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Republicans' report: Allegations about Johnson, St. HOPE females

by Kathleen Haley, published on November 20, 2009 at 7:15PM

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Editor's Note: The Sacramento Press editorial made a change to the headline of this article after it was published. We normally strike out incorrect information in an article, but since we cannot strike out a headline, we are adding an editor's note. We made this change to the headline because we do not have the actual ages of the females mentioned and we didn't want to use language that indicated an incorrect age range.

Allegations that Mayor Kevin Johnson engaged in inappropriate conduct with three girls females are included in a new joint report from a congressman and senator, both Republicans.

The report focuses on the firing of federal Inspector General Gerald Walpin, who was investigating the finances of Johnson’s nonprofit St. HOPE. Walpin was the inspector general of the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The report, which was released today, can be read in its entirety here.

Sen. Charles Grassley, a ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, wrote the report with Rep. Darrell Issa, a ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Grassley and Issa argue in the report that Walpin’s firing by President Barack Obama was unwarranted.

The report says that Agents Jeff Morales and Wendy Wingers from the Office of Inspector General learned of the allegations against Johnson.

“While in Sacramento, Agents Wingers and Morales became aware of allegations of inappropriate contact between Johnson and three female St. HOPE students,” the report states. “Mr. Johnson’s attorney, Kevin Hiestand, approached at least one of the students describing himself only as ‘a friend of Johnson’s,’ and ‘basically asked me to keep quiet.' "

The report further notes: “According to her interview with OIG investigators, about one week later, Kevin Johnson offered her $1,000 a month until the end of the program, which she refused to accept. Moreover, the OIG uncovered evidence of two other female St. HOPE students reporting Johnson for inappropriate sexual conduct towards them.”

Steve Maviglio, a spokesman for Johnson, said the report is “politically motivated” and groundless. Johnson is being used as a “political football” between “ultra-right wing” members of Congress and the Obama administration, Maviglio said.

Concerning the allegations involving the three girls females, Maviglio said: "There's nothing that has ever been proven."

Photo by Anthony Bento.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Conversation Express your views, debate, and be heard with those in your area closest to the issue.

November 21, 2009 | 12:20 AM
Let's not forget.. Doris Matsui called the White House regarding Walpin shortly before he was fired.

Tsakopoulos stood to get rich off "shovel ready" stimulus money for Sacramento... and he's been a huge campaign contributor to these folks.

They are all dirty & "in bed" together with big money special interests. Vote limited government. That is the only way you can fight corruption... by limiting their power & protecting individual rights & the Constitution.
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November 22, 2009 | 06:40 PM
We certainly would not be fighting corruption if we vote for the strong Mayor initiative. I don't trust our Mayor with the power he has right now. He has abused his power before and will again.
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November 21, 2009 | 10:47 AM
Ultra-right-wing indeed...Grassley was the same fellow who's been fighting tooth & nail to kill health care, and happily went along with the "Death Panels" rubbish. Not sure if that puts KJ in the clear, but the accusations seem a bit warmed-over and politically motivated, e.g., a reverse-Pelosi "culture of corruption" line of attack.
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November 21, 2009 | 01:53 PM
One thing to consider about Johnson: He was strongly endorsed by the "Sacramento Union" right-wing tabloid, but was NOT endorsed by the Sacramento Democratic Party.
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November 21, 2009 | 11:26 AM
I am as staunch a Democrat as any Democrat, if not moreso...

But from the start this Mayor has assaulted the truth with regard to his organizations, which have dealt covertly with the SCUSD in unreported loans and rent abatements concealed from public scrutiny until just last December, the Americorps debacle and misuse of funds, schools with unprecedented staff turnover and budgetary deficits causing routinized layoffs, and the hiring of unqualified teachers to do the front line work of education our youth...

He sanctimoniously accused Heather Fargo of everything from the mortgage meltdown to world hunger, and has proposed an audit for the City that he himself could never sustain in his own organizations, accompanied by a 'Strong Mayor' proposal that grants his office WHILE in office unprecedented authority over City affairs, examples of which include the nepharious and secretive 'arrangement' with Nestle to siphon off and repackage municipal water already paid for by rate payers, as well as the Natomas permit switcheroo granted to a supporter...

He has conducted himself in office disgracefully, always attempting to muddy any serious consideration of his malfeasance by his attempts to divert public attention yet another bright shiny object, a la the arena panel, or the lipservice paid to homelessness...

For KJ's supporters I suggest one thing -- to READ the accounts provided in Das Bee's articles of yesterday and today, linked below... and THEN decide if you can continue your support...

http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/2339288.html

http://media.sacbee.com/smedia/2009/11/20/19/20091120JointStaffReport.source.prod_affiliate.4.pdf

http://media.sacbee.com/smedia/2009/11/20/19/20091120docs2.source.prod_affiliate.4.pdf

http://media.sacbee.com/smedia/2008/04/15/21/Phoenix_Police.source.prod_affiliate.4.pdf

KJ's media suckups have painted him as a Clarence Thomas for the new millenium attempting discredit those who brought his past truths to light... But we all KNOW that Anita Hill was right, and the details contained within these reports are FAR more credible than ANY of Johnson's defenders --- They are too detailed to have been simply 'made up', and there is a repeated pattern of his behaviours... AND there are additional allegations that have not reached the MSM yet...

