The beauty contest flap that won't go away
Barry Allen, self-appointed public watchdog number one, is still going after Glendale City Councilman Dave Weaver over Miss Asia USA. This month, Allen filed a complaint with the city attorney, accusing Weaver of "improper use of the official position" of city councilman for his involvement with the Miss Asia USA Pageant. Weaver has been a member of the pageant's executive board. In his complaint, Allen accuses Weaver of making improper use of Glendale police officers for the event, commandeering a city library auditorium so the girls could rehearse, making Glendale Water and Power send cases of bottled water and a host of other allegations.
Weaver and City Attorney Scott Howard, whom the complaint was addressed to, declined to comment.
One of the most interesting allegations has to do with payments made by Benvani Inc. to the Alex Theatre for the use of the facility for the beauty pageant. Allen says Benvani Inc. paid $12,500 to the Alex Theatre for Miss Asia after getting $6 million from the city for some open space.
As an exhibit attached to his complaint, Allen included a letter from Weaver to Police Chief Randy Adams asking for some cops to hang out at the pageant for security.