FBI Agents Search Office of San Francisco Supervisor

FBI agents executed a search warrant at the office of member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on May 18 as part of a corruption investigation.  According to reports in the San Francisco Chronicle (here and here), the government is looking into a $40,000 payment from a local businessman having city permit issues.  Agents also searched two homes and a flowershop owned by the Supervisor.  As is the norm in such situations, he has hired a former federal prosecutor -- Steven F. Gruel -- who said his client will cooperate in the probe "to clear up this apparent misunderstanding."  Searching the office of a public official is uncommon, but concern that a subpoena might result in the destruction of documents is often the motivating factor in seeking a search warrant rather than the usual approach of issuing a grand jury subpoena.  (ph)