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Former strip club owner Michael Galardi bankrolled the plan to bribe San Diego councilmen to repeal a no-touching law at the clubs, but he was not the leader and organizer of the plan and should not be penalized as such, prosecutors said. JERRY RIFE/Union-Tribune Michael Galardi testified in the council bribery trial. In documents filed Thursday with the court, prosecutors took the unusual step of objecting to a sentencing recommendation by the neutral U.S. Probation Office by saying it is too harsh. Prosecutors are better known for objecting when they consider recommendations to be too lenient. The government disputed the...

A federal jury has found San Diego City council members Ralph Inzunza and Michael Zuchett guilty of several charges in connection with allegations that they accepted money from a strip club owner in return for efforts to rescind the city's no-touch ordinance. LISTEN FOR LIVE COVERAGE ON NEWSRADIO 600 KOGO.

San Diego's Acting Mayor Convicted By ELLIOT SPAGAT, Associated Press Writer 8 minutes ago A federal jury on Monday convicted San Diego's new acting mayor and a city councilman of taking payoffs from a strip club owner to help repeal the "no-touching" ordinance at nude clubs, the latest blow to a city already awash in scandal. Michael Zucchet, who became interim mayor over the weekend, was found guilty of conspiracy, extortion and fraud on his first business day in office. He will almost certainly have to resign. Councilman Ralph Inzunza, who was also convicted of the same charges, is also...