Councilman’s Chief of Staff Admits Corruption

(CN) - A former chief of staff for a Washington, D.C., councilman admitted taking an illegal $1,500 gift for his work on legislation that allowed new hybrid taxis to be licensed in the district.

Ted Loza served as the chief of staff for Councilman Jim Graham from 2007 to 2009. He admitted Friday in D.C.'s District Court that he took $1,500 in cash from Abdul Kamus, a representative for people who had financial interest in the city's taxicab industry. As part of his guilty plea, Loza admitted that he accepted the payment for his work on legislation allowing a hybrid vehicle exception to a moratorium on new taxicab company licenses in D.C.

Kamus is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to bribery charges.

Loza also admitted that he concealed the cash payment from a financial disclosure statement he sent to the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics in 2009.

"The people of the District of Columbia deserve public servants who are focused on the common good, not lining their own pockets," U.S. Attorney Ronald Machen said in a statement.

Loza faces up to 4 ½ years in prison and up to $500,000 in fines when he is scheduled for sentencing on May 12.

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