California City Officials Arrested in Salary Scandal

California City Officials Arrested in Salary Scandal

LOS ANGELES -- The mayor and former city manager of Bell were led away in handcuffs Tuesday, charged with six other officials with taking more than $5.5 million from the working-class suburb in a scandal that triggered nationwide outrage and calls for more transparency in government.

Former City Manager Robert Rizzo, Mayor Oscar Hernandez and the other current and former city officials were rounded up during morning raids on their homes that prompted many of their neighbors to burst into cheers.

Wow, Can you believe they actually got arrested? I have too say I am just tickled pink over this. Could we perhaps see some justice? Wouldn't that be a hoot.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels! On to Washington.

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reply to post by VAPatriot


This would be one of those times when I would allow the City population to decide their punishment. How about forcing them to work as janitors for the city without pay and take what a janitor would normally make and give it back to the city as payment. Of course the city should house them in the lowest rent place available as well as provide them with enough food to survive but no extra money for anything else. Maybe also force them to do community service every weekend.
Jail is way too good for these people.

Dude, these people are the lowest of the low! All the cities around them have been infected by their lust for money and status. This includes Maywood, Huntington Park, Vernon, Cudahy, all these little cities. They're only separated by a couple degrees but the leaders of the other ones need to be investigated. You guys need to look up Ofelia Hernandez. She tries too hard... and she fails. I know where she lives too.

reply to post by VAPatriot


i have no sympathy for these people they deserved to go down and go down in a big way.

will justice actually be served? i believe so.

and your right as well on to washington and get rid of the rest of the corruption.


remember all politics are local the only difference here is only the locals crooks are the one usually getting taken down but the well connected crooks arent.

Originally posted by VAPatriot
"They used the tax dollars collected from the hardworking citizens of Bell as their own piggy bank, which they then looted at will,"

geez, that sounds EXACTLY like what is happening
in DC !!! How many pair of handcuffs do they have
left? I have a feeling it ain't gonna be enough.
This is happening world wide, not just in Bell.

Originally posted by boondock-saint

Originally posted by VAPatriot
"They used the tax dollars collected from the hardworking citizens of Bell as their own piggy bank, which they then looted at will,"

geez, that sounds EXACTLY like what is happening
in DC !!! How many pair of handcuffs do they have
left? I have a feeling it ain't gonna be enough.
This is happening world wide, not just in Bell.

Maybe from the racist, xenophobic, Mcveighist side of the right.

Keep in mind that these people haven't been convicted of anything they are just charged. All of these people are currently considered innocent.

Originally posted by boondock-saint

Originally posted by VAPatriot
"They used the tax dollars collected from the hardworking citizens of Bell as their own piggy bank, which they then looted at will,"

geez, that sounds EXACTLY like what is happening
in DC !!! How many pair of handcuffs do they have
left? I have a feeling it ain't gonna be enough.
This is happening world wide, not just in Bell.

Maybe from the racist, xenophobic, Mcveighist side of the right.

Keep in mind that these people haven't been convicted of anything they are just charged. All of these people are currently considered innocent.

reply to post by Ignorance_Defier


Well of course someone that works part time for the government deserves a salary of over $100,000.

Because they do not work for a private company they deserve to make buku bucks right?

Mayor of a town. Might just as well call it that. Over half a million.

I checked out my city of over 100k makes $165k. Hmmm, yeah no corruption in Bell.

Are you going to dispute any of this? Nope, thought not, it is all public record by the way.

What a joke.

reply to post by Ignorance_Defier


Wow, I think you forgot a few insults there?
I guess when the left gets caught it really is painfull huh? Ah well, at least you played the race card right away.......if that's all you have are insults that have nothing to do with the looting of this town by corrupt individuals (all Dems btw), ah well, that's telling in itself.

Before we start building the gallows, we need to answer several very important questions.

