After FBI search of Sen. Calderon’s office, a waiting game

SACRAMENTO -- Ever since federal agents searched the office of Sen. Ron Calderon (D-Montebello), everyone in the Capitol has been waiting for another shoe to drop.

But William J. Portanova, a defense lawyer and former prosecutor who is working with the Senate, said people shouldn’t hold their breath.

He predicted “a long calm after the storm” of Tuesday’s search.

“These things have a rhythm to them,” Portanova said. “Right now we’ve seen one wave. It’s kind of hard to read what the rhythm of the waves is until you have at least one more.”

Indeed, federal probes can be lengthy endeavors, and sometimes they end quietly. A five-year investigation of former Senate leader Don Perata was closed without any charges in 2009.

Law enforcement sources have told The Times that the search of Calderon’s office is tied to a corruption case in Los Angeles County. The senator has not been charged, and his lawyer has said he has done nothing wrong.

Senate leader Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) said Wednesday that the upper house would fully cooperate with law enforcement.

“We’ve got nothing to hide,” he said. “Obviously this is something that was upsetting, but we’ve got work to do.”

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Twitter: @chrismegerian