Former councilman Jose Huizar pleads not guilty to bribery, other charges

Former Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar has pleaded not guilty to bribery and other federal charges in a racketeering indictment alleging he took cash and other benefits from developers who sought favorable treatment on pending real estate development projects. In addition to the RICO conspiracy charge, the indictment outlines 14 counts of honest services wire fraud, two counts each of honest services mail fraud and making false statements to federal law enforcement, four counts of traveling interstate in aid of racketeering, nine counts of bribery, five counts of money laundering, and one count each of tax evasion, structuring cash deposits to conceal bribes, making a false statement to a financial institution and alteration of records in a federal investigation. This detailed indictment, which lays bare these backroom deals, should prompt a serious discussion as to whether significant reforms are warranted in Los Angeles city government.” George Esparza, Huizar’s former special assistant, and real estate development consultant George Chiang each pleaded guilty earlier this year to participating in the RICO conspiracy. The indictment adds overt acts to the RICO conspiracy alleging that CD-14 Enterprise members — Huizar represented Council District 14 — illegally solicited political contributions by foreign nationals to help maintain the enterprise’s political power.