by Stacey Selleck
Two local career politicians have been under federal investigation for racketeering charges. This week, Los Angeles Councilman Jose Huizar was called to resign by Mayor Eric Garcetti and City Council President Nury Martinez after new disclosures in the City Hall corruption investigation centered on bribes and real estate development.
According to federal documents, Prosecutors claim the councilman received more than $1 million worth of bribes from just one of the real estate developers doing business in his district. Several others have already plead guilty in the case.
The indictment directly implicates Councilmember Huizar and his illegal, offensive and absolute abuse-of-power. Huizar has been in office since 2005.
The second news story this week on local corruption stems from Detroit, Michigan. Feds charge former-Macomb public works Commissioner Anthony Marrocco in yet another extortion indictment.
According to the Detroit Press, among his egregious practices during his decades long reign, Marrocco threatened to yank municipal contracts, withhold permits and, in May 2016, removed an unidentified excavation firm from a multi-million dollar sinkhole repair project because the company held a fundraiser for Marrocco’s political opponent.
The charges document Marrocco’s lavish lifestyle was funded by development contractors seekinig to earn favor on business dealings. These purchases included dinners at expensive restaurants, condominium association fees, spa visits, wedding and holiday gifts and yacht club expenses, prosecutors said. The alleged scheme spanned more than two decades, ending in 2016.
Twenty-two people have been convicted in public corruption charges in Macomb over the past 6 years of FBI investigations.
“For far too long, due to Commissioner Marrocco’s unchecked power over builders and contractors in Macomb County, business owners were forced to pay homage to the commissioner by purchasing expensive fundraising tickets for the sole benefit of the commissioner,” U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider said in a statement. “The two decades of alleged extortion by Mr. Marrocco show an obscene abuse of power and a grave betrayal of the trust of the citizens of Macomb County.”
Marrocco, who held the office since 1993, was charged with four counts, including conspiracy to commit extortion, extortion and attempted extortion. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 20 years in federal prison.
Elected officials have a special responsibility to the people who entrust them with power. Term limits go a long way in forcing transparency in government dealings and to limit the hubris and abuse of power all too often associated with career politicians.