Criminal Charges and a Civil Suit Against Leaders of America's "Dream Machine"
Vernon, the "Dream Machine" I've written about in two previous blog
posts (<a href="http://www.cityethics.org/node/381" target="”_blank”">1 </a>and <a href="http://www.cityethics.org/node/616" target="”_blank”">2</a>), is back in the news.
This time, according to <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-vernon29-2009may29,0,1500384.st…; target="”_blank”">an
article</a> in yesterday's Los Angeles <span>Times,</span> it appears that there is a
crack in the self-serving power structure that allowed a grandfather
and grandson to run this purely industrial California city (pop. 91)
for a total of 95 years.<br>
<br>
A suit against the former mayor (the grandson), still a member of the
city council, has been filed by the council. The allegations are that
the former mayor improperly had the city pay $1.5 million in legal fees
to defend himself and his family against criminal voter fraud charges.
You see, his family allegedly did not even live in Vernon.<br>
<br>
And criminal charges have also been filed against the city's long-time,
now former administrator. The administrator has been
accused of embezzling $60,000. Why, one wonders, would the
administrator need to embezzle when his pension is $500,000 a year?!
Don't believe me? Check out the <a href="http://www.californiapensionreform.com/calpers/" target="”_blank”">CalPERS top ten
pensions list</a>. The administrator's name is Bruce Malkenhorst.<br>
<br>
Vernon's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernon,_California" target="”_blank”">Wikipedia
page</a> provides more information. <br>
<br>
Robert Wechsler<br>
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics<br>
<br>
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