April 29, 2011
Former project manager details who he paid bribes for ex-Mayor Cathe Wilson
LOS ANGELES - A key witness broke down three times as he recounted in court Wednesday how he rented a car for former Temple City mayor Cathe Wilson and delivered campaign funds to other officials out of fear that a development he was spearheading would not get built.
The $75-million Piazza mall project was in fact never built, said project manager Jay Liyanage, even though he paid city officials $30,000 cash on behalf of his boss, Randy Wang, the developer.
Prosecutors and Wilson's lawyer grilled Liyanage on the specifics of why and how he bribed officials during testimony at her bribery and perjury trial at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown.
Liyanage testified he felt he had no choice but to pay Wilson and other former Temple City officials or risk having the project stopped at City Hall.
Wilson had "my project," a remorseful Liyanage testified.
"If I say no, I don't know what I would get. It's a very important project - too large to make enemies. I (couldn't) stand up to her."
He said Wilson never threatened him when she asked for the favors such as a rental car and cash payments.
"She was very polite, very nice," Liyanage said. "I simply couldn't say no to her. She never turned me down."
Wilson is charged with three counts each of bribery and perjury. She is accused of asking for and receiving $10,000 in cash and other bribes from Wang in 2005-06 and lying about it to a grand jury.
While being questioned by Deputy District Attorney Sean Hassett, Liyanage detailed how Wilson asked to borrow his car to go to a conference, prompting him to rent her a car for $144 in 2006.
Liyanage said Wilson also told him that former council candidate Scott Carwile and former council members David Capra and Judy Wong needed money for their election campaigns.
"We had a number of conversations about how difficult the elections were and how important it is to have these people on the council with her," Liyanage said. "I understood that she (needed) election campaign funds. When I proposed, she accepted."
Liyanage said he delivered $5,000 in cash to Wilson intended for Capra and $3,000 for Carwile's campaign.
By Adolfo Flores, Staff Writer - Posted: 04/27/2011 07:42:08 PM PDT
http://www.whittierdailynews.com/
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