Warrant signed against Hartford mayor

HARTFORD Perez, one of the state's most powerful political figures, did not go into detail about the allegations other than saying they involved former state Rep. Abraham Giles, whose dealings with the city have been investigated. He said he was innocent and vowed to complete his term, which expires in 2011, and to restore his reputation.

"I will fight for the facts to come out because the truth is on my side," Perez told reporters at his attorney's office.

Perez's attorney, Hubert Santos, said he expected Perez to be arrested Wednesday. A spokesman for the chief state's attorney's office said only that no arrests were planned Monday.

Perez, a one-time gang leader who turned his life around and became a civic activist, was elected mayor of the city of 125,000 residents in 2001. He pushed through changes to the city charter that gave the mayor's office strong control over city government.

In 2007, a grand jury began looking into the city's no-bid parking lot deal with Giles, a fellow Democrat and Perez supporter.

The deal, which would have included the demolition of a city building, included a $100,000 lease termination fee for Giles to vacate the city lot.

State investigators also want to know why the city paid close to $10,000 to clean out Giles' private warehouse.

Giles has denied wrongdoing. His attorney did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment Monday.

Perez faces a bribery trial later this year. Prosecutors said he hired city contractor Carlos Costa to do $40,000 worth of renovations to his home and then paid only half the amount when he was confronted by state investigators in 2007.

Costa told investigators he believed he would be shut out of lucrative city contracts had he not done the work for free.

Investigators also accuse Perez of repeatedly intervening in matters to help Costa, such as by pressing city workers to pay Costa's bills faster than those of other municipal contractors.

Perez has said it was a mistake to hire Costa, but he insists he did nothing illegal.

His trial on charges of receiving a bribe, fabricating physical evidence and conspiracy to fabricate evidence is expected to take a month. Jury selection is expected to begin Wednesday.

The charges against Perez threaten to add his name to a steadily growing list of crooked politicians that has given the state the nickname Corrupticut.

Other prominent Connecticut politicians who have been subject of corruption investigations in recent years include former Gov. John G. Rowland, who resigned in 2004 and later served 10 months in federal prison after admitting he traded political access for vacations and repairs to his cottage.

Former Bridgeport Mayor Joseph Ganim is serving a nine-year federal prison sentence for steering more than $2 million in city contracts. Former Waterbury Mayor Philip Giordano is serving a 37-year prison sentence for sexually abusing two girls, crimes that came to light during a federal corruption investigation.

Ganim and Giordano are appealing their convictions.


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