Senator Leland Yee Arrested for Arms Trafficking

A California state senator has been convicted of illegal arms trafficking.

Leland Yee was one of 26 people arrested in a FBI sting operation. He was charged with two felony counts of conspiring to import weapons, and six corruption charges.

The FBI said the lawmaker asked for donations to introduce an undercover agent to a weapons dealer. According to the FBI, the lawmaker also offered to arrange a meeting between the two parties. Yee allegedly offered to to favors for the undercover agent in exchange for campaign donations.

The U.S. Attorney’s office stated, “During a meeting with the undercover agent, Yee and Jackson allegedly discussed details of the specific types of weapons the undercover agent was interested in buying and importing.”

He becomes the third Democratic Senator in California to face criminal charges in recent days. This could have an effect on upcoming statewide elections. Yee is a candidate for Secretary of State, but the fallout from his arrest could extend well beyond that one seat.

The Democratic party in California recently enjoyed a two-thirds majority in the state senate. That supermajority was ended when two senators went on administrative leave after allegations of criminal behavior surfaced. Ron Calderon was charged with corruption, and Rod Wright was found guilty of voter fraud.

Republicans in the Golden State are criticizing the lawmakers and state party officials for not removing the men from office.

State senator Andy Vidak said, “It’s a shame that some people misuse the privilege to serve the people that has been entrusted to them.”

Keith Jackson, a political consultant who worked with Yee, has also been arrested in the case. He has been charged with several crimes, including participation in a murder-for-hire plot.

The lawmaker was released on $500,000 bail. Yee had no comment on his arrest.

http://www.businessinsider.com/r-california-state-senator-arrested-in-fbi-sweep-2014-26

http://bangordailynews.com/2014/03/27/news/nation/california-state-senator-arrested-in-fbi-sweep/?

ref=latest

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2014-03-27/california-lawmaker-faces-gun-corruption-charges

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_25428957/state-sen-leland-yee-indicted-arms-

trafficking-corruption

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/national_world&id=9481634

Download your free Next News “Heroes & Villains” Poster here: http://nextnewsnetwork.com/the-2013-heroes-villains-posters

Donate USD: http://nnn.is/donate-dollars
Donate BTC: http://nnn.is/donate-bitcoin

LIVE: http://NextNewsNetwork.com
Facebook: http://Facebook.com/NextNewsNet
Twitter: http://Twitter.com/NextNewsNet
Sub: http://NNN.is/the_new_media
Meet the Next News Team: http://youtu.be/2QnNKwQ2WkY
Hashtag: #N3

About:
Next News Network’s WHDT World News program airs daily at 6pm and 11pm Eastern on Comcast, DirecTV and Over-the-Air and Online at http://NNN.is/on-WHDT

WHDT World News is available to 6 million viewers from South Beach to Sebastian, Florida and to 2 million viewers in Boston, Massachusetts via WHDN.

WHDT broadcasts on RF channel 44 (virtual channel 9) from Palm City and is carried on cable TV channels 44 (SD) and 1044 (HD) by AT&T, on cable channels 17 (SD) and 438 (HD) in West Palm Beach by Comcast, on satellite channel 44 (SD) in West Palm Beach by DIRECTV, and on WHDN-Boston which broadcasts on RF channel 38 (virtual channel 6) from the Government Center district in downtown Boston.

More about WHDT: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WHDT

#SR