FBI agents raid offices, home of Puerto Rico senator
|
| Published on Monday, August 25, 2008 |
Email To Friend Print Version |
By María Miranda Sierra
Caribbean Net News Puerto Rico Correspondent
Email: miranda@caribbeannetnews.com
Puerto Ricans are feeling yet another hard blow this week as another powerful politician began to be officially investigated by federal authorities Saturday morning.
Although rumours of a federal probe have surfaced through the Capitol building hallways during the past few months, federal authorities had not subpoenaed New Progressive Party Sen. Jorge De Castro or anyone close to him. It’s still not clear what the federal authorities are investigating.
But Saturday morning, some 40 federal agents stormed into his home, his office at the Capitol and a gas station located in the neighborhood of Miramar in San Juan, confiscating computers, documents, trash bags, a drawing of a gun, two briefcases and other undisclosed items.
According to NPP Electoral Commissioner Edwin Mundo, De Castro Font will publicly announce his political future Sunday at a news conference at his office at the Capitol.
In fact, Mundo told reporters that De Castro Font has already made a decision as to whether he will remain in office or step down from his post. De Castro Font, who has a high ranking position in Puerto Rico’s Senate as the Rules and Calendar Committee Chairman, has said in the past that if he was the target of a federal probe he would step down from his post for the people’s well being.
He made his comments when original rumors surfaced regarding a federal probe and when asked if he thought Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá should resign after being indicted with 24 federal charges related to his 2004 gubernatorial campaign.
NPP gubernatorial candidate and party president Luis Fortuño immediately asked De Castro Font to step down from his post.
“I’m letting him know the party’s message. This is what is most convenient for him and for the party,” Fortuño said.
De Castro Font is currently running for re-election and has said in the past that if the NPP wins the 2008 elections he would like to be considered for the Senate Presidency.
De Castro Font has been a public server since 1985 and in 1989 won his first election becoming a lawmaker for the House of Representatives when he was only 26 years old. At the time he was a member of the Popular Democratic Party.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Luis Fraticelli confirmed later in the afternoon that a total of 80 federal agents and the Internal Revenue Services had three search warrants, authorized by Federal Judge Francisco Besosa on August 21.
The three search warrants authorized federal authorities to search and confiscate materials needed for their case at De Castro Font’s apartment in Hato Rey, San Juan, his office at the capital and a gas station in Miramar, San Juan.
“Since the search warrants are sealed, I can’t make any specific comments related to the warrants. But all three warrants are related to each other,” Fraticelli told reporters.
The FBI operation began simultaneously at 6 a.m.
Senate President Kenneth McClintock and House Speaker José Aponte ordered for the temporary shutdown of the Capitol facilities for the general public as the Capitol offers tour guides for tourists on weekdays and weekends. | | | | Reads : 102 |
|
