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Transcript released in corruption case

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- A Southern California sheriff and an assistant sheriff discussed matching their stories in a corruption investigation, court transcripts released Friday said.

Don Haidl, the assistant sheriff, secretly taped his exchange with former Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona, the Los Angeles Times reported. Haidl was cooperating with federal investigators.

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The partial transcript was released with the government response to a defense motion to bar the use of the recording as evidence. Carona's lawyers argue that Haidl, acting as a government agent, should not have approached Carona when he was represented by legal counsel.

Haidl has pleaded guilty to filing a false income tax return. He acknowledged making payoffs to Carona and to Carona's then girlfriend, Deborah Hoffman, a lawyer. The gifts included a boat for the sheriff and an expensive suit for Hoffman.

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