Ex-Congressional Aide Pleads Guilty to Theft

The administrative assistant to former Southern California congressman Glenn M. Anderson has pleaded guilty to theft in a plea agreement with federal prosecutors who accused him of misusing Anderson’s staff last year to work on the election campaign of a congressional candidate.

The federal complaint against Jeremiah Bresnahan does not say whose election campaign was involved.

It says the misdeeds took place between May and November, 1992, by which time Anderson, a San Pedro Democrat, had announced he was not seeking reelection in the 38th District and was endorsing his stepson, Long Beach Councilman Evan Anderson Braude. Braude won the Democratic primary but lost the general election to Republican Steve Horn.

The complaint against Bresnahan says that he acted “at the direction of another,” but the other person is not identified.

No federal prosecutors were available Friday night to shed light on the continuing investigation or to say whether charges are expected to be filed against other people. Bresnahan, Anderson and Braude could not be reached for comment.

Federal court documents released Friday show that under the terms of the deal struck with prosecutors, Bresnahan has agreed to cooperate fully in the continuing investigation, testify in court and undergo a polygraph examination if one is requested.

The charge to which Bresnahan has pleaded guilty--theft of government services and property--carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.