$$$ from Central Basin Water to Old Timers Foundation through toilet replacement and other programs .
    Thank you to Los Cerritos community News

  • Alfred the Great says:

    Hey Randy,

    This is linked to Noguez, isn’t it?

    • Randy R. Economy says:

      I am not convinced that it is linked to Noguez, BUT, some of the players involved in this probe also have obvious ties to both Calderon and Noguez. I think this investigation (into Calderon) has a tremendous amount of “moving parts.” We are going to have more details within the next 48 hours. Stay tuned. Randy Economy