This is an absolute must read piece, but here are some of the highlights:
- In 2005, Loza slept with a woman while on a junket to El Salvador. He got her pregnant. She came to the US on a tourist visa, and Loza pressured her to get an abortion. She initially refused, but eventually receipts show Jim Graham paid for a late-term abortion using his personal credit card.
- A year later the woman was pregnant again with Loza's child. He again pressured her to have an abortion. She refused, and the baby was born in October 2007. From the CityPaper's piece: "For months afterward, Loza denied paternity and refused to pay child support. Then, while simultaneously denying he was father of the child in one court proceeding, he filed another court action demanding sole custody. (These court proceedings yielded the details for the history of Loza’s stormy relationship with his companion.) In March 2008, a judge ordered Loza to pay $878 per month in child support."
- In 2008, Loza got into a dispute with a bouncer at Marvin. He apparently threatened to have the establishment's liquor license suspended.
This article tells me a few different things. It tells me that Jim Graham was aware of Ted Loza's personal problems, and knew of his hot temper. There's no way he couldn't have known, people informed Graham and he stayed away from the issue saying it had no bearing on his professional position. Whether that's true or not, it makes it so no one can possibly believe the Councilmember when he says he had no knowledge of Loza's personal issues or why he might take a bribe.
I ask the same question Loose Lips asks, why did Graham stick with Loza for so long? And still to this day?
Happy 100 days, John Catoe.
ReplyDeleteI can't see how Loza being a hot head and really bad boyfriend (all of which is disputed btw) is related to him taking bribes from some shadowy/illimunati-esque DC Taxi Lobby.
ReplyDeleteYou're moving the real focus of personal failings of one guy and an elected official who's just "being one of the boys" from something far more serious - aides to council members on the take to influence city policy and legislation.
Keep your eye on the ball, otherwise you might as well be K Street Kate.
The only thing relating to the bribery would be that this establishes why he would say he "needed" the $1,500 in cash.
ReplyDeleteLoza is radioactive, why is Graham standing by him?
Meanwhile an ANC member is still on Graham's staff. How cozy is that??
ReplyDelete