Posted on 06/22/2006 7:20:51 AM PDT by Ebenezer
(English-language translation)
Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Internal Revenue Service interviewed Popular Democratic Party (PPD) Executive Director Aníbal José Torres yesterday and submitted two information requests to the State Elections Commission (CEE) related to the investigation [a] Grand Jury is conducting on Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá’s 2000 campaign.
EL VOCERO learned that the Federal Grand Jury’s information requirements were signed by U.S. Attorney María Domínguez and give the PPD a July 15 deadline to produce the documentation.
In the case of the information requirements to the CEE, all documents from the PPD’s political action committees have been requested, as well as all information on the 30 to 40 donors to Acevedo’s 2000 campaign for Resident Commissioner.
The CEE requirement was submitted to the office of Electoral Auditor Luis Felipe Mendoza, EL VOCERO learned, although, when asked for a reaction, any question was referred to agency President Ramón Gómez. In addition, it was learned that the [federal] agents arrived at the CEE lobby without identifying themselves.
The matter was discussed at the ordinary meeting of the electoral commissioners, New Progressive Party Electoral Commissioner Thomas Rivera Schatz admitted. He assured that the information on donors is limited to political contributors from Virginia, Philadelphia, and New Jersey.
In a period of two years, Acevedo managed to collect over $430,000 from contributors in the United States for his Resident Commissioner campaign.
It was not possible to get a reaction from either PPD Electoral Commissioner Gerardo “Toñito” Cruz or the President of the CEE.
EL VOCERO also learned that the agents interviewed Treasury Secretary Juan Carlos Méndez and requested information from him on the Governor’s income-tax return. Sources for this daily also have federal agents interviewing a former aide of Acevedo’s.
Elsewhere, the newly-appointed Executive Director of the PPD admitted to this daily that he met with the two agents for about ten minutes.
“I myself spoke to the FBI. They presented me with two information-requirement documents, two subpoenas, asking for campaign information and information on a series of persons,” he admitted.
Torres, who yesterday began his first day back in the PPD, said that the investigation is not about the Governor, but instead about businessman Robert Feldman, a contributor to Acevedo’s Resident Commissioner campaign and who, according to the Governor himself, held several fundraising activities on his behalf.
EL VOCERO also learned that, yesterday, the federal agents interviewed former Governor Carlos Romero Barceló, who was the person who alerted the authorities about Acevedo’s possible violations of law. Romero put at the agents’ disposal an informant whose name was not revealed. This person, in turn, would obtain new testimony against Acevedo.
WHO IS ROBERT FELDMAN?
Feldman is a 60-year-old businessman and lobbyist who is well-known throughout [U.S.] Democratic Party circles and was the object of investigations in 2004 over alleged bribes to Philadelphia Mayor John Street and New Jersey Governor McGreevy.
An investigation by EL VOCERO revealed that Feldman collected over $60,000 for Acevedo’s Resident Commissioner campaign through some groups that offer dental services. In fact, even Feldman’s secretary appears in the Federal Elections Commission reports giving donations to Acevedo, this daily confirmed.
Feldman got in trouble in Philadelphia, according to a VOCERO source, when the FBI secured recordings of him with Mayor Street in his office planning a “pay to play” scheme.
In the case of New Jersey, Feldman is linked to lobbying on behalf of labor unions with Governor McGreevy. The scandal in New Jersey revealed that McGreevy and his family accepted paid vacations to Puerto Rico.
According to this daily’s sources, Feldman was not accused in any of the cases, but his associate Ronald A. White was. An attorney, White was accused of conspiracy, fraud, and extortion but died of cancer during his trial.
In both cases, neither the Mayor nor the Governor was accused, but a series of aides for both were convicted, EL VOCERO confirmed through reliable sources.
ping
Acevedo is looking very Clintonesque these days. All we need is for First Lady Luisa Gándara (who always goes by her maiden name) to have political ambitions of her own.
Puerto Rico's Governor is a socialist, I assume?
Technically, he's not, but the pro-independence left supported him in the 2004 elections.
During a press conference today, Romero acknowledged that he has been in contact with Federal authorities regarding what I call "Anílbalgate". His apparent goal is to have Acevedo impeached.
http://www.vocero.com/noticiasum.asp?id=1490 (Spanish)
And do remember that Acevedo invested (or approved investing) over $30,000 in private-sector initiatives (i.e., tailoring suits for him).
And to think Acevedo's party delighted in recklessly accusing former Governors Carlos Romero Barceló and Pedro Rosselló of being corrupt. Well, neither Romero nor Rosselló was ever investigated like the incumbent is right now.
It would be a shame if the Governor were impeached, convicted, and sent to prison. Thirty thousand dollars' worth of fancy clothes down the drain!
Just now on the radio: The Feds have subpoeaned the governor's tax records from the PR Treasury Department.
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