Meet Tom Owings. He’s the Mayor of Moreno Valley, CA, a city of approximately 195,000 people just east of Riverside, CA.
Here’s how Mayor Owings publicly addressed his constituents who disagreed with him at the April 23 city council meeting.
And here was Mayor Owings’ morning wakeup call on April 30 courtesy of the Inland Regional Corruption Task Force, which includes the Riverside County district attorney’s office, FBI, IRS and U.S. attorney’s office . Also receiving similar wakeup calls were four members of the Moreno Valley City Council and the offices of a major local developer. Here is some background on those who were served with the search warrants.
Although the authorities were unwilling to discuss the specifics of the search warrants, they may have in part resulted from allegations raised in 2012 by Deanna Reeder, a citizen activist. According to an April 7, 2012, Riverside Press-Enterprise online article headlined Resident files complaint against City Council, Reeder submitted “…800 pages of documents, including four years of campaign finance reports, real estate transactions and city records, showing what she contends is ‘illegal influence’ between Benzeevi, president and CEO of Highland Fairview, and Moreno Valley council members.”
Imagine that. Allegations that a major local developer had exercised “illegal influence” on a mayor and city council. In California the federal and state authorities are willing and able to investigate allegations of public corruption.
UPDATE: May 2, 2013: Today’s Riverside Press-Examiner update headlined Searches early step in investigation will help readers understand why the federal search warrant documents were sealed and why there may be a significant lapse of time before further obvious action in the investigations.
It’s disappointing to see the attitude that elected officials represent staff and not the citizens. Thank God we don’t have any of that here.
Comment by Dan — May 1, 2013 @ 7:59 am
As I read that Press-Enterprise article, it seemed to me as if I’d heard essentially those same utterances somewhere before. Do all mayors get a “Condescension for Dummies” book when they’re sworn in?
Comment by Bill — May 1, 2013 @ 8:22 am
Wow, it’s like deja vu with the arrogance and defensiveness. These officials don’t remember who they work for…the people!
And now the FBI and IRS are all over their case, searching the homes and offices of the Mayor and the whole City Council. Interesting.
Comment by mary — May 1, 2013 @ 9:09 am
Mary,
According to a Moreno Valley hoaxperson’s press release, the Mayor’s and Council’s offices at City Hall were not searched. Yet.
Comment by Bill — May 1, 2013 @ 9:19 am
Thanks for the clarification, Bill. Homes searched first but not offices…hmmm…they must think the players were careful to keep possible evidence hidden.
Comment by mary — May 1, 2013 @ 12:57 pm
Mary,
I believe that if the Inland Regional Corruption Task Force had sufficient cause to believe there was important evidence at the city hall and offices, they would have sought and served search warrants at the city hall and offices at the same time as the homes were served.
Comment by Bill — May 1, 2013 @ 1:52 pm