Jose Huizar’s wife and four children are the recipients of the big black badge of disgrace. Soon, when asked what their father does for a living, the city councilman’s children might have to stand up and announce that he’s in jail for abusing his position and accepting bribes, including casino gambling chips, in exchange for political favors. What a wonderful legacy to leave.
Jose Huizar is a soon-to-be-former city councilman in Los Angeles who has now been charged for reportedly running a scheme that allowed certain companies, including real estate developers, to provide certain cash considerations in exchange for his assistance in getting permits and approvals. His plot included receiving almost anything of value, including cash, casino chips and travel, to boost a lavish lifestyle. In return, he would assert his political power on City Hall in order to speed up applications or give companies priority over others.
In a press release distributed by the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California Tuesday, the 51-year-old Huizar had been arrested that day by the FBI and charged with federal racketeering. He was to make an appearance in court that same afternoon and had been taken in without incident from his home in Boyle Heights. The politician can now only sit back and watch what happens as his 15-year career as a City Councilman along with his family, are put under the microscope.
US Attorney Nick Hanna says in the statement, “This case pulled back the curtain on rampant corruption at City Hall. Councilman Huizar violated the public trust to a staggering degree, allegedly soliciting and accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from multiple sources over many years. Using the power of his office to approve or stall large building projects, Huizar worked through a web of other corrupt city officials, lobbyists, consultants and developers to line his pockets and maintain his hold on Council District 14, which he turned into a money-making criminal enterprise that shaped the development landscape in Los Angeles.”