HARTFORD, Conn. — Hartford's mayor turned himself in Tuesday on charges of having a city contractor do $40,000 in work at his home and paying for it only after being confronted by investigators.
Eddie A. Perez, a native of Puerto Rico and the first Hispanic mayor in the city's history, admitted "a lapse in judgment" but said he did not commit a crime. He pledged to remain in office.
"There is no excuse for it," Perez told The Hartford Courant. "I apologize for putting my family and my city under this situation."
Perez, the Democratic mayor of Connecticut's capital city since 2001, was charged with receiving a bribe and falsifying evidence.
The contractor, Carlos Costa, told investigators he believed he would be shut out of lucrative city contracts had he not done the work for free, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Costa, who was awarded a $5 million city streetscape contract, did the kitchen and bathroom renovations at Perez's home in 2005. Perez paid $20,000 for the work in 2007, but only after being questioned by a grand jury probing possible corruption in city government, prosecutors said. Neither Costa nor Perez obtained building permits for the work, prosecutors said.
According to warrants in the case, investigators found "numerous instances" where Perez intervened in matters to help Costa.
Costa was charged Monday with two counts of bribery, fabricating evidence and conspiracy to fabricate evidence in connection to the case.
Perez is charged with receiving a bribe, fabricating physical evidence and conspiracy to fabricate evidence. The felonies can bring a maximum sentence of five to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Perez did not return a phone message left by The Associated Press, but scheduled a 1 p.m. news conference to discuss the charges.
Perez grew up on Hartford's gritty North end and street gang leader before turning away from gang life in the 1970s and forming a neighborhood civic group.
Though technically powerless in the city's weak-mayor form of government, Perez upended Hartford politics by aligning himself with a Republican and a Green Party member to seize control of the City Council. In 2002, voters approved a charter change that shifted the power from the council to the mayor's office and made Perez the most powerful mayor in Hartford history. In 2005 he also took over the city's school system.
Another city hall employee, Edward Lazu, was charged with one count of receiving a bribe, fabricating evidence and three counts of forgery. more
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Did you know that Julie Amero Faced Up to 40 Years in Prison After Spyware Caused Porn to Pop Up on Her
Julie Amero spent years fighting porn charges after a computer malfunction.
But her life took a drastic turn on Oct. 19 of that year and now, four years later, Amero has a scarred reputation and said she has suffered emotional distress after facing serious pornography charges that destroyed her teaching career.
"Everybody out there should be afraid," the now 47-year-old Amero said on "Good Morning America" today. "If it can happen to me it can certainly happen to you."
The Back Story: Spyware Cause Porn Popups on Teacher's Computer
Amero started that fateful school day at Kelly Middle School in Norwich, Conn., by checking her personal e-mail and then she stepped out of the classroom to use the bathroom. While she was away from her desk, the computer began displaying a flurry of pornographic images.
She returned to find two students giggling at the computer screen. Amero said she tried to close the inappropriate images, but to no avail.
"The pop-ups never went away. It was one after another. They were continuous. Every time I clicked the box in the corner, the red box, the red X, more were generated," she said according to a court transcript. more
But her life took a drastic turn on Oct. 19 of that year and now, four years later, Amero has a scarred reputation and said she has suffered emotional distress after facing serious pornography charges that destroyed her teaching career.
"Everybody out there should be afraid," the now 47-year-old Amero said on "Good Morning America" today. "If it can happen to me it can certainly happen to you."
The Back Story: Spyware Cause Porn Popups on Teacher's Computer
Amero started that fateful school day at Kelly Middle School in Norwich, Conn., by checking her personal e-mail and then she stepped out of the classroom to use the bathroom. While she was away from her desk, the computer began displaying a flurry of pornographic images.
She returned to find two students giggling at the computer screen. Amero said she tried to close the inappropriate images, but to no avail.
"The pop-ups never went away. It was one after another. They were continuous. Every time I clicked the box in the corner, the red box, the red X, more were generated," she said according to a court transcript. more
Did you know that Citigroup abandon plans to purchase luxurious new 50 million corporate jet?
