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Former San Diego mayor (party unknown) acknowledges using charity for gambling, losing $1 billion
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/14/16964847-former-san-diego-mayor-acknowledges-using-charit ^ | Andrew Rafferty

Posted on 02/14/2013 5:24:25 PM PST by dead

Former San Diego Mayor Maureen O’Connor acknowledged in federal court Thursday that she took $2 million from her late husband's charitable foundation to pay for her addiction to video poker — and lost $1 billion wagering over the course of a decade.

O’Connor, the mayor of California’s second largest city from 1986 to 1992, pleaded not guilty to money laundering as part of a deal with prosecutors that will defer the charges for two years as she attempts to repay the debt.

An attorney for O’Connor, Eugene Iredale, told reporters outside the courthouse that his client had severe health problems, including a brain tumor, that led to her gambling addition, according to NBC San Diego.

Iredale said his client won more than $1 billion from 2000 to 2009 playing video poker in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and San Diego, but lost most of it.

After dipping into the red, she wound up compiling $13 million in debt, according her attorney.

Prosecutors allege that between September 2008 and March 2009, the 66-year-old took more than $2,088,000 from the foundation started by her late husband, Jack-in-the-Box founder Robert O. Peterson.

O’Connor was elected the first female mayor of San Diego after serving eight years on city council. She was married to Peterson from 1977 until his death in 1994, and her estate was at one time worth $40 to $50 million.


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: atlanticcity; california; eugeneiredale; jackinthebox; lasvegas; maureenoconnor; robertopeterson; sandiego
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MSNBC was apparently unable to determine what party this mayor belongs to. I will give them a few clues that should help with their ongoing investigation:

Hope this helps, MSNBC!

1 posted on 02/14/2013 5:24:32 PM PST by dead
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To: dead

She’s a Dem.


2 posted on 02/14/2013 5:26:44 PM PST by Focault's Pendulum (I live in NJ....I want a bailout!!!)
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To: dead

This is not “party unknown.” MSNBC is highly politicized. They know perfectly well that she’s a Democrat, and they’re hoping none of their readers and listeners have enough initiative to check.


3 posted on 02/14/2013 5:28:17 PM PST by Bryan
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To: dead

Who’s the only President who confessed to being a crackhead and pothead? Just think, had he been caught he’d have been guilty of a felony and hence, unable to pass a background check for a pistol. And the msm piles on Rubio for getting a drink of water. I’ve had it.


4 posted on 02/14/2013 5:29:17 PM PST by donaldo
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To: dead
$1 billion

That's a typo right?

5 posted on 02/14/2013 5:30:52 PM PST by vbmoneyspender
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To: dead

bttt


6 posted on 02/14/2013 5:31:35 PM PST by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)
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To: dead

The mayor’s office in non-partisan, but Maureen is a democrat, a well known fact.


7 posted on 02/14/2013 5:31:35 PM PST by onyx (FREE REPUBLIC IS HERE TO STAY! DONATE MONTHLY! IF YOU WANT ON SARAH PALIN''S PING LIST, LET ME KNOW)
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To: vbmoneyspender

NO.


8 posted on 02/14/2013 5:32:17 PM PST by onyx (FREE REPUBLIC IS HERE TO STAY! DONATE MONTHLY! IF YOU WANT ON SARAH PALIN''S PING LIST, LET ME KNOW)
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To: vbmoneyspender

Maybe she just need her own machine in her own residence.

How many video poker machines can you buy for a billion?


9 posted on 02/14/2013 5:33:42 PM PST by research99
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To: onyx

She’s lucky she’s not in China, they would have executed her.

Just goes to show that China does some things right.


10 posted on 02/14/2013 5:34:25 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: onyx

Politics seems to attract some seriously screwed up people.


11 posted on 02/14/2013 5:35:12 PM PST by vbmoneyspender
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To: dead
She's a Democrat who employed underhanded accusations to chase Roger Hedgecock (republican) from office. O'Connor became mayor...Hedgecock became a conservative talk show host. Hedgecock was acquitted of all the scurrilous charges. Hedgecock has been very successful. This story reflects on what a failure O'Oconnor is.
12 posted on 02/14/2013 5:39:03 PM PST by Myrddin
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To: dead
So, she lost a Billion?

Then, unless she had nearly that amount, could she have (take your pick from the following...) stolen, mis-appropriated, "borrowed", found, been given, or just owe that amount?

A thorough audit and accounting seems like a prudent idea, n'est ce pas?

Not much of a poker player, one might observe.

.

13 posted on 02/14/2013 5:40:55 PM PST by Seaplaner (Never give in. Never give in. Never...except to convictions of honour and good sense. W. Churchill)
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To: Seaplaner
Voops, just caught this, from the article...

Iredale said his client won more than $1 billion from 2000 to 2009 playing video poker in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and San Diego, but lost most of it.

My error in incomplete reading before posting.

14 posted on 02/14/2013 5:45:03 PM PST by Seaplaner (Never give in. Never give in. Never...except to convictions of honour and good sense. W. Churchill)
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To: dead

If it weren’t for how women have been treated historically in this country, she wouldn’t have had to do this. Probably could be traced to the misogynists in the Republican Party.

I feel so sorry for this lady. Good thing she wasn’t caught in a cabin in some deserted forest with thousands of cops waiting to burn her alive.


15 posted on 02/14/2013 5:45:25 PM PST by laweeks
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To: vbmoneyspender
Amazing isn't it? Her deceased husband founded Jack-in-the-Box (formerly Foodmaker).

But even considering the eight year time frame I think that amounts to burning through $1,500 per hour every hour every day.

16 posted on 02/14/2013 5:47:25 PM PST by newzjunkey (bah)
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To: Bryan
MSNBC is highly politicized.

Are you sure about this? I'm shocked if this is true. My girlfriend is a French model that I met on the Internet and she told me that MSNBC had the most balanced reporting on television. I'll be very disappointed if it turns out not to be true. Who can we trust these days if not Chris Matthews?

17 posted on 02/14/2013 5:53:46 PM PST by centurion316
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To: dead

We know. When the media leaves out the party for a criminal, we automatically know it’s democrat.
When they say “teens” we know.
When they say “motive unknown” we know.
When they say “sliced heads” we know.
When they say “flash rob” we know.


18 posted on 02/14/2013 5:54:17 PM PST by I want the USA back
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To: vbmoneyspender

And that is one reason why I believe we need a fundamental change of voter qualification and candidate qualification. We have far too many voters with no interest in the system beyond “gimme my free s-—t” and far too many damaged souls that need the validation of winning elections and have no emotional capacity to say “no”.


19 posted on 02/14/2013 6:00:58 PM PST by L,TOWM (No one in the US is free of the spirit of entitlement)
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To: vbmoneyspender

The entire O’Connor family are trash. In the old days, San Diego was a very small town. I knew her slightly from childhood and Robert Oscar Peterson was part of my family.


20 posted on 02/14/2013 6:03:53 PM PST by onyx (FREE REPUBLIC IS HERE TO STAY! DONATE MONTHLY! IF YOU WANT ON SARAH PALIN''S PING LIST, LET ME KNOW)
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