Spencer
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Posted: 09/30/2011 06:16:21 PM PDT
The airport developer at the center of a federal investigation said Friday he has no intention of stepping down.
“That’s not my decision, I serve at the pleasure of the shareholders of the company,” said Scot Spencer, who manages several businesses at San Bernardino International Airport.
Federal agents raided the airport on Sept. 21, filling a U-Haul truck with computers, cell phones and other records.
Investigators are looking into possible mail and wire fraud, bribery, conspiracy and money laundering, and theft and fraud related to federal funds.
In what Spencer said was his first media interview since the FBI raid, he declined to comment on the investigation.
“It’s really inappropriate for me to comment…of course, we’ll cooperate in whatever way we can,” Spencer said.
He said he was in New York on Friday and on the day of the FBI raid, supporting his father through a surgery.
Spencer said earlier this week he was at the airport conducting business, and will be back to work on Monday.
He will make himself available to officials, and intends to be at the next meeting of the San Bernardino International Airport Authority and Inland Valley Development Agency boards.
Authorities are attempting to document a relationship between Spencer, former Executive Airport Director Donald L. Rogers, airport Aviation Director Bill Ingraham, Assistant Airport Director Mike Burrows, former airport director Thomas “T. Milford” Harrison, South Carolina-based aircraft materials company Tiger Enterprises and Trading, and San Bernardino Mayor Pat Morris, who presides over the airport boards responsible for overseeing airport redevelopment.
Since the raid, Rogers has resigned as executive director of the airport, and the boards responsible for redeveloping SBIA have held one emergency meeting and one regularly scheduled meeting, addressing the FBI investigation in each session.
Supervisor Josie Gonzales, who is a member of the SBIAA board and who co-chairs the IVDA board, said it was good that Spencer finally made a public statement regarding his whereabouts.
“The entire intent is to get through this very difficult situation with the least amount of obstacles,” she said.
Gonzales wouldn’t call for Spencer to leave the airport, saying the airport boards “cannot go anywhere near that direction until there is an investigation.”
The airport, which is funded through local and federal tax dollars, this week began the process of looking into Spencer’s contracts, by sending out requests for proposals from law firms who could conduct the research to see if the contracts had been violated in any way.
“We’re being very careful because this situation demands a lot of scrutiny, transparency, and the total elimination of conflicts,” Gonzales said.
At the same time, she said it is important for Spencer to be accountable.
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Wow Josie Gonzales is in the hot seat now. Maybe her good buddy Brad Mitzelfelt should be sitting there right beside her. Isn’t Victorville air port is a lot more trouble as far as money and extortion goes? Where is the FBI? If they really are here to put a dent into our corruption and are paying attention all the counties air ports should be raided, right along with sandbag, road projects, HUD, Freddie Mac’s money, and all boards each of these board of supervisors sit on as well as all non profits associated with them! There conflict of interest on all county contracts and county ran boards! We shall see if the FBI and IRS are going to have selective prosecution. They have made great ways to hide the money this board continues to steal from the tax payers.
Does all this really matter? Everyone knows the world does not reward merit, only kickbacks, favors, back scratching or yeah I know that person give them the job. Didn’t the IRS just turn its back to Tim Geithners tax cheating? Don’t even get me started.
In a few short years when everthing implodes, no one will care.
Well now, this guys picture sure makes him look honest and innocent! HAHHAHAHAHAHAA
Spencer looks confused and lost in the picture. But looks can be deceiving, I bet he knew and was aware of everything and everyone.
Carl: you seem truly demented. Do you live at Patton and do they know you are using their computer?
Billytard: Me thinks you are trying to protect the Redlands Mafia who are all going to hang for the Airport Fiasco, and by the way, all of whom support the Casino Boss.
Wow, there’s never a deal moment in our county is there? I wish the D.A.’s office, A.G.’s office, the IRS and the FBI do would their job and take all the county political offenders in! This is getting ridiculous. Nickel and dime the tax payers to death. The favoritism in prosecutions have got to stop. If you steal from the tax payer’s it’s time that the tax payer’s be heard and they need to get off their butt’s and make the indictments of all the participants and not just a few! COME ON GUYS GET IT TOGETHER!!!!
Traci, not to mention, all those illegal immigrants draining the system and taking all our tax payer dollars in benefits.
Oh, sorry I forgot, undocumented workers, not illegal immigrants. My bad.