Is what they did legal? Can the Council and mayor grant pay raises for city employees? Doesn't matter what the amount is, can they grant pay raises? Can the council vote to the raise the pay for itself, per meeting, under California law? OR, is this just pre-election hype over legal actions by people running for office themselves and making a big splash.

As a prosecutor, you can charge a person with whatever crime you want, you just have to prove it before the court. This really looks like a political show to me. It's not like the salaries these guys were making was a secret. It had to be reported to the State for pension purposes. Why charges now...?

Funny how no one mentions these are demoncratic party officials... Why is that? Are the people running the legal show also demoncrats and don't want to be tied in politically.

A conspiracy guy would wonder about that.

reply to post by hinky


You should edit your comment. No changing of a political name for denigration purposes.

reply to post by hinky


In addition to the exorbitant salary's,

Authorities said Rizzo made $4.3 million by paying himself through different employment contracts that were not approved by the City Council. Meanwhile, council members paid themselves a combined $1.25 million for what Cooley called "phantom meetings" of various city boards and agencies.

Rizzo also was accused of giving $1.9 million in loans to himself, Spaccia, Hernandez, Artiga and dozens of others.

I would say they got caught with their hand firmly wedged in the cookie jar.

reply to post by boondock-saint

"In Bell, where one in six residents lives in poverty, people began honking their horns at the news of the arrests. At City Hall, dozens gathered to laugh and applaud as someone played the Queen song "Another One Bites the Dust."

I got so excited that, oh my God, I couldn't breathe," said Violeta Alvarez, a 31-year resident. "I'm excited. I'm happy. I have tears of joy in my eyes."

"I seen them take out Mirabal in handcuffs," longtime resident Hassan Mourad said after the arrests. "I seen them drag him out."

At the mayor's house, police briefly used a battering ram when Hernandez didn't immediately come to the door.

Hopefully this will light a fire in the people all over this country to see to it that the criminals start getting rounded up and hauled away, as they so rightfully deserve.

reply to post by neo96


I'm OK with the trickle up method of prosecutions.

Originally posted by saltheart foamfollower
reply to post by Ignorance_Defier

 

Well of course someone that works part time for the government deserves a salary of over $100,000.

Because they do not work for a private company they deserve to make buku bucks right?

Mayor of a town. Might just as well call it that. Over half a million.

I checked out my city of over 100k makes $165k. Hmmm, yeah no corruption in Bell.

Are you going to dispute any of this? Nope, thought not, it is all public record by the way.

What a joke.

There was nothing illegally about their salary. They did that all legally. Unethical yes, but illegal no. The alleged crime has to do with stealing money etc not their salary.

Originally posted by Ignorance_Defier

Originally posted by boondock-saint

Originally posted by VAPatriot
"They used the tax dollars collected from the hardworking citizens of Bell as their own piggy bank, which they then looted at will,"

geez, that sounds EXACTLY like what is happening
in DC !!! How many pair of handcuffs do they have
left? I have a feeling it ain't gonna be enough.
This is happening world wide, not just in Bell.

Maybe from the racist, xenophobic, Mcveighist side of the right.

Keep in mind that these people haven't been convicted of anything they are just charged. All of these people are currently considered innocent.

These people are currently considered scumbags. The lowliness forms of humanity. They were caught red-handed pillaging their community.

BTW nice try to deflect this into some sort of Right vs. Left issue.

reply to post by Ignorance_Defier


Well let's forget about the charges of millions in loans to themselves.

They have been arrested, they will not go to trial. Can you imagine a trial by their peers?

Take about five minutes to write up the jury decision.

Oh and ethics charges can be criminal can't they? Hmmmm, just wondering.

I wonder how many rats are in other states stealing from tax payer dollars to pay themselves.
]
Oops, I forgot our own government did that already, they just call it, bailouts, perhaps the mistake the City officials in California did, was no changing the wording of the stealing to Bailouts.

reply to post by marg6043


You may have just given them a viable defense.