Puerto Rico's Governor Faces Indictment

Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila And 12 Others Allegedly Involved In Campaign Finance Scandal

(AP)  Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila was charged Thursday with 19 counts in a campaign finance probe, including conspiracy to violate U.S. federal campaign laws and giving false testimony to the FBI.

The indictment also charged 12 others associated with Acevedo's Popular Democratic Party as a result of a two-year grand jury investigation, acting U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodriguez said.

Acevedo, a superdelegate for the Democratic Party who has pledged to support Sen. Barack Obama, served in Washington as the island's nonvoting delegate to Congress and was elected governor in 2004 after campaigning on an anti-corruption platform.

Acevedo dismissed the indictment as nothing but politics and "a spectacle designed to damage me."

His written statement did not go into specifics about federal prosecutors' alleged motives. But in the past Acevedo has said U.S. authorities targeted him for his criticism of a September 2005 FBI raid in which a fugitive Puerto Rican militant was killed.

The defendants in Puerto Rico, Washington and the Philadelphia area are accused of conspiring to illegally raise money to pay off Acevedo's campaign debts from his 2000 campaign to be the U.S. island territory's nonvoting member of Congress.

"The governor will be permitted to turn himself in deference to his position," Rodriguez said.

He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, Rodriguez said. Acevedo said he will turn himself in Friday morning.

At least five others named in the indictment were led in handcuffs into the U.S. federal building in San Juan early Thursday morning.

Thomas Green, a Washington-based attorney for Acevedo, said he had not yet reviewed the charges but criticized the election-year indictment as "an unprecedented and undeserved intrusion by the federal government" in Puerto Rican affairs.

Acevedo's claims of persecution have support in Puerto Rico, where many feel a deep-rooted nationalism and hostility toward the U.S. federal government.

Acevedo, 46, and his associates are accused of conducting unreported fundraising to far exceed funding limits during his 2004 campaign for governor. As part of the fraud, they allegedly used their own or their companies' money to cover unreported debts to the campaign's public relations and media company.

The 55-page indictment alleges that Acevedo also personally helped a group of Philadelphia-area businessmen in their efforts to obtain Puerto Rican government contracts after they delivered illegal campaign contributions from their own staff and family members.

Acevedo's party favors maintaining the island's semiautonomous relationship with the U.S. mainland. His leading opponent in this year's governor's race favors making Puerto Rico the 51st state.

[msgfig]

As a democrat, there is one thing that I''ll not tolerate is a corrupt public servant. specially one that I have helped into office. I still support my party, regardless.

"let''s not murder the opponent, when he is commiting suicide" W. ChurhillI

[msgfig]

As a democrat, there is one thing that I''ll not tolerate is a corrupt public servant. specially one that I have helped into office. I still support my party, regardless.

"let''s not murder the opponent, when he is commiting suicide" W. ChurhillI

[demwatcher]

Another day, another Democrat scandal.

The skeletons are pouring out of the closets.

[tomanyt]

On the other hand, this could be another Don Siegelman type of case. We''ll have to wait and see.

[tomanyt]

And here I thought it was only Republicans that were sleazy. Clearly I was wrong.

[joyous88]

another victim of the bush illegal wirtape system

bush is the criminal

[nolalou]

"It''s VERY interesting that the MEDIA does NOT mention PR''''s governor is a strong Obama''''s Backer....Another Media Bias to protect King Obama??? Of course!!"
Posted by metroduck75

What is VERY interesting, metroduck25, is that you can''t read! Look at the 3rd paragraph in the article, it plainly states the governor of Puerto Rico is a Super Delegate supporting Obama! Sorry, but it''s not the media''s fault that you are in IDIOT!

[spikepr1]

Everybody is bad commenting about the democrats for white collar crimes like the one PR Gov. has been indicted, but are you forgetting the crimes Mr. Bush, the republican leader has been doing for the last five years by liying to the people. Let me remind you: Americans-more than 4,000 deads, and counting, others-countless. Think about it.

