”RECYLCE” _________________________________ DORA SANDOVAL ______________________________ ABC _____________________________ ST. NORBERT CHURCH           RATES _______________________

Socialize

Hearing Set Monday in Public Corruption Trial of Ron and Tom Calderon

LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A Los Angeles judge today unexpectedly scheduled a
Monday status conference in the federal corruption case of former state Sen.
Ron Calderon and his brother.
The Montebello Democrat was indicted last year in Los Angeles on 24
charges including allegations that he accepted $80,000 in bribes. His brother,
former Assemblyman Tom Calderon, is charged with money laundering.
A trial is set for Aug. 11, but could be delayed.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas M. Miller indicated in a court filing
Wednesday that a superseding indictment containing additional criminal charges
could be forthcoming.
In today’s docket item, U.S. District Judge Christina A. Snyder set the
Monday hearing and ordered the defendants to be present, “unless advised
otherwise by their attorneys.” Topics to be discussed include a defense motion
to postpone the start of trial, according to the judge’s calendar.
Defense attorney Mark Geragos did not immediately return a call for
comment.
Prosecutors previously stated that the case involves 330,000 pages of
evidence, including tapes and transcripts for about 2,200 meetings and phone
calls.
The ex-senator has pleaded not guilty to accepting cash bribes, trips
and dinners in exchange for pushing workers’ compensation legislation and a
film industry tax credit scheme that was actually an FBI sting.
Thomas Calderon, 60, a former lawmaker-turned-lobbyist, has pleaded not
guilty to laundering bribes through a tax-exempt group and consulting company
he operates.
Ron Calderon, 57, was suspended from the Senate in March 2014, and his
term in office ended in November.