Supervisor Paul Biane
Devereaux, Biane eyed for possible disclosure violations
BY NATASHA LINDSTROM
STAFF WRITER
SAN BERNARDINO • The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s office has asked the state campaign watchdog to examine possible reporting violations over gifts received by newly-hired CountyAdministrative Officer Greg Devereaux and 2nd District Supervisor Paul Biane.
Devereaux and Biane may have failed to properly report on their campaign disclosure forms of a cross-country flight on a private jet to Virginia more than a year ago.
Biane did not return a request for comment Wednesday, but his campaign forms indicate he reimbursed Ray Crebs, of Upland, with $380 for a flight to Virginia “for meeting donors” on Sept. 26, 2008. Campaign documents state Crebs is a partner with Colonies Partners, a Rancho Cucamonga developer that’s been a major donor to political candidates countywide. Biane reported Crebs another $131 on Sept. 28, 2008 for “golf with donors.” That same day Biane paid $300 for a round of golf with Daniel Richards, a co -managing partner with Colonies Partners.
On Jan. 11 the district attorney’s office sent the Fair Political Practices Commission a referral asking for an opinion on gifts received by Devereaux and Biane, according to district attorney spokeswoman Susan Mickey. Mickey declined to comment on whether the gift probe relates to an ongoing corruption investigation that has focused on a $102 settlement the county awarded to Colonies Partners in 2006 to resolve a flood-control land dispute.
Devereaux, who said he was advised not to discuss specifics about the trip or who owned the private plane, said he never reported the trip because he had consulted with Ontario City Attorney John Brown about reimbursing the owner of the plane properly. He added that he saw no conflict of interest in taking the trip, as to his knowledge the unidentified owner of the plane had never done business with the city of Ontario in 12 years.
Under Brown’s advice, Devereaux said he reimbursed the owner of the plane with about $600, or the equivalent of a commercial flight to the same location, plus sent him a bottle of champagne valued at more than $600.
However, Devereaux said he and Brown hadn’t known about a new campaign law in August 2008 requiring much greater reimbursement for flying on a private aircraft. Had he known, Devereaux said he wouldn’t have taken the trip.
Roman Porter, spokesman for the FPPC, confirmed his organization has received the district attorney’s referral and is reviewing it before considering any action. Reporting violations can result in fines up to $5,000.
“We will absolutely work with the (FPPC) and cooperate fully and accept whatever ruling they give me in terms of what we need to do,” Devereaux said.
Natasha Lindstrom may be reached at (760) 951-6232 or at nlindstrom@VVDailyPress.com.
Paul Biane, should be treated the same as Jim Erwin and maybe with more vigor as supervisor Biane should also be investigated for all the gifts he receives from the Speedway in Fontana, including the more than $100,000.00 in speedway tickets for the NASCAR. Money has also being illegally given to the speedway by the Redevelopment Agency and approved by Paul Biane, Gonzalez, Ovit and Mitzelfelt.
When is Biane’s term up? Can the people of this County afford to wait that long before we dump this character?
If the DA were doing his job, all four of the currently seated Supervisors voting for the Fontana Speedway Redevelopment would be charged with misappropriation of public funds. Before that wasn’t there that little deal between the Devil and the BOS for the IMAX at the Ontario Mills? How did that one turn out there Gary O? But wasn’t Postmus really chairman of the board back then, and Ovitt was on the Ontario City Council, mayor I think? Oh, the tangled web that has been woven between Devilreaux and the BOS Good Olde Boyz club (plus Josie), it’s truly going to entangle all the westside politicians and politicos and again make San Bernardino County politics the laughing stock of the entire country. Our reputation as the Most Corrupt County in California and possibly the entire USA is a well earned and continuing legacy for our public officials, both elected and appointed.