SACRAMENTO, Calif. - the FBI searched offices of a Senator from the State of California and Latino caucus of the legislature on Tuesday, but they would not reveal the reason for the investigation.
Laura Eimiller, spokeswoman for the Office of the FBI in Los Angeles, said that orders are served about 15 agents from six to eight left the Capitol more than six hours later to take at least one half a dozen boxes and what appeared to be a hard disk of the computer.
She would not reveal the fate of the search warrants, but Senate leader Sergeant Tony Beard told The Associated Press was Senator Ron Calderon, a Democrat from the city of Los Angeles County Montebello.
"It is a RAID federal served in the Office of Senator Calderon." It is a sealed search warrant. "I don't know what is referred to, said Beard."
He said that Calderon was not present during the search.
Calderon did not return a message left on his cell phone. His spokesman, Rocky Rushing, said that he could not leave comments and calls to Los Angeles attorney Mark Geragos.
"I have a feeling that are on a witch hunt", Geragos said in a telephone interview. "My client refused to read his script, and this is what resulted...My client has done absolutely nothing wrong ".
He said that he did not know that the FBI is investigating whether others are also objectives of the research.
He argued that the Department of Justice is aimed at your customer, a Democrat, as "a bait and switch" to silence the clamor of the Republicans in Congress over the recent revelations, including that the Department obtained records of phone of emails private a correspondent for Fox News and editors and reporters for the AP.
Beard told reporters who gathered outside Office of Calderon the Tuesday night that the Office of the Latino legislative caucus, which is across the street from the Capitol in the Legislative Office building, also were conducted. A spokeswoman for the base, Lizette Mata, did not return phone and e-mail messages.
William Portanova Sacramento defense attorney entered and walked out of the Capitol Office during the search. He told the AP he was retained to represent the interests of the Senate as a whole legislator, not any individual.
"They are 100% cooperative with any investigation," Portanova said on Tuesday night.
Orders that served as the legislators who are part of the 23-member Latino caucus held an event with reporters on Capitol Hill to discuss the legislative priorities of the group.
The RAID on Tuesday on Capitol Hill recalled called "Shrimpscam" research in 1985, when federal agents were concealed and presented as representatives of a fake shrimp processing company. Five legislators were in jail for taking bribes in the FBI sting operation.
Eimiller said that current research is headed by federal authorities in Southern California, where Calderon is based, but search orders were published in the United States, Sacramento District Court and are under seal.
He said that the search was conducted to investigate "allegations of crimes."
"This is an ongoing investigation," he said. "Searches are performed normally in the early stages of an investigation, so it would be premature to say that the charges will be filed."
In 2009, political surveillance of the State, the fair political practices Commission, agency closed an investigation into committees of three of Calderón without sanctions Assembly campaign.
The Commission opened an investigation after receiving allegations that Calderon had used money from the campaign for personal purposes while seeks re-election to the Assembly in 2003 and 2004, according to records of the Agency. A letter to Calderon, said that the Agency found nothing in his face to show expenditures were made for "nothing more than a political, legislative or governmental purpose."
Calderon ended his legal defense in 2009 Fund.
The legislator is part of a powerful political dynasty of Southern California. His two brothers served in the State legislature and his nephew, Ian Calderón, was elected to the Assembly last year.
It is known as a moderate Democrat, this business hotel. After his election to the Assembly in 2002, was a member of the moderate Caucus Assembly.
Calderon played a key role last year in brokering an agreement that led to new state laws governing foreclosures that transcended the establishment of mortgage national with five of the nation's largest banks.
Originally, they resisted the proposals by the General Attorney Kamala Harris who thought that it would do great damage to the lending industry. He then cast a key vote in a Committee of unusual Conference which led to the Act becoming law of commitment.
It has also promoted reform regulatory and deductions of Hollywood, between the legislative initiatives which reflect their commercial interests. Among other laws this year, Calderon is conducting a draft law that would require officials of education to create lesson plans on violence in American culture as a way of responding to mass shootings.
Calderon also drew mention last year in an Associated Press story about lawmakers who sought improvements to their always state vehicles shortly before buying them for personal use.
He ordered special "2 wheel type vogue covers stations" for $80 for his 2006 Cadillac, among other maintenance that will cost taxpayers more than $500. Rush, spokesman for Calderon, said at the time that spending was necessary or scheduled maintenance.
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Associated with writers Juliet Williams and Laura Olson press and photographer for AP Rich Pedroncelli contributed to this report.
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