Peters: Investigate Aguirre

Published: Tuesday, May 20, 2008 6:18 PM PDT

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City Council President Scott Peters just called for District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis to investigate City Attorney Mike Aguirre.

Peters said Dumanis should probe what he described as "allegations of extortion and political blackmail" levied against Aguirre in Attorney General Jerry Brown's investigation of the Sunroad scandal released today.

The report says Fred Sainz, Mayor Jerry Sanders spokesman, told the attorney general's investigators that, in the midst of the Sunroad scandal, Executive Assistant City Attorney Don McGrath suggested to him that Aguirre would "go easy" on the mayor over Sunroad if the mayor relented on a budgetary dispute between Sanders and Aguirre.

Peters said in a news release:

If true, such an offer could constitute criminal extortion, in addition to other potential violations of state ethics regulations. These serious allegations require additional investigation by the District Attorney.

Peters is running against Aguirre in his June 3 reelection bid.

-- ROB DAVIS

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