Democrat Leader Arrested in FBI Sting
http://em.constitution.com/ga/click/2-233603630-2153-272804-565780-3866120-d3415ff836-fb87abb3f6 Hallandale Beach, Florida Mayor Joy Cooper, a Democrat, has been arrested in an FBI sting operation that saw her rack up some pretty serious charges.
The mayor faces charges of money laundering, official misconduct, and exceeding limits on campaign contributions. Each of the charges is a 3rd-degree felony, she’s also been charged with soliciting contributions in a government building, which is a first-degree misdemeanor.
According to the Broward County state attorney’s office, FBI agents posing as developers and business owners met with Cooper and former attorney and lobbyist Alan Koslow, who pleaded guilty to a federal money-laundering conspiracy charge in a case with the FBI that was part of their “Red Chip” sting operation to target political corruption in South Florida.
https://youtu.be/OFipooTq5Cs Investigator Kate Abrahamsen wrote in the arrest affidavit that Cooper solicited campaign contributions from Koslow that exceeded the legal limit, accepted money that she believed were the proceeds of unlawful activity and falsified campaign treasury reports in September and October of 2012.
Abrahmsen reported Koslow was unaware that the wealthy California land developers seeking political favor for commercial land projects were really undercover FBI agents. He reportedly also set up meetings with Cooper at her home, at the Flash Back Diner, at the Diplomat and handed her 20 checks “from a bunch of Russian names” at a Hallandale Chamber of Commerce event.
In the wake of her arrest, Governor Rick Scott (R-FL) has stepped in and suspended the Mayor, meaning she will not be able to perform any of her public duties until the suspension is over.
“Joy Cooper is prohibited from performing any official act, duty or function of public office; from receiving any pay or allowance; and from being entitled to any of the emoluments or privileges of public office during the period of this suspension,” the Governor wrote in his executive order.