Page 26 - bon-dia-aruba-20210608

A26 u.s. news
Diamars 8 Juni 2021

Ex-Detroit councilman gets probation for misconduct charge

(AP) — A former Detroit issue.
city councilman was sen-
tenced Monday to 2 1/2 The federal charges will be
years of probation after dismissed as part of Leland’s
pleading guilty last month plea agreement in the state
to accepting an illegal misconduct case.
cash campaign contribu-
tion. “The court has been con-
vinced to go along with this
Gabe Leland, 38, admit- fair disposition, and in light
ted before he was sentenced of your resignation from the
by Wayne County Circuit Detroit City Council, you’re
Judge Gregory Bill that he not in a position to breach the
had “crossed a line.” He also trust of the people,” Bill said
apologized to his family and during sentencing.
those who had voted for him.
But the judge said that if Le-
The Democrat had pleaded land violates the terms of his
guilty in May to misconduct probation period, he could
in office and resigned from face five years in prison.
his council seat representing
Detroit’s District 7. Court Leland told the court that
documents have said he ac- while few people have the
cepted an illegal $7,500 cash opportunity to serve in elect-
campaign contribution. ed office, he was honored to
do so for 15 years.
A federal grand jury indicted
Leland in 2018 on corrup- “But I crossed the line,” he
tion charges tied to $15,000 said during the Zoom court
in bribes and free auto body work solicited and accepted from a business owner in re- turn for help on a property hearing.

Oregon lawmaker faces expulsion for assault on state Capitol

release said. But with Re- let them in if they texted the House of Representa-
publicans now calling for him, and he provided his tives,” the resolution says.
Nearman to step down, his cell phone number. The ex- A reporter went to Near-
fate appeared sealed. If Ne- istence of the video was first man’s office in the Capitol to
arman does not resign, there reported Friday by Oregon get his reaction. A woman sit-
was little doubt that an over- Public Broadcasting. ting at a desk in the anteroom
whelming number of House demanded to know how the
members would vote to cast In her resolution, Kotek said reporter got there, then said
him out. personnel who were autho- the lawmaker was not pres-
rized to be in the Oregon ent. She refused to comment,
The incident on Dec. 21 Capitol described the events went into Nearman’s office
rattled lawmakers and staff on Dec. 21 as intense and and shut the door.
inside the Capitol and fore- stressful, terrifying and dis- Nearman, who didn’t re-
shadowed the Jan. 6 assault tressing. spond to messages seeking
on the U.S. Capitol by riot- “Law enforcement officers comment, also faces two mis-
(AP) — Oregon House in a joint letter to Nearman. ers spurred on by then Presi- were visibly injured and demeanor criminal charges
Speaker Tina Kotek wants “Given the newest evidence dent Donald Trump. Several shaken due to the demonstra- and has said he will seek a
to expel a Republican that has come to light ... it is of those who were among tors’ action,” Kotek added. trial by jury.
lawmaker who allowed our beliefs as friends and col- the crowds in Salem on Dec.
violent protesters into the leagues that it is in the best 21 later were in Washington “The severity of Representa- “The Oregon State Police
state Capitol in Decem- interest of your caucus, your during the U.S. Capitol at- tive Nearman’s actions and spent over four months in-
ber. Fellow Republicans family, yourself, and the state tack. last week’s revelation that vestigating me. ... Do you
said Monday they want of Oregon for you to step they were premeditated re- think these guys have any-
him out too. down from your office,” they As lawmakers met in emer- quire a special committee to thing better to do?” Nearman
said. gency session on Dec. 21 to immediately consider expel- said on a conservative radio
Video that emerged late Fri- deal with economic fallout ling him from the House of show last month.
day in local news reports Kotek, a Democrat, also intro- from the coronavirus pan- Representatives,” Kotek said. Kotek said police in the state
that apparently showed Rep. duced a resolution that says if demic, far-right rioters en- “He knowingly put the phys- Capitol prevented the situa-
Mike Nearman choreo- two-thirds of the members of tered the building. They ical safety of everyone in the tion from escalating.
graphing how he would let the House of Representatives sprayed chemical irritants at Capitol -– lawmakers, staff “As we saw in January at the
protesters into the Capitol, concur, Rep. Mike Nearman police who finally expelled and law enforcement -– in U.S. Capitol, the ramifica-
which was closed to the pub- would be expelled from the them. Outside, protesters jeopardy.” tions could have been dire
lic, exploded like a bombshell House. Minutes before the broke windows on the Capi- Her resolution cites the Or- if law enforcement had not
in the Legislature on Mon- House opened its floor ses- tol and assaulted journalists. egon Constitution, which stepped in so quickly,” Kotek
day. For even the minority sion late Monday morning, empowers the House of said. Members of the new
Republicans in the House, it her office announced that Later, security camera video Representatives to punish a committee are Rep. Paul
was too much. Kotek appointed a committee emerged showing Nearman representative for disorderly Holvey, D-Eugene; Rep.
to consider expulsion. opening a door to the capi- behavior. Christine Drazan, R-Canby;
“Today, we strongly recom- tol, which was closed to the Rep. Barbara Smith Warner,
mend that you resign from The committee, composed public because of the coro- “With the concurrence of D-Portland; Rep. Daniel
the Oregon State House of of three Democrats and three navirus pandemic, allowing two-thirds of the members Bonham, R-The Dalles; Rep.
Representatives, House Dis- Republicans, will convene protesters to enter. Nearman of the House of Representa- Andrea Salinas, D-Lake Os-
trict 23 position,” all 22 Re- later this week and take up allegedly told people in a vid- tives, Representative Near- wego; and Rep. Duane Stark,
publicans in the House said the resolution, Kotek’s press eo days earlier that he would man (shall) be expelled from R-Grants Pass.