Loza Indictment!
"You know I need it. That's why I take it, you know."
Those are the words allegedly uttered by Ted Loza, chief of staff to Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham, after receiving a payoff from someone with an interest in taxi regulation, according to a federal indictment that was unsealed today. The indictment charges Loza with two counts of accepting a bribe by a public official.
Federal prosecutors are accusing Loza of accepting "cash, the use of vehicles, and trips" in exchange for pushing certain legislation affecting the taxicab industry. The person who allegedly offered the bribes to Loza is not identified in the indictment, but the document does specify what sort of favors were under discussion: After advocating for the enactment of a moratorium on the issuance of taxicab licenses, the unidentified lobbyist then worked with Loza to arrange for the council to pass an exception to the moratorium.
The charging documents feature this Gotcha! moment, in which Loza is discussing the license-exception legislation with "Individual No. 1." In this conversation, Loza is giving the "individual" copies of legislation that the "individual" had sought:
LOZA: I got you an extra copy, and I just sent you an electronic copy of this as well
Individual No. 1: Beautiful, wow, beautiful. Really. I want to thank you very much.
LOZA: Yes, sir.
Individual No. 1: Thank you very much for, you know, arranging meetings with [Public Official Number 1].
LOZA: Yeah.
Individual No. 1: It means a lot for me, and , uh, you know the community. Uh, it's wonderful, you know, and we have a piece of---
LOZA: We're on our way!
Individual No. 1: OK. We have a piece of, um---the hybrid as well right here on this legislation?
LOZA: Yeah. That's the exception.
Individual No. 1: The exception. OK. Yeah, I really, I mean---
LOZA: But, but, read it, and, uh, then let me know if there's something---
Individual No. 1: I will, definitely I will---
LOZA: ---that, that raises your eyebrow---
Individual No. 1: Oh, sure.
LOZA: ---or concerns you.
Individual No. 1: Definitely, and I want to thank you very much for this, and, you know---
LOZA: Thank you very much.
Individual No. 1: Very helpful for us, you know. Uh, and [Individual Number 2] wanted to really thank you as well for this.
LOZA: He does? What, didn't he thank me or didn't you guys thank me already?
Individual No. 1: Here---here. This is for you. And, uh, thank you very much for him. [Individual Number 1 handed $500 in cash to Loza.]
LOZA: You know I need it. That's why I take it, you know.
The indictment recounts another conversation after which Loza allegedly accepts a $1,000 "Father's Day gift" for his work on behalf of Individual No. 1.
Reporting by Jason Cherkis and Mike DeBonis
Photograph by Darrow Montgomery
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2:20 pm
Graham is as sleazy as they come. I hope he gets indicted too.
4:46 pm
Ted Loza is gay. Isn't he Jim Graham's lover? Jim love Latino men.
7:01 pm
Grahamzilla the Black Business Killa...geta a taste of his own medicine. I can not wait to watch your world come crumbling down. Teddy first...Now you Jim. This is what you get!!!!!
8:31 pm
Now it is time for Fenty to get indicted also. Jim can you say jail.
11:16 pm
In Loza's mind, he probably thinks he did nothing wrong. That's the culture of corruption that infects this city.
11:46 pm
Quote: The 44-year-old Ecuadoran immigrant, who earns $93,286 annually, began working for Graham as a multicultural and community relations director about nine years ago. He later became his chief of staff.
He is not a U.S. citizen, although Graham said he believed Loza was in process of applying for citizenship.
As a native Washingtonian and U.S. citizen, I would like to know Ted Loza's qualifications and educational background working in the a position with a salary of $93,286.00? Also, this guy is 44 years old and came to the USA as a child. Why haven't he applied to become a citizen before now? I find it strange for a D.C. Councilmember to by a Condo with an employee's wife and help this guy so much financially. For a long time, I thought Ted was gay and was Jim Graham's partner. I didn't know Ted was married until today.
The District Government, mayor's office, and the D.C. Council are plagued with corruption. I am hoping the FBI will catch Mayor Adrian Malik Fenty in some corruption scandel and send him to prison with a roommate named Bubba. LOL I can't stand the ground King Fenty walks on. Fenty treats most residents of the District like dirt.
11:04 am
Ya’ll just a bunch of homophobes who jump at the first chance you get to start a smear campaign against the Councilmember’s office. Last time I checked in this here free country everyone is innocent until proven otherwise. Suggesting that they are gay just because they work together is not only prejudice but extremely ignorant and retarded. Grow up and accept people for who they are.
1:58 am
conosco a ted y su familia, todo lo que puedo decir que es una muy buena familia.
9:24 am
FBI keep the rotation going around the Wilson Building...hopefully you're off to Kwame Brown, Wells and Muriel Bowsers office next right?
9:17 pm
"Now it is time for Fenty to get indicted also. Jim can you say jail."
Fenty and Graham were completely against each other on the cab debate (meters). Now so many people seem to be saying they were saying the same thing, and should both suffer. It makes me think people are just against government, and want then all out, without a thought about who will replace them. Details are too hard to pay attention to. Of course I guess it could be a racial thing, where everyone white should be kicked out, as well as anyone black who has done anything that white people agree with. That would explain why Marion Barry running the city into the ground brought him such endless popularity (i.e. white people don't want the city run into the ground, but he did it anyway. He's the man.). Mayor for life.