The high-flying execs at Citigroup caved under pressure from President Obama and decided today to abandon plans for a luxurious new $50 million corporate jet from France.
The bank used TARP funds to purchase a new corporate jet for executives.
The decision came 24 hours after the banking giant, which was rescued by a $45 billion taxpayer lifeline, defended buying the state-of-the-art Dassault Falcon 7X -- one of nine to be flying in U.S. skies -- as a smart business deal.
The jet, the epitome of corporate prestige and privilege, can carry 12 passengers in elegant comfort.
ABC News has learned that on Monday officials of the Obama administration called Citigroup about the company's new $50 million corporate jet and told execs to "fix it." more
The bank used TARP funds to purchase a new corporate jet for executives.
The decision came 24 hours after the banking giant, which was rescued by a $45 billion taxpayer lifeline, defended buying the state-of-the-art Dassault Falcon 7X -- one of nine to be flying in U.S. skies -- as a smart business deal.
The jet, the epitome of corporate prestige and privilege, can carry 12 passengers in elegant comfort.
ABC News has learned that on Monday officials of the Obama administration called Citigroup about the company's new $50 million corporate jet and told execs to "fix it." more
Monday, January 26, 2009
Did you know a California woman gave birth to eight babies?
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A California woman shocked doctors by giving birth on Monday to octuplets, believed to be only the second set of eight babies born in the United States.
The six boys and two girls were doing well and were in stable condition in the neonatal intensive care unit, said Dr. Karen Maples at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in the Los Angeles suburb of Bellflower.
But two needed some help to breath with ventilators, she told a press conference.
The eight babies were born nine weeks prematurely by Caesarean section over a five-minute period, stunning a 46-member medical team that was expecting only seven babies.
They weighed between 1 pound 8 ounces (680 grams) and 3 pounds 4 ounces (1.47 kg) and doctors initially identified them by the letters A through H as they were born.
"We decided to proceed with the delivery in anticipation of seven babies. We had done some drills, some preliminary dry runs," Maples said.
"Lo and behold, after we got to Baby G, which is what we expected, we were surprised by Baby H."
Maples said she had been following the mother, who was not identified, since the first trimester of her pregnancy.
Citing patient confidentiality rules, the hospital declined to say whether the mother had become pregnant through fertility treatments, which can raise the likelihood of multiple births.
"It was a shock, especially with the eighth baby," Maples said.
The mother plans to breast feed all eight babies, her doctors said.
The last octuplets known to have survived in the United States were born in Houston in 1998, in that case six girls and two boys. One of the babies, a girl, died one week after birth.
The six boys and two girls were doing well and were in stable condition in the neonatal intensive care unit, said Dr. Karen Maples at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in the Los Angeles suburb of Bellflower.
But two needed some help to breath with ventilators, she told a press conference.
The eight babies were born nine weeks prematurely by Caesarean section over a five-minute period, stunning a 46-member medical team that was expecting only seven babies.
They weighed between 1 pound 8 ounces (680 grams) and 3 pounds 4 ounces (1.47 kg) and doctors initially identified them by the letters A through H as they were born.
"We decided to proceed with the delivery in anticipation of seven babies. We had done some drills, some preliminary dry runs," Maples said.
"Lo and behold, after we got to Baby G, which is what we expected, we were surprised by Baby H."
Maples said she had been following the mother, who was not identified, since the first trimester of her pregnancy.
Citing patient confidentiality rules, the hospital declined to say whether the mother had become pregnant through fertility treatments, which can raise the likelihood of multiple births.
"It was a shock, especially with the eighth baby," Maples said.
The mother plans to breast feed all eight babies, her doctors said.
The last octuplets known to have survived in the United States were born in Houston in 1998, in that case six girls and two boys. One of the babies, a girl, died one week after birth.
