FBI probes obstruction of justice claim by former St. HOPE official

PDF: See Rick Maya's, former St. HOPE official, resignation letter

Acting U.S. Attorney Lawrence B. Brown confirmed the FBI is investigating allegations that St. HOPE e-mails were destroyed during an earlier probe.

The FBI's Sacramento division is investigating a former St. HOPE executive's allegations of obstruction of justice, Acting U.S. Attorney Lawrence G. Brown confirmed Tuesday.

The news fuels the controversy that has followed Mayor Kevin Johnson since 2008, when his brainchild St. HOPE Academy first was investigated for misuse of public funds.

That investigation appeared to end in April when Brown's office announced a settlement with Johnson, St. HOPE and former executive director Dana Gonzalez.
Read on.


Update: Sen. McCaskill found reasons for firing IG are "well founded. McCaskill said in a statement, reports CNN, that the White House was now in full compliance with the law, and added: "The reasons given in the most recent White House letter are substantial and the decision to remove Walpin appears well founded."

On a side note: According to acting U.S. Attorney Brown's April 2009 memo, Click here:

Additionally, the Corporation will not institute debarment proceedings against St. HOPE with respect to the AmeriCorps grants so long as it complies with the terms of the settlement agreement. The Corporation also will not institute debarment proceedings against [Kevin] Johnson and[Dana] Gonzalez with respect to the AmeriCorps grants so long as they comply with their obligations under the settlement agreement, including certification of the course completion.

In order words, the USA lifted the disbarrment by IG as long as Johnson and Gonzalez complied with the agreement. But, the IG was contested the "propriety" of a settlement made with a mayor for alleged misuse of AmeriCorps funds.

Update 2: Mayor Kevin Johnson responds about he FBI investigation of obstruction of justice claims by ST HOPE official.

In the video, Johnson states that he hasn’t spoken to the FBI nor the U.S. Attorney office vabout the matter. In addition, Johnson stated that he wasn’t notified by nor talked to anyone from the Obama Administration of the IG firing.