District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis today released a letter of recommendation she wrote for the son of a Mexican businessman charged in federal court with illegal campaign contributions by a foreign national.
Dumanis released the letter during an appearance on KUSI-TV (watch above), which was not part of a media consortium—which includes City News Service—that argued the letter was a public document and sought its release.
Dumanis said she released the letter for Edward Susumo Azano in her personal capacity, not as the county's top prosecutor.
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Azano's father, Jose, is charged with pumping hundreds of thousands of dollars into local campaigns, including Dumanis' failed 2012 campaign for San Diego mayor.
In her appearance on KUSI, Dumanis said she did not know the younger Azano and wrote the letter at the request of retired San Diego police Detective Ernie Encinas, who worked for Jose Azano.
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Encinas has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and tax evasion in the campaign contribution scandal.
The U.S. Attorney's Office has said that Azano wanted to turn San Diego's bayfront into a West Coast version of Miami.
—City News Service
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