Top aide leaves Sen. Calderon’s office after FBI raid
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Two weeks after the FBI raided the offices of state Sen. Ronald Calderon, officials confirmed Friday there has been a shakeup of the lawmaker’s staff.
Rocky Rushing, Calderon’s longtime chief of staff, said Friday that he decided to leave the office for another assignment with the state Senate.
“I requested to be transferred from Senator Calderon’s office and the request was granted,” Rushing said in an email to The Times. “I look forward to continuing my career of public service with the Legislature.”
The loss of his chief of staff is but the latest setback for Calderon, a Democrat from Montebello, whose offices were raided June 4 by FBI agents who carted off boxes of documents as part of a public corruption probe. A law enforcement source has said Calderon is the “the focus of the investigation.”
Federal authorities have also issued subpoenaes requiring other state officials, including Sen. Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) to testify as witnesses before a grand jury in Los Angeles.
Rushing has declined to comment on the investigation and whether he has been issued a subpoena.
Mario Beltran, a spokesman for Calderon, declined comment on Rushing’s departure, citing personnel rules.
Former state Sen. Tom Hayden, who employed Rushing as a legislative aide in the past, said he has confidence in Rushing.
“It’s his boss that is facing big problems,” Hayden said. “Without any knowledge of the charges, I’m sure that Rocky had nothing to do with it. If you are saying he is no longer on that payroll, it wouldn’t surprise me.”
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