Swanson’s ethics still being questioned
By Kathryn Reed
Even with Gino DiMatteo being formally sentenced April 10 to five years in federal prison, the case is not completely closed.
Still blowing in the wind is Angela Swanson. The South Lake Tahoe City Councilwoman was caught up in the DiMatteo mess in August when she was questioned, had her house searched and electronic devices confiscated because at the time DiMatteo was suspected of bribing her.
The state bribery charge against the 43-year-old DiMatteo was dropped when the feds took over. The feds only leveled drug charges against the South Lake Tahoe resident. Earlier this year he pleaded guilty to all charges.
Angela Swanson — Vern Pierson — Gino DiMatteo
No charges have ever been brought against Swanson, but she is still under suspicion.
“We are not making any comments on the Angela Swanson matter at this time,” Nancy Anderson, secretary to El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson, told Lake Tahoe News this week.
Swanson and DiMatteo knew each other because he at one time ran the City of Angels II medical marijuana dispensary in town and several times had business before the City Council.
Swanson along with Nancy Rollston, the head of the Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation, accepted more than $1,000 in cash for the foundation from DiMatteo that was delivered in an unmarked brown bag. (Despite its being drug money, the foundation has never returned it. Swanson is on the nonprofit’s board.)
Swanson told Lake Tahoe News she has had one phone conversation with the district attorney since August. That, she said, was not recent and it was to clarify paperwork.
“Nothing new is happening with me,” Swanson said on April 11. “I’m not accused of anything at this point.”
She is seeking from the Fair Political Practices Commission a written opinion exonerating her of any ethics violation. She said early on she received a verbal opinion saying she did nothing unethical.
Multiple phone calls to the FPPC were not returned.
Swanson said if ethics charges were filed against her by the district attorney, she would fight them.
People have told Lake Tahoe News that Swanson has a legal defense fund going to fight what they have been told will be an ethics case. As an elected official, Swanson must report all of those dollars and disclose donors’ names.
“Despite it being drug money, the foundation has never returned it.”
How on earth do you know this was drug money? The business this gangster was running at the time was an approved dispensary for medical marijuana. Saying any money he donated was drug money would mean that any money donated by CVS, Safeway pharmacies, etc. would be drug money. Don’t get me wrong, this guy is as sleazy as they come, but to say all monies he used were from drugs is really taking a leap. Vern can’t prove that these monies were from illegal gains or that there was any intent of bribery. That’s why this is now an ethics case. Being naive is not a crime.
The business this gangster was running at the time was also a front for his illegal activities. I’m going to go out on a limb and say CVS and Safeway pharmacies are not selling their drugs on the side in an illegal manner. Swanson is the most politically astute council member. She can’t claim being naive.
She was in contact and meeting with him while discussions and a vote about his dispensary were in play. She should have known better. Sorry, she is not a stupid person. She is well educated (Berkley) and is not naïve. She should have known better.
If I recall, the money in the “unmarked brown bag” came from the BBQ and pool table donations at the City of Angels II store. So if the issue is that money was “drug money”, then the answer is no.
The schools accept tons of money from the cigarette companies (tobacco fund) – that’s real “drug money”.
Also, if they dropped the “bribe” charge against Dimatteo, then how could there be bribery with Angela Swanson since it take two for a bribe fraud to occur?
Did Dimatteo give Swanson some pot? or something? …Who cares, where is the “victim” here? Looks like wasted tax dollars and a vendetta playing out.
In our system of government, a person is innocent, until proven guilty. Ms. Swanson has not even been charged with anything yet. Only a jury, after hearing the evidence, can determine her guilt or innocence. Let’s not hang her here in the court of public opinion…
I agree with Deborah. Angela has not been charged with any crime. This raking her over the coals for a perceived indisgression is not nice, not fair and probably not legal. Either file a charge or drop the innuendo.
This article reads like something from thre 1950’s. Really, worried about a measley $1000? “Drug money”, the guy had a legitimate business. Ohhhh, scare everybody. Just legalize it and lets move on.
This article is titled “Swanson’s ethics still being questioned” yet never identifies anyone questioning her ethics. All you have are no charges and no comment by the DA’s Office… You are the one questioning the ethics of Swanson, Nancy Rollston and the Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation with no proof.
To Quote: “Nothing new is happening with me,” Swanson said on April 11. “I’m not accused of anything at this point.”
Few if any charities investigate the source of their donations and the Education Foundation had no reason at the time to trace the source of this money. Had Di’Matteo given money at a local Church would you be crying fowl and accusing them of knowingly taking drug money?
This ‘article’ gives us nothing new and provides no new information. It is a headline looking for supporting evidence. An article about the Geese returning to Tahoe would have been more informative.
My feeling is that this needs to be cleared up in a timely manner one way or another. The way it stands is not right. Let’s get some closure here!
Swanson must know something is about to happen because she is soliciting money to defend herself. I wonder how many conversations her attorney has had with the DA or his office.
AROD, If he had such a legitimate business why is he going to prison?
I don’t know Robert, did the arrest report have any answers to that question?
Or was that not a serious question that you want an answer to.
HO HO HO!! No comment by the the Lacy of the Year, good Pierson! Any one wonder why ?
Just my opinion — the whole “cash” thing seems fishy. Any legitimate business or person donating money usually does so with a check. That way there is a record of the transaction and a write off can happen. The bag in question could have had any amount of money in it.
Angela still has my support and I find it totally unfair to keep bringing up this non-issue.
The Definition of Bribery: Bribery is an act of giving money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient.
1) This donation to the education fund didn’t alter her behavior because she was already verbally and publicly in favor of the dispenseries.
2) She did not gain a thing. Instead, she continues to lose every time this is brought up in print.
No charges should mean no story.
Keep strong Angela!
ahhh, so many people with their head in the sand…so tahoe typical…
Hey, wasnt this the upstanding citizen that Ted Long was saying was so wrongly arrested and being abused by local opinion? great judge of character Ted. Birds of a feather…