Charlotte, NC Mayor facing Corruption Charges

[JanMichael]

Source: Associated Press

Less than six months on the job, the mayor of Charlotte was arrested and accused Wednesday of accepting more than $48,000 in bribes from undercover FBI agents posing as businessmen who wanted to do work with North Carolina's largest city.

Mayor Patrick Cannon, a 47-year-old Democrat who rose from the city's public housing projects to become a successful businessman and politician, faces federal theft and bribery charges. Cannon was accused of soliciting and accepting more than $48,000 in cash, airline tickets, a hotel room and the use of a luxury apartment as bribes.

If convicted on all the charges, he faces 20 years in prison and more than $1 million in fines.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/charlotte-nc-mayor-facing-corruption-charges-23069100

[alp227]

1. Oh no not this sh** again with Democrats...

- Three California state senators under fed investigation (Ron Calderon, Roderick Wright, Leland Yee)
- Illinois State Rep. Keith Farnham resigns after his home was raided...turns out for child porn. (And of course he's a Chicago area Democrat.)
- Today: the FBI raided the home of Assem. Bill Scarborough (D-Queens)
- Rhode Island House Speaker Gordon Fox (D-Providence) resigns from the speakership after the feds raid his home. The specific charges against him are still unknown, but this article explores his questionable background.

And now THIS...ugh.

[alp227]

2. This is an AP article since it's filed under "wire story"

Charlotte Observer article: FBI says Charlotte Mayor Patrick Cannon took bribes

Charlotte Mayor Patrick Cannon was arrested Wednesday on public corruption charges after a four-year investigation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte announced.

Cannon was charged with theft and bribery after an FBI sting operation, said Anne Tompkins, U.S. attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. He was released on an undisclosed bond, pending indictment.

Authorities said Cannon took bribes from undercover FBI agents five times – the most recent on Feb. 21 when he took $20,000 in cash in the mayor’s office – and a trip to Las Vegas.

Tompkins said Cannon also accepted from the undercover agents more than $48,000 in cash, airline tickets, a hotel room and use of a luxury apartment in exchange for “the use of his official position,” Tompkins said.

[JanMichael]

3. Should I change that in my post

I got it from the ABC news site, so I think that was the correct way to cite it.

[alp227]

4. AP made the report, ABC is reprinting it,

so it's best to make the source name reflect which outlet created the report.

[JanMichael]

6. changed to

Associated Press. Thanks

[2banon]

5. I hate Corrupted pols, but gee it seems very odd there are no Republican Pols arrested anywhere..

for the same kind of shit. What's up with that? Or am I missing those stories?

[uncommonlink]

7. I think Duke Cunningham would disagree with you.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/06/04/188667106/former-rep-duke-cunningham-freed-after-bribery-sentence

As would former IL gov. George Ryan.

As would Larry Craig.

http://www.postregister.com/special/LarryCraig/story.php?accession=1001-08282007

[2banon]

8. Those were ages ago.. Cunningham and Craig during Bush Regime..

I see a pattern in these current corruption charge arrests, spread across the country all at once. pretty obvious that's politically motivated.

[alp227]

9. by whom? clearly can't be the Obama DOJ. nt

[blm]

14. Robert Mueller's FBI started these stings. Mueller ONLY works for Bush Family.

Ever hear of BCCI?

[uncommonlink]

10. Repubs arrested and convicted during a repug. admin.

and now dems arrested during a dem admin.

[B2G]

18. Seriously? There is exactly one person to blame here.

Patrick Cannon.

Stop making excuses for corrupt scumbags.

[blm]

13. What's your real concern? You are reaching far back and seem focused with your concern here.

A number of stings targeting minority officeholders that begun under Robert Mueller are all concluding in these arrests all over the country and you reach back to exonerate the tactic because some Republicans were once caught?

[uncommonlink]

15. These stings have been going on for years and years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_state_and_local_political_scandals_in_the_United_States

There's no grand conspiracy going on here.
And guess what? Mueller is no longer FBI director and hasn't been for awhile now.

[blm]

16. He started them. He ignored Christie&Co. though.

.

[uncommonlink]

17. He started them,

and Dir. Comey will finish them.

[yeoman6987]

26. Where is the Attorney General?

President Obama could have the AG immediately halt this practice. Robert Mueller does not work for Bush as he has been gone for 6 years now. Robert Mueller works for either the Democratic AG or the Democratic President.

[B2G]

27. Halt what practice?

Arresting corrupt politicians?

[yeoman6987]

28. lol.

Well that does sound ridiculous when you put it that way. However, I think some DUers are saying that they are focusing on minorities and not everyone. If it was fair across the board then let's go for it.

[B2G]

29. Not going to research the race of these corrupt pols, but

I'm guessing most of them aren't minorities. And this is just the federal list.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_federal_politicians_convicted_of_crimes

[24601]

30. The FBI director does not serve "at the pleasure of the President" but has a fixed 10-year term that

insulates the incumbent from inappropriate political influence.

[melm00se]

11. Breakdown (admittedly incomplete)

of politicians convicted:

State and Local:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_state_and_local_politicians_convicted_of_crimes

Federal:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_federal_politicians_convicted_of_crimes

[riversedge]

19. Bill Kramer WI, Republicanfaces possible criminal charges, district attorney confirms

We have one!! While he was quickly ousted as speaker--he remains on the taxpayer dime.

http://lacrossetribune.com/news/state-and-regional/bill-kramer-faces-possible-criminal-charges-district-attorney-confirms/article_4a63dbac-81a7-558d-ad91-122e5cb59e26.html




Bill Kramer faces possible criminal charges, district attorney confirms


http://lacrossetribune.com/news/state-and-regional/bill-kramer-faces-possible-criminal-charges-district-attorney-confirms/article_4a63dbac-81a7-558d-ad91-122e5cb59e26.html




ASSOCIATED PRESS

17 minutes ago • DEE J. HALL | Wisconsin State Journal | [e-mail] | 608-252-6132


Assembly GOP removes Bill Kramer from leadership
Scott Walker, GOP leaders call for Bill Kramer to be removed

The former Assembly majority leader, ousted from his leadership post after reports that he sexually harassed two women, is now facing possible criminal charges in another alleged incident, the Waukesha County District Attorney's Office confirmed Wednesday.

Julie Delain, a supervisor in the District Attorney's office, said her office is reviewing a criminal referral regarding Rep. Bill Kramer, R-Waukesha...................

[B2G]

12. He needs to resign immediately. nt

[melm00se]

22. he did

[Blue_Tires]

20. If this is true, then it's certainly the end of his career...

I know it's a different country with different laws, but it's still mind-blowing to see Rob Ford keep his job all this time...

[madville]

21. They like going after minority mayors, they can't be the only ones though

Have there been any white mayors arrested on charges like these lately?

Ray Nagin was just convicted on 20 corruption charges last month, he hasn't been sentenced yet though, facing up to 20 years.

Kwame Kilpatrick has to be the most notorious in recent memory, he's currently serving 28 years in federal prison from his latest sentencing last year.

Now this guy.

I think the problem is they get so indebted to the corruption in order to get to the mayor's office they have no choice but to continue once they get there.

[alp227]

23. Can't name any mayors, but wasn't Gov. Blagojevich of IL indicted near same time as Kilpatrick?

I think this whole thing about black politicians being baited is just that, a conspiracy theory.

[Supersedeas]

25. Isn't corruption immoral not matter what the politician's racial identity may be?

Here's a list for you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_local_officials_convicted_of_federal_corruption_offenses

[Cha]

24. He didn't learn anything from that mayor in NJ who had the same problem!