[stn_sage]

phillysage - NAH! Your entitled to your opinion---fine---but I disagree with you! I don''t think Hillary''s crummy friends/associates are better than Obama''s crummy friends/associates! I think they''re both associated with people they shouldn''t be!

Also, it''s clever to twist a person''s name to be humorous---but, having done so while applying a negative connotation than trying to attach it to someone else---well, that''s being mean-spirited and devoid of civility!

[phillysage]

Usually Hillary''s problem friends are indicted for *** problems---
Obama''s are indicted for stealing out money.
The latter should concern us more.

By the way, dig Obama''s buddy''s name, Anibal Vila (Hannibal Vile)--oh well, birds of a feather . . .

[downsteamjim]

To kissamaarse: Watch out for black helicopters and UFOs until mid November.

[kissamaarse]

Sure seems as if the "Feds" suddenly have marching orders from the GOP and their corporate masters to whom they bow to start indicting and smearing as many Democratic officials as they possibly can in this election year.

[downsteamjim]

To b-easy63
How does this relate to Hillary Clinton?

[downsteamjim]

I hope there is a Federal pen. near Denver for the super delegates to stay in during the Democrat convention.

[bm6005]

The liberals are not held to the same standards as conservatives.
Posted by dante805

Oh BS. The article prominently states he is a democratic superdelegate. Try reading the articles ocassionally. Now, forget the partisan krap, all politicians are *** us regardless of party!! As one poster said "A Harvard educated attorney and career politician..." Surely will end up more of a criminal.

[squidly8]

Guess it is the Dems turn now - The reps had a lock on the scandals for a while. Now it is the dems - NY, Detroit and PR. What is coming next?

[infidel_us]

Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila (D-PR)

''He was dancin'' dirty'' LOL

[b-easy63]

ONCE AGAIN....Obama may find himself in hot water--not for something he did, but for who he knows. Those Rezko indictments are sure to heat up and spill over and cause damage!!

Unfortunately for Hillary--she can''''t catch a break, soon to potentially break in the news is the story before the California appeals court which could DeLay her candidacy for good. this time evidence shows that Hillary (HERSELF ONCE AGAIN)was involved. At issue is a 250K donation made to her senatorial campaign. Her staff said she had no knowledge of it, so she was not roped into the scandal when her campaign mgr faced charges of hiding that money from the IRS.

Unfortunately VIDEO may again place Hill in deep doo, doo. It seems there is a video tape recording her discussing the fund raiser with the donors (on it, she talks about who would be there and what they will do) this means she performed what is known as a direct campaign request. donations from donors for that kind of request are limited to 25K. Since the donation was for 250K, that would be considered campaign fraud.

Woe is Hillary and Damnnnn those videos and tape recordings that make being a great liar so hard to keep up these days!!! ROTFLMAO.

Maybe Hill should quit, before she finds herself in court this time, with no way to hide her hand in shady dealings. Here''''s the Link: http://www.usjf.net/modules.php?op=modlo
ad&name=News&file=article&sid=344

[dante805]

Why isn''t there a BIG (D) after his name??? Will the mass media label the DEMs as the Party of Corruption in 2008 like they did for GOP in 2006? Spitzer, Jefferson, Kilpatrick, Rezko, Acevedo, etc. Where are the stories NY Times, Wash Post, Newsweek, Time, LA Times ??? The liberals are not held to the same standards as conservatives.

[hispana]

Anibal Acevedo is totally corrupt and has been the main agent in destroying the economy in Puerto Rico, shutting down the government for 10 days. He has imposed taxes that have hurt severely the economy. He has anexed himself with Obama and is trying to draw some muzzle into intimidating people to vote for Obama. He is running for election and will be thoroughly defeated. He should do the honorable thing and resign. The people in Puerto Rico know better and will vote for Hillary and will bring down this corrupt individual.