Greg Devereaux
10:00 PM PST on Sunday, January 17, 2010
By CASSIE MACDUFF and IMRAN GHORI
The Press-Enterprise
The San Bernardino County district attorney’s office has asked the state Fair Political Practices Commission to determine whether Supervisor Paul Biane and newly hired county administrator Greg Devereaux violated disclosure laws by failing to report gifts they received from an unidentified person.
District attorney spokeswoman Susan Mickey said the office sent a letter to the FPPC a week ago asking for a legal opinion on whether the two men violated political reform laws.
The FPPC is expected to provide an answer within 30 days, Mickey said.
Devereaux confirmed Sunday that he is the subject of an FPPC “referral” — not a complaint, which would allege that a law had been violated. Mickey said the letter asks for an opinion.
Biane did not respond to a message left with his spokesman Sunday.
Devereaux, who has been Ontario’s city manager since 1997, said the matter relates to a trip he took on a private jet more than a year ago. He said the plane’s owner has never had any business before the city of Ontario or, to his knowledge, the county. He said he and the person considered it a personal trip, not business.
At the time, Devereaux said, he consulted Ontario City Attorney John Brown about reimbursing the plane’s owner, whom he would not name. Brown advised him he had to pay the cost of a commercial flight to the same destination, Devereaux said.
He reimbursed double the value of the trip, just to be safe, he said.
But unbeknown to Brown or Devereaux, the law had changed immediately before the trip, requiring a greater reimbursement, Devereaux said.
He and the lawyer are cooperating with the FPPC and will pay whatever the agency says is required to comply with the law.
Devereaux said the Board of Supervisors was aware of the FPPC inquiry before hiring him last week as the new county administrative officer. He assumes the post on Feb. 15.
Supervisors approved a 10-year contract Tuesday that will pay Devereaux $305,000 a year for the first five years. He will continue as a special adviser for another five years at $91,000 a year for the second half of the term.
Board Chairman Gary Ovitt said Devereaux was “more than forthcoming” about the matter. Ovitt said that as far as he is concerned, the FPPC inquiry is not an issue.
“I felt like he certainly meant to comply with the laws,” he said. “He’ll certainly do everything to make sure he meets the requirements.”
Supervisor Neil Derry called it an honest mistake.
Devereaux said his understanding is that such slip-ups are not uncommon when the state changes fair political practices laws.
To read entire story, click here.
This is top-o-the-iceberg stuff for the level of corruption that the Devil is involved with already with this Board. Since former CAO Uffer indicates he was involved in the “transition” that resulted in his firing and the hiring of Devereaux, sure sounds like the Devil ultimately coming to the County was a result of serial meetings on the subject far in advance of the actual decision made at a public meeting. John Brown refers to these type of inconsistencies with the law VIOLATIONS OF THE BROWN ACT but he takes no personal responsibility for seeing the law be implemented, at least in Ontario. Q: What does Stringer the Incompetent think about advising the BOS against breaking the Brown Act? A: She doesn’t (think).
That’s tip, not top. Mikey’s revelation and asking the FPPC review of Devereaux and Biane is just a diversion for Mikey’s real violation (his failure to report his wife’s $10K “salary” for his campaign was not because the FPPC rules changes, he was just deceiving the public)o;
And so it begins. Is it possible to find incorruptible souls to work in SB County admin? I fear that this will lead to additional unnecessary scrutiny of line staff, and more platitudes from Mt. Olympus to insure the gods will be above reproach. Tsk, tsk, tsk!
Well, well, well.
So Ramos reports these two to the FPPC for taking free jet plane trips a day before the Ramos report that covered 2% finds Ramos not guilty. Hmmm, you dont think the trip involving Biane and Goofballreaux was a COLONIES trip do you? You know the kind of non disclosure that brings criminal chqarges…at least for some.
Looks like Ramos sent it to the FPPC in exchange for the Ramos report being watered down..THAT explanation at least explains why they have kept Stringer the Incompetent…she must have been the go between. Prior reports already caught her telling the investigators to narrow the scope of the report….Nothoing would otherwise keeping a disgrace like Stringer.
Stringer, Ramos, Ovitt and Kirk. You see the connection?
The connection is an ugly situation…no wonder The Devil is taking full advantage by getting a 10 year contract out of the “deal”. Stringer the Incompetent is the only one that could orchestrate this type of “cleansing” of the guilty with the simultaneous hiring of a new chief administration official (Devereaux) and the attempted exoneration of the chief legal official (DA Ramos).
Why doesn’t this web site allow me to comment????? Who doesn’t like me please speak up or forever stay the coward you are!
Fed-Up,
Your comment posted properly.
This is too rich. Devil Deveraux, Stringer the Bagman and the cast of Crooks: Kirk the Slimeball, Ovitt the Idiot and Biane the Scumbag. Geeez, does it get any better?
Aside from the reporting requirements, doesn’t anyone care about public officials elcted and appointed taking these types of trips? What does this say about their character? Aren’t they just a little too close to the wrong kind of people? Ovitt may not see anything wrong with this but the reat of us sure do. This just doesn’t pass the smell test.
You dont think Greg “MR CLEAN” Deveraux was given a free ride on a COLONIES jet do you? Hmmm, why wont the article say who the “local Businessman” is?
Is it a local RC businessman (lets play 20 questions w/ Mikey)!?