SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (KRNV & MyNews4.com) - News 4 is exclusively learning just what evidence the DA has against a man charged with bribing a South Lake Tahoe City Councilmember.
An attorney for suspect Gino DiMatteo tells News 4 exclusively the DA claims a city employee first tipped off investigators something fishy might be going on. That person supposedly saw DiMatteo and Councilwoman Angela Swanson having a suspicious looking conversation around the time of a key vote to keep DiMatteo's medical marijuana shop open or close it down. The DA is also looking at an all cash donation of more a thousand bucks made by the suspect to a charity Swanson is on the board of. At this point that's all the proof the DA's office has provided to the defense team and DiMatteo's lawyer Ted Long believes a judge will ultimately force the bribery charge to be dropped.
“There is no case, and they are either going to dismiss it or we’re going to press it,” Long said.
The DA's office has not yet returned our call about this story. But the defense team hopes to have this matter settled within the next 30 days.
And a quick reminder Councilwoman Swanson has not been charged with anything as of right now.
She also has issued a statement saying she did nothing wrong.