This Mayor has been a disaster from day one, and he needs to GO NOW!
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November 22, 2009 | 06:49 PM
While KJ is a Democrat, you would think he would find an alliance with Grassley and Issa considering he seems to embrace a lot of Republican ideals. Starting with his history of union busting, his support for big business and unrestricted development and sprawl, a disdain for the environment, to his opposition to civil rights for gays and women.
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November 21, 2009 | 12:03 PM
End result: Where is the city government that is supposed to serve the people of Sacramento? All the political gameplaying and posturing is ridiculous. I lose more faith in our city government every day, and I didn't have all that much to begin with. This is a wonderful city in so many ways and it really saddens me to see what is happening right now.

bbbbmer...don't know how to reach you offline, but I appreciated your response about the bossmayor folks. I still haven't heard a peep despite several attempts to contact them via the website.
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November 21, 2009 | 01:19 PM
I don't believe it's 'political posturing' to assert questions and concerns about this Mayor's moves, especially with regard to the SMI, Nestle, and Natomas scandals... as have been expressed by Council Members McCarty, Fong, Sheedy, and Pannell...

Rather, I believe it would be dereliction of duty if members do NOT express their concerns...
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November 21, 2009 | 04:10 PM
Ha...let me clarify: I meant the political posturing coming out of the mayor's camp, in particular the attempts to derail any questions coming from the public by dismissing them as "politically motivated."

I am alarmed by the questions being raised about SMI, Nestle, the Natomas permits, etc. And I agree with you that it would be dereliction of duty (whether one is a city council member or just an average citizen) to ignore any of these things.
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November 21, 2009 | 12:34 PM
"Politically motivated" is the local media under- and mis-reporting the news about Kevin Johnson before, during and after his run for (first, with no experience) political office.

"Politically motivated" is having the alleged perpetrator's lawyer speak privately to the witness BEFORE the police; after which the police decide there is no need to investigate or report further.

"Politically motivated" is the resulting record of bogus and buried stories.
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November 21, 2009 | 12:48 PM
My email address is now in my profile...
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November 21, 2009 | 02:22 PM
This has everything to do with the stimulus funds. This all came about because KJ was on the list to not receive fed funds. Everyone was in panic-mode - when has this ever happened? A governement official barred from fed funds... A deal HAD to be struck. It is my true belief, after reading through every single document related to this issue, that KJ held all the cards on this one. The city and US atty were desperate to get KJ off the debarment list. KJ had made aboslutely no effort to get himself off of the list- he could have appealed, he could have provided documents to dispute the complaint- he did not. Obviously he didn't care about being on the list as it would not affect him personally. But, because the city/US Atty were so desperate, KJ was able to negotiate a sweetheart deal. I have no doubt in my mind that he made some demands of the US Atty:

He didn't get the same punishment others who have done similar (if not less serious) wrongdoing. No criminal charges...

He didn't have to pay back 2-3x the amount that was misused - which is standard practice. He did not have to admit to any wrondoing, just sloppy bookkeeping.

He didn't have to personally pay back any of the money (The initial payment was a loan to St. HOPE which can be paid back to KJ) even though he personally benefitted from misusing the funds.

I cannot believe people are defending him still. I believe it is political in that he got off virtually scot free because of his political position. Just because the GOP released the report doesn't make it false or wrong. I read it. It's thourough and it explains a lot. There definitely was something shady going on. There is still more to come...
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edited on  November 21, 2009 | 06:03 PM
So, even though the mayoral candidate was on the Federal funds debarment list before the election, deceptive coverage of the matter helped get him elected, while informed citizens raised this as a serious issue for the City. THEN, he "had" to be taken off the list for the reasons -- and in the manner -- you describe.

The future Queen of Sacramento tells "Sac High" staff that she'll take care of it -- the staff literally feels ill when finding out what Ms. Rhee meant by that.

The person whose job it is to investigate at the Federal level is scapegoated to cover up the dirty deals and fired illegally; then later "the charges against him are dropped" as if there was ever anything to the (oh look another) sham in the first place.

Someone above here says "...the accusations seem a bit warmed-over and politically motivated, e.g., a reverse-Pelosi "culture of corruption" line of attack," which is exactly what we're supposed to think, regarding this "Republican" attack. "Warmed over" because the heart of what has been COVERED OVER is still beating?

Walpin was fired illegally as part of the deal you describe. Doesn't matter what party you are to be concerned (and informed) about that. A public adequately informed (not merely patronized and propaganda-fed) about Johnson's various misdealings would NOT have voted him into office.
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edited on  November 23, 2009 | 09:04 AM
Wait a second - the law firm that wrote the Strong Mayor Initiative is a well known "go-to" republican shop... KJ is in theory a Democrat, but it's the Republicans that want him to have unchecked executive power. How is it now that the Republican's are suddenly eating their young? ...my head hurts...
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November 23, 2009 | 09:10 AM
Basically, KJ's a 'front' for the GOP -- registering and presenting himself as a Dem, since this is a Dem town... but his backstory is strictly Republican, wannabe, fraud, 'on the DL', ... and a whole host of other things...
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November 23, 2009 | 11:48 AM
Walpin was fired illegally and the machinations within the Obama administration -- including apparently the involvement of Michelle Rhee -- give Congress Republicans an opportunity to attack the President.
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November 23, 2009 | 08:38 PM
Odd, a thumbsdown for a statement of simple facts:

Walpin was fired illegally
the machinations within the Obama administration
including apparently the involvement of Michelle Rhee
give Congress Republicans an opportunity to attack the President.

So thumbsdown to all that true stuff and those who perpetrate it.
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November 24, 2009 | 12:50 AM
The SacPD claimed that, after a request from several prominent Sacramento women, including former Mayor Anne Rudin and former State Senator Debra Ortiz, they would not release details of their 'investigation' into this matter because the 'females' involved were under age...
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