Former aide to Jose Huizar testifies on demands for bribes

A high-level aide to former Los Angeles Metropolis Councilman Jose Huizar gave jurors a vivid have a look at the pay-to-play schemes allegedly pursued by his boss, describing paper baggage stuffed with bribe cash and calls for for live performance tickets and different presents.

George Esparza, showing Friday within the first of three trials coping with the Huizar case, advised jurors that he took half in two “cash drops” in 2017, choosing up money from a developer’s go-between after which delivering the cash to the councilman in liquor packing containers — all whereas taking copious notes on his personal legal actions.

Esparza, who labored a number of years because the councilman’s particular assistant, stated his boss assigned him to search out the purpose individual for every actual property developer who had enterprise earlier than Huizar, then hit them up for political donations, lodge stays, occasion tickets or different advantages.

On the time, Huizar was in command of the committee that critiques actual property proposals at Metropolis Corridor. In consequence, he had the ability to maintain a growth undertaking off of assembly agendas — creating delays and driving up building prices — if he concluded that the developer had been unresponsive, Esparza stated.

“I used to be taught to be very clear on what the message was,” Esparza stated. “Should you don’t assist the councilman along with his requests, your undertaking will likely be stalled.”

Esparza, 35, started testifying on Day 4 of the federal trial in opposition to Dae Yong Lee, a businessman accused of paying a $500,000 bribe to make sure Huizar’s assist for his deliberate 20-story residential tower. Lee, often known as David Lee, has pleaded not responsible to bribery, wire fraud and obstruction of justice.

Political aide George Esparza testified that he delivered money in a liquor field to his boss, Councilman Jose Huizar, who instructed him to take it house and conceal it.

(U.S. District Courtroom)

Huizar, who stepped down from the council two years in the past, has pleaded not responsible to bribery, racketeering and different prices. His attorneys had no touch upon Esparza’s remarks.

Legal professionals for Lee have described their consumer because the sufferer of an actual property advisor who repeatedly lied to him and to FBI brokers. Lee, they stated, believed his $500,000 was going to pay for reliable consulting work — not bribes for public officers.

Friday’s testimony provided the primary public remarks from Esparza since 2020, the 12 months he pleaded responsible to a racketeering conspiracy cost within the sprawling federal corruption case. Esparza admitted participating in a legal enterprise wherein he acquired an array of economic advantages — money, on line casino chips, golf golf equipment, lodge stays, personal jet journey — from individuals searching for assist with high-rise growth initiatives or different enterprise pursuits.

Esparza stated Huizar stored an inside spreadsheet that tracked growth initiatives, their consultants and “what the ask was.” The councilman spoke in crass phrases about his calls for, saying he needed to see if the “cows are prepared to offer milk,” the previous aide stated.

“He would say, ‘OK, hit these guys up,’” Esparza stated. “‘Let’s see in the event that they’re wiling to play.’”

Esparza, who grew up in Boyle Heights, stated it had been his dream to work for Huizar, whom he described as a pal of his household. He stated he was Huizar’s driver and “trusted confidant,” choosing him up at his house within the mornings, dropping him off late at night time.

Throughout three hours of testimony, Esparza laid out what he described as an effort by Huizar to wring cash out of Lee, who wanted the councilman’s assist along with his plan for a 232-unit high-rise on Olympic Boulevard. Lee’s undertaking acquired an preliminary sign-off from the planning division in July 2016. However a union group filed a problem weeks later, elevating the chance that its destiny could be determined by the council.

Justin Kim, an actual property advisor then working for Lee, requested Huizar for assist in eliminating the problem, which was filed by Creed LA, a bunch that represents building commerce unions, and lobbies public officers to make sure that actual property initiatives are constructed with union labor.

Kim, a marketing campaign fundraiser for Huizar, was a political pal of the workplace, Esparza stated. However the councilman was additionally near organized labor, making Kim’s request a “heavy elevate,” the previous aide stated.

Esparza stated he let Kim know that “the councilman gained’t be doing this without cost.”

Esparza stated he took Huizar to a dinner assembly with Kim to debate the union problem in September 2016, adopted by a karaoke social gathering with “escort” companies, which Lee attended. Huizar was “positively on a great excessive” on the trip house, Esparza stated.

“Nothing made him glad greater than cash and girls,” he stated.

In January 2017, Esparza stated, Huizar assigned him to contact actual property consultants to find out how a lot Lee would save if the union attraction went away. Esparza concluded the reply was $30 million.

Esparza stated Huizar then got here up with a proposal: To make the attraction go away, Lee would wish to pay $1.2 million, which might be cut up 3 ways — $500,000 for Huizar, $500,000 for Kim and $200,000 for Esparza.

Lee finally got here again with a $500,000 counteroffer, Esparza stated. Huizar accepted and promised Esparza a $100,000 lower, the previous aide stated.

Esparza stated he picked up his first bag of money from Kim in February 2017, delivering $100,000 to Huizar in a Don Julio tequila field. Huizar advised him to take the cash house and retailer it in a secure, Esparza stated.

Huizar met with a lobbyist for Creed LA later that month, Esparza stated. In March 2017, Creed LA dropped its attraction.

Esparza advised jurors he picked up a second paper bag of cash that very same month, delivering it to Huizar in a Johnnie Walker Blue Label field. Huizar once more advised him to retailer the cash at house, Esparza stated.

Esparza stated he took copious notes on the proposals and counterproposals, whereas additionally taking photos of the stacks of $100 payments he picked up. The previous aide stated he did so as a result of he was nervous that Huizar would pin the scheme on him if the FBI caught on.

“Understanding my boss, I knew I might be the autumn man,” he stated.

Esparza has not but been sentenced within the case. Neither has Kim, who pleaded responsible to a federal bribery cost in 2020.

Ariel Neuman, an lawyer for Lee, may have the chance to cross-examine Esparza on Tuesday. Throughout the trial, he has accused the prosecution of giving Kim a “sweetheart deal,” permitting him to keep away from prices on plenty of crimes. In court docket filings, Lee’s attorneys additionally took intention at Esparza’s credibility.

“Esparza is a convicted felon who, in his plea settlement, admitted that he lied to the FBI in no less than 5 separate cases,” they wrote in a single latest submitting.