Did you know that Lehman Brothers CEO Richard Fuld transferred his $13.75 million ocean front estate in Jupiter Island, FL to his wife for $100?
Less than two months after the investment banking firm he led collapsed in the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history, Lehman Brothers CEO and Chairman for just one Benjamin Franklin bill, Florida real estate records reveal.
Richard Fuld transferred his $13.75 million ocean front estate in Jupiter Island, FL to his wife
This home in Jupiter Island, Florida was purchased by former Lehman Brothers CEO and Chairman...
This home in Jupiter Island, Florida was purchased by former Lehman Brothers CEO and Chairman Richard Fuld and his wife Kathleen in 2004 for $13.75 million. In November, less than two months after Lehman Brothers collapsed intro bankruptcy, Fuld transferred the home to his wife for $100.
(ABC News)The move is garnering attention for what might be Fuld's attempt to avoid creditors as he could face civil lawsuits in the future.
It sounds like Fuld is "trying to save as many assets as he can," said Palm Beach attorney Jeffrey Zane, who does not represent Fuld. The move, he added, is basically an interfamily transfer that was necessary because Fuld, as a non-resident of Florida, was not safeguarded by the state's homestead property laws that can protect a family home from creditors.
After failing to find a financial savior to save it from collapse - which was a partial consequence of its heavy involvement in sub-prime mortgage investments - Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy Sept. 15, 2008. more
Did you know that there was More Than 40,000 Layoffs?
Miserable Monday:
Home Depot, Caterpillar, Sprint Nextel and Pfizer announce cost-cutting plans."Labor reductions are always the most difficult action to take, but many companies are finding it necessary in this environment," Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse said in a statement today.
The nation's third largest wireless carrier will cut 8,000 jobs by the end of March or about 13 percent of its work force.
Lost Your Job or Worried About Losing It? Share Your Story With ABC News
Home Depot, Sprint and Caterpillar
Sprint was one of at least four large U.S.-based companies announcing large-scale job cuts. Pfizer, which is buying rival pharmaceutical giant Wyeth for $68 billion, is planning to cut 8,000 jobs, or about 2 percent of its work force.
The closure of Home Depot's high-end EXPO stores, meanwhile, will affect 7,000 employees, or 2 percent of the company's work force. In addition, Home Depot today said it would also institute a salary freeze for company officers. more
Did you know thsi 93 year old man froze to death in his home?
BAY CITY, Michigan — A 93-year-old man froze to death inside his home, an autopsy has determined, just days after the city limited his flow of electricity for not paying his bills.
Marvin E. Schur died "a slow, painful death," said Kanu Virani, Oakland County's deputy chief medical examiner, who performed Schur's autopsy.
Neighbors discovered Schur's body on Jan. 17. The indoor temperature was below 32 degrees at the time, the neighbors told The Bay City Times for a story Monday.
Schur had no children, and his wife passed away several years ago.
The man had almost $1,100 in unpaid electric bills, said neighbor George Pauwels Jr., who discovered Schur's body.
The utility installed a "limiter" device outside Schur's home on Jan. 13, said Bay City Manager Robert Belleman. The device limits electricity flow to the home and blows out like a fuse if more than allowed is drained. Belleman said he doesn't know if anyone talked to Schur to explain how to reset the device to restore power.
Marvin E. Schur died "a slow, painful death," said Kanu Virani, Oakland County's deputy chief medical examiner, who performed Schur's autopsy.
Neighbors discovered Schur's body on Jan. 17. The indoor temperature was below 32 degrees at the time, the neighbors told The Bay City Times for a story Monday.
Schur had no children, and his wife passed away several years ago.
The man had almost $1,100 in unpaid electric bills, said neighbor George Pauwels Jr., who discovered Schur's body.
The utility installed a "limiter" device outside Schur's home on Jan. 13, said Bay City Manager Robert Belleman. The device limits electricity flow to the home and blows out like a fuse if more than allowed is drained. Belleman said he doesn't know if anyone talked to Schur to explain how to reset the device to restore power.
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