State Senator Ron Calderon spoke out for the first time since the FBI raided his Sacramento offices last week. The San Gabriel Valley democrat did not take questions, only confirming he had hired legal counsel. Now, he says intention is to do his job and attend his hearings. Conan Nolan reports from the City of Commerce for the NBC4 News…
State Sen. Ronald Calderon (D-Montebello) returned to the state capitol Monday for the first time since his Sacramento offices were raided by the FBI last week.
Federal agents have only disclosed that the June 5 raid was part of a corruption investigation.
Calderon said the federal raid of his office prompted him to retain counsel. He hired well-known criminal defense lawyer Mark Geragos to advise him.
“My family and I have gone through a lot in the last several days,” Calderon said during a brief news conference outside his office.
“It’s been very stressful. It’s been very hard on all of us,” he added. “We’re all very anxious to put this behind us and to carry on normal life.”
Calderon refused to answer any questions, suggesting reporters contact his attorney.
The U.S. Justice Department has only confirmed Calderon is the subject of an investigation.
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Few officials were talking openly about the probe on Monday, but Capitol sources indicate it may include Calderon’s relationship to a San Gabriel Valley water district.
The FBI searched two businesses in April with links to Calderon. These included Pacific Hospital of Long Beach and Industrial Pharmacy Management in Long Beach.
All three entities used Calderon’s brother Thomas Calderon as a consultant.
The Central Basin Water District paid Tom Calderon, a former state assemblyman, $10,000 a month as a consultant and another $140,000 per year as a consultant to a subcontractor.
Sen. Calderon has introduced legislation that would benefit the water district.
The senator was also known in Sacramento for holding lavish fundraisers in Las Vegas, for taking trips paid for by special interests and, according to Sacramento Bee, taking more gifts from lobbyists than any other lawmaker.
All he would say on Monday was, “My intention at this point is to do my job that I was elected to do, attend my hearings, get my bills to the floor and do the work of the state.”
