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 (1 and 2), is back in the news. This time, according to an article in yesterday's Los Angeles Times, 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.

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.

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 CalPERS top ten pensions list. The administrator's name is Bruce Malkenhorst.

Vernon's Wikipedia page provides more information.

Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics

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