A 124-page affidavit describing an FBI undercover sting targeting state Sen. Ron Calderon -- and including others -- is the basis of a dramatic investigative report in Al Jazeera. The core: An FBI agent posed as a film executive as he sought tax breaks from Calderon for his industry. Notwithstanding Al Jazeera's hyperbole about the power of Calderon in the Legislature and the family dynasty to which he belongs, the leaked document is a major scoop, the most dramatic sting-corruption document in Sacramento since Shrimpscam in 1988.
California followups based on the document:
From the Sacramento Bee's Laurel Rosenhall: "State Sen. Ron Calderon accepted about $88,000 in bribes from an undercover FBI agent posing as a film studio owner and a Southern California hospital executive during a wide-ranging probe into his conduct as a legislator, according to a 124-page affidavit published online Wednesday by cable news network Al Jazeera America."
"No charges have been filed against Calderon, a Democrat from Montebello. His attorney, Mark Geragos, did not return calls Wednesday."
"The federal affidavit, filed as the FBI sought a search warrant for Calderon’s office, alleges that he worked with interest groups in a pay-to-play fashion, accepting money in exchange for promises to carry or amend legislation to their benefit."
From the LAT's Patrick McGreevy: "A nonprofit group formed by former Assemblyman Tom Calderon received $25,000 this year from a group tied to the California Latino Legislative Caucus just after his brother, Sen. Ronald S. Calderon (D-Montebello) ended a term as vice chairman of the caucus."
"The contribution is raising eyebrows around the Capitol. It was made by a political committee called “Yes We Can” to Californians for Diversity, a nonprofit group whose last tax filing, for 2011, listed Tom Calderon as president and said he received $2,500 in compensation from it that year."
"The nonprofit is late in filing its tax returns for 2012, and Tom Calderon declined to comment Wednesday on the issue."
Meanwhile, in the world of real estate, Sacramento's housing market topped the nation in price gains, ample evidence that when you're down the only way you can go is up.
From the Bee's Hudson Sangre: "Sacramento home prices rose by 26 percent this spring compared with the same period last year, topping a list of 380 markets surveyed by the CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indexes, the firm announced Wednesday."
"Las Vegas was No, 2 on the list with a 25 percent year-to-year gain, and Oakland came in at number three with a 24 percent rise in home pricesfrom the second quarter of 2012 to the second quarter of 2013. San Jose and Los Angeles rounded out the top five in the index."
"Nationwide, home prices increased by an average of about 10 percent, the firm said in a news release."
The California condor, an endangered species, is a scavenger and susceptible to lead poisoning from the ammunition used to kill other animals.
From the LAT's Alicia Banks: "A record number of 21 endangered California condors were treated at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens for lead poisoning in October — more than half of what the center sees in a typical year, officials reported."
"The zoo's announcement comes just weeks after Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation requiring hunters to use non-lead ammunition in an effort to keep the toxic element from being passed on from carcasses to scavengers, such as condors."
"Adam Keats, senior counsel and urban wildlands program director for the Center for Biological Diversity, attributed the high quantity of condor poisonings to hunting.
"There's a wide use of lead ammunition in condor habitats. The availability of lead needs to be reduced by sale and stocking," Keats said."
Newly installed UC President Janet Napolitano says the university will spend millions to help students living in the U.S. illegally.
From the AP's Lisa Leff: "University of California President Janet Napolitano said Wednesday she is devoting $5 million to provide special counseling and financial aid for students living in the U.S. illegally, a move aimed at disarming critics who worried she would be hostile to the small but vocal student population."
"The former Homeland Security Secretary announced the initiative in her first public address since she became head of the 10-campus university system a month ago -- an evening appearance in San Francisco organized by the Commonwealth Club. She also pledged $10 million for recruiting and training graduate students and research fellows."
"Let me be clear. UC welcomes all students who qualify academically, whether they are documented or undocumented," she said in prepared remarks released by her office before the speech. "Consider this a down payment -- one more piece of evidence of our commitment to all Californians."