Yorba Linda, CALIFORNIA

Only in California could the vice chairman of the California Assembly Committee on Utilities and Commerce brag into an open microphone about a having an extramarital affair with a Sempra Energy lobbyist and it's not considered unethical.

Republican Michael Duvall was cleared of any prosecutable offense by the FBI. And Sempra Energy said it has reinstated Lobbyist Heidi Barsuglia as an employee.

Duvall resigned September 9 after a videotape of his comments were broadcast over the internet. He is married with two adult children.

South Gate, CALIFORNIA

Albert Robles, former South Gate treasurer, has been convicted of corruption. Recalled in an election two years ago, he had served 11 years as a South Gate official.

South Gate has a reputation as a barrio. (American Conservative article, "How an All-American Town Became a Barrio") "As South Gate resident Julia Barraza said, “It’s like I never left Mexico." Primarily due to politicians like Albert Robles.

In the spring of 2002, just when Robles was on the verge of turning South Gate into his personal fiefdom, he was arrested on felony threat charges. Astonishingly, after his arrest his cronies on the city council appointed him deputy city manager at $110,000 a year and ordered the city to pay his legal bills.

The bill turned out to be a million dollars. Robles was eventually recalled, along with Mayor Ruvalcaba, Vice Mayor Raul Moriel, and Councilwoman Maria Benavides, who left office two weeks later, but not without looting the city coffers.

Carson, CALIFORNIA

A lawyer was sentenced to 6 1/2 years after being convicted of "brokering a $585,000 bribe from garbage company representatives for himself and three City Council members..."

The Los Angeles Times story, briefly notes that he "was one of a dozen people convicted in a wide-ranging federal investigation of official corruption in Carson.

An FBI release reveals that the Carson Mayor Daryl Sweeney pleaded guilty to federal corruption and money laundering.

In addition to Sweeney, these poliscum were caught and convicted.

4 Former Carson City Councilwoman Raunda Frank, 40, who pleaded guilty to extortion, is scheduled to be sentenced on September 22;

4 Consultant and former Inglewood City Councilman Garland Hardeman, 46, who pleaded guilty to two counts of bribery, is scheduled to be sentenced on September 22.

4 Former Carson Mayor Agapito Diaz Fajardo, 44, who pleaded guilty to extortion, is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29;

4 Former Carson City Councilman Manuel Ontal, 38, pleaded guilty to taking a bribe for supporting the extension of a bus service contract and to filing a false tax return, and he is scheduled to be sentenced on September 22.

Burbank, CALIFORNIA

Stacey Murphy, a Burbank councilwoman was arrested for cocaine possession and child endangerment. Her longtime boyfriend was also arrested for federal firearms and narcotic violations. The ABC-TV online story missed the best part of the story, though in failing to tell why the couple was arrested in connection with an investigation by a street gang task force.

She was mayor of Burbank in November 2003 when two reputed members of the Vineland Boys street gang killed Officer Matthew Pavelka during a traffic stop. The task force was investigating the gang and the killing. They traced a weapon to her boyfriend. [bolding mine]

Also arrested was her boyfriend, who has allegedly confessed that he knowingly sold a gun to one gang member and that the couple bought cocaine from other gang members. Police who raided Murphy's tidy one-story home found cocaine in a bedroom and, in the garage, three loaded guns and 900 bullets.

The Los Angeles Daily News adds to the charming story. [bolding mine]

Vineland Boys task force officers recently arrested a gang member in possession of a handgun registered to Schaffer, Jette said. Detectives had learned earlier that Schaffer might have provided guns to Vineland Boys members in exchange for cocaine, Jette said.

At Schaffer's home Wednesday night, officers said they found nine handguns and an undisclosed amount of cocaine. Jette said they also learned that more guns, drugs and ammunition were at Murphy's home.

From the Glendale News-Press: "Schaffer, a former chairman and member of the Glendale Water & Power Commission, was allegedly trading handguns to members of the Vineland Boyz street gang in exchange for cocaine, Jette said."

For Women's History Month, Congressman Adam Schiff (D) had this floor statement as he honored her as Woman of the Year for California's 27th Congressional District.

UPDATE: July 29, 2005 A federal grand jury indicted the long-time boyfriend Scott Schaffer for trading guns for cocaine, cocaine possession with the intent to distribute the drug, selling firearms to a known felon and using cocaine while possessing guns.

San Diego, CALIFORNIA

Two councilmen, Michael Zucchet and Ralph Inzunza, were convicted of corruption, wire fraud, conspiracy and extortion. Both were Democrats, as was the third councilman, Charles Lewis, who was indicted on the charges but died of natural causes before the case could be brought to trial.

CHARGES: The politicians conspired with a strip club owner to ease restrictions on strippers. Charges included conspiracy, wire fraud, and extortion. The jury also convicted Las Vegas "lobbyist" Lance Malone, who was working for the strip club owner, Michael Galardi, who pleaded guilty and testified for the prosecution. Zucchet had been acting mayor after Mayor Dick Murphy's resigned in the middle of an investigation of the $1.4 billion shortfall in the city's pension fund that is facing court takeover. Also found guilty

MORE trials are expected. Another defendant in the case, former Clark County Nevada Commissioner Lance Malone, was found guilty of wire fraud and conspiracy. "Monday's verdict is not good news for those involved in the other half of the case in Las Vegas. A very similar political corruption case is set to go to court in January." Four former Clark County Nevada Commissioners will go to court in January in a very similar political corruption case involving Michael Galardi.