BCA completes probe of alleged bribery by St. Paul mayoral candidate Dai Thao
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The state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has finished its investigation into alleged bribery involving St. Paul city council member and mayoral candidate Dai Thao.
The BCA sent its findings to Scott County prosecutors, who will consider charges.
The allegations started with at a February coffee shop meeting between Thao and a lobbyist where they were to discuss a proposal to ban plastic foam takeout containers. The meeting allegedly ended with an illicit demand for a campaign contribution, according to text messages from an aide that surfaced in April as Thao stepped up his mayoral campaign.
The lobbyist said Thao told her he "needed resources to spread his message." The lobbyist said Thao's former campaign manager Angela Marlow, who he's since fired, asked her outright for a donation to the campaign.
Thao has called the allegations a dirty campaign trick and denied any wrongdoing.
St. Paul authorities asked the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to investigate. The Ramsey County attorney referred the case to Scott County prosecutors because Thao's campaign manager worked in the county attorney's office in St. Paul.
Thao was runner up in last weekend's battle for the DFL endorsement in the mayor's race.
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