Obama Supporter Indicted, Impact Unclear

Ordinarily, the indictment of the governor of Puerto Rico on charges of campaign finance violations wouldn't be too noteworthy on the mainland. However, it's worth pointing out that Governor Anibal Acevedo Vila, who was charged with 19 counts (including conspiring to violate U.S. campaign finance laws and giving false testimony to the F.B.I.) after a probe of his 2000 campaign for Puerto Rico's non-voting seat in the U.S. House, is Barack Obama's top supporter on the island, where the June 1 primary could play—for the first time since 1984—a significant role in the Democratic nominating race. Fifty-five delegates will be at stake in the primary, in which Hillary Clinton—thanks to the lopsided advantage she's shown among Hispanic voters elsewhere—is expected to fare well.

One possible mitigating factor: The governor's claim that the investigation and indictment are politically motivated "has support in Puerto Rico," the AP reports.