ClubGate: How many will be ensnared?
So, to the delight of some and the dismay of others, we at The Sun have spent two days taking aim at Jim Penman for his confirmed receipt of a gifted membership to Arrowhead Country Club, which may be valued at an amount far exceeding state election law regulations.
Now, the house of cards may be falling.
The Sun has learned that on Oct. 18 and Oct. 19 new complaints have been faxed to the Fair Political Practices Commission, naming a number of local and federal elected officials and bureacrats.
The complaintant identifies himself in the paper filed to the FPPC as a "current member of the Arrowhead Country Club in good standing."
The name is redacted. The complaint further states: "Please keep my name and information about me confidential as I am concerned that my businesses and family might be retaliated against ..."
We will reveal two of the names now, and withold the others until having had the opportunity to call them for comment. Who are the free membership beneficiaries at the hi-powered club? Click below.
First, we'll name Former mayor Judith Valles, on whom a complaint was faxed to FPPC chief investigator Alan Herndon on Thursday.
The complaint was faxed to the Sun as well, with the name of the complaintant redacted.
The complaint accuses Valles of being an "honorary member" of the club from 1997 to 2006 and having not reported or underreported the value of her membership in her annual statements of economic interest.
This reporter called Valles six times for comment on Thursday and Friday and has not received a response.
Second, City Manager Fred Wilson is also named in the complaint, although his years of alleged violations are not listed.
This reporter contacted Wilson Thursday, and he admitted he accepted a free honorary membership when he was the new city administrator in town in 1998.
Wilson said that he allowed his membership to be complimentary for "about a year" before opting to pay for it, but told this reporter that he donated to the club in member contributions approximately what he would have paid as a paying member.
"I used the club very sparingly and did, I believe, pay the club each month the equivalent value of the use of the membership for the time that I was an honorary member," Wilson said. "Since that time, I have been a regular dues paying member."
Asked why he declined the carte blanche to the club after a year, Wilson said: "it was something that had been offered to many people, to former officials too," Wilson said. " I didn't see it as a problem ... But I saw to it that I paid the club the value of the membership."
Why would you pay back a free membership in this roundabout way, I asked Wilson.
"I thought it was the rigtht thing to do," Wilson said.
That's it for now. Rest assured that we here at The Sun will be forthcoming with the rest of those named in this complaint when we've had a chance to attempt to contact them. We will bring you the news early next week.
As an extra note, this reporter spoke with more members and ex-members today. These people further articulated the Arrowhead Country Club's long-time policy of offering the biggest names in politics, government and business sweet deals - even free memberships - to get them in the door of the club.
The idea was to burnish the club's image by packing it with the region's biggest names, hoping that would entice all the dues-paying customers to fork over thousands annually for a chance to hang with their favorite decision-maker or deep-pocket.
Essentially, the club's raison d'etre became a place to hang with the powerful, a widening circle of sources is saying.
It’s a peculiar thing about moths drawn to a flame, they end up all dead in a heap around the base of it, yet repeatedly they return, only to be burned, or worse, over & over. How many moths flocking to the country club, propped up with names of Penman and his other “society page welfare recipients” on the roster, are now falling in a heap with and around him? How many astute ones resisted egotistical temptation and are now rightly self-satisfied ~ and well clear of the consuming flames as the Penman Free For All Express Ticket To Fame & Fortune crashes & burns?
It's sad commentary that the wannabes are often led by the nose while their pockets are being rifled through for the ostensible benefit of “social betterment / refinement” ~ thought to be attainable through mere association with their “betters”, or, should that be burglars? Pitiful. Mrs. Penman’s comportment – and Mr. Penman’s for that matter (See other posts in SBNow Blog for posts on this.), certainly were not indicative of any refinement having been attained through osmosis at the country club, though “a fixture a the country club”, to quote one of many in the know.
I never did understand why my father was so adamant when it came to us joining the country club. I mean, the swimming and hanging out with a certain classmate was way more novel for me at the country club than the “boring” pool at our family farm. What did my dad mean, “You’re never going to convince me to lend my name to that herd of phonies”? It was FUN! Well, like for most of us, time has a way of making the things our parents said to us when we were teens seem oh-so-sage. I’m having one of those moments today. My dad was a wise man.
It may be worth mentioning here, just to throw light on it for a moment, that it seems the “more important” the member, the less was paid. Having been around these social circumstances, I suggest those paying full rate wake up to the reality that the tail is wagging the dog in these social circumstances. I find it supremely distasteful and avoid it as much as possible. It leaves the impression with me of some welfare momma with entitlement issues demanding this & that, instead of being appreciative and seeking to repay society in any way possible for keeping food on the table and the family off being homeless in shelters, camps, or the streets. The “freebie folk” act holier than thou when, in reality, it is the dues paying membership keeping the lights on and links mowed.
Some may say, the freebie folk are draws, serving to attract others who will consider being asked to provide privatized welfare to our elected and other leaders of the moment an honor. I agree and note, all that is obscured from them and they enter all doe-eyed, thinking they’ve “arrived”. Lambs to the slaughter. Being bled of funds so others can frolic for free. It’s just not right.
If the membership at large had been provided a roster of the freebie folk, then, allowed to decide if they wanted to subsidize the lifestyle of any or each of them, it would be different. Instead, it seems the shame a welfare mom must feel using her “funny money” food stamps / WIC, whatever, at checkout was spared these freebie folk ~ the general population wasn’t even aware this was going on!
That said, this really mushroomed overnight! The revelations that country club-related corruption is rampant does not dilute it ~ it gives it more mass. This is a big story! I’m glad to see it receiving timely coverage. Hopefully, other people who are disgruntled at having paid so conscientiously, “Look at me! Paid in full! I can finally afford it now!”, only to find now that they were among the only ones paying anything at all, will pick up the phone and call Robert Rogers at 909-386-3855 to have a little chat.
You know who really ought to call? ANYONE who has received communication from the FPPC really ought to give Roger a call at the number above ASAP ~ to lend another layer to this late-breaking story coming just in time to help readers see: Marianne Milligan is San Bernardino’s BEST Choice For City Attorney!
I wonder, are the absentee voters allowed to change their vote, so they can correct what they surely now see was a mistake?
And, will the country club members, paying full dues all this time, renew?
Time will tell, as it will with Penman and the FPPC.
Oh, you can believe it: James F. Penman has lost more than just a little sleep over this. He’s lost his standing at the country club, in the community and on the ballot.
Thank goodness Heavenly Father looks out for us! The first time, in all this time, we’ve had a challenger willing to take Penman on and all this news breaks! We’re fortunate we won’t be left without a leader for the team of many attorneys up in Office of City Attorney, on San Bernardino City Hall’s 6th floor suite of offices. We are fortunate to have Marianne Milