Orange County, California - Democrats Consider Future of a Party Leader After Learning of FBI Arrest
"Orange County Democratic Party leaders are increasingly calling for the resignation of Melahat Rafiei, a longtime power broker and political consultant to Democratic campaigns all over the county – after disclosures this week that she was arrested by the FBI for attempted bribery in Irvine and later helped steer agents toward Anaheim.
"Rafiei has been a longtime political player in Orange County, as former head of the county’s Democratic Party and the current secretary to the state party. She also runs Progressive Solutions Consulting, a campaign business that works for multiple Orange County politicians.
"She also serves on the Board of Directors for the OC Fair and as a member of the Anaheim city culture and heritage commission, a seat she was appointed to by former Anaheim Councilman Jordan Brandman, who resigned last year.
[Read: Anaheim Councilman Jordan Brandman Resigns After Vulgar Text Controversy]
"Rafiei confirmed to Voice of OC reporters on Thursday she’s Confidential Witness 1, or CW1, in the FBI filings against Todd Ament, the former CEO of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, alleging the city is run by a business cabal behind the scenes.
[Read: High-Profile CA Democrat and OC Political Consultant Reveals Role as FBI Witness in Anaheim Corruption Probe]
"Rafiei did not return requests for comment on this article Friday morning.
"In their affidavit, FBI agents acknowledge that Confidential Witness 1 or CW1, cooperated with their investigation. Yet they also added detailed allegations, noting that cooperation later ceased.
“I also believe CW1 has omitted material facts to investigators throughout CW1’s cooperation with the FBI, including additional instances where CW1 has offered to pay bribes to elected public officials,” wrote FBI Special Agent Brian Adkins in the filing charging Ament.
“CW1 and the government have not been able to reach an agreement on a pre-indictment resolution, and at this time, there is no further cooperation expected.”
[Affidavit is linked below.]
"After considering the information in the FBI affidavit, Ada Briceño, chair of the local Democratic Party of Orange County and one of Rafiei’s biggest supporters, is openly calling for her to resign from all of her positions in the state, within the party and beyond. …"
https://voiceofoc.org/2022/05/orange-county-democrats-split-over-future-of-party-leader-after-learning-of-fbi-arrest
https://twitter.com/AmarShergillCA/status/1527443951589806081
https://voiceofoc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Anaheim-Ament-loan-fraud-COMPLAINT.pdf