By FRED SHUSTER | City News Service
Disgraced former Los Angeles City Councilman José Huizar faces sentencing on Friday, Jan. 25, for using his powerful position at City Hall to shake down real estate developers for at least $1.5 million in cash and benefits in exchange for help driving downtown real estate projects through the city’s approval process, and for cheating on his taxes.
Huizar, 55, of Boyle Heights, pleaded guilty a year ago to federal counts of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and tax evasion.
Related: LA developer linked to Jose Huizar’s bribery circle gets six years in prison
Federal prosecutors are seeking a 13-year prison sentence and payment of more than $1 million in restitution to the city of Los Angeles. Huizar’s attorney countered that nine years behind bars would be sufficient. The final determination Friday is up to U.S. District Judge John Walter in Los Angeles federal court.
Huizar represented Council District 14, which includes downtown Los Angeles and its surrounding communities, from 2005 until his resignation in 2020. According to his lawyers, Huizar was “an evangelist for robust development” in efforts to ensure Los Angeles was befitting of a “world-class city.”
In his plea agreement, Huizar admitted to leading the so-called CD-14 Enterprise, which operated as a pay-to-play scheme in which Huizar — assisted by others — unlawfully used his office to give favorable treatment to real estate developers who financed and facilitated cash bribes, campaign donations and other illicit benefits.
“For years, defendant operated his pay-to-play scheme in the city of Los Angeles to monetize his public position and leverage his political clout for over $1.5 million dollars in cash bribes, gambling chips, luxury trips, political contributions, prostitutes, extravagant meals, services, concerts, and other gifts,” according to a memo filed by the U.S. Attorney’s…
Read the full article here
