Attorney General Jerry Brown, whose office has issued subpoenas in a widening public pension fund corruption probe, has received $52,500 in recent campaign contributions from relatives and a company of the two California businessmen he's now investigating.
The contributions from four family members of Sacramento lobbyist Darius Anderson and the company of Los Angeles political fundraiser Daniel Weinstein went to Brown late last year – months before his office reportedly subpoenaed companies run by the two men. They have not been charged in a public pension scandal that has migrated west from New York and resulted in a handful of indictments and two guilty pleas, including one by one of Weinstein's former employees.
Brown received $48,000 in contributions from the wife, brother and parents of Anderson in late December 2008, state campaign finance records show. That included $12,000 from brother Kirk Anderson, with whom Darius Anderson co-founded Gold Bridge Capital, a "placement agent" that helps money managers secure major investments from public pension funds like the California Public Employees' Retirement System. Darius Anderson controls 75 per cent of the firm.
As a registered lobbyist, Anderson is prohibited by state law from making contributions himself.
Anderson spokesman Dan Newman defended the contributions.
"Darius and his family have known Jerry Brown for decades, and they've always supported candidates and causes they believe in," Newman said.
Brown also received $4,500 late last year from Wetherly Capital, a second placement firm run by Weinstein, state records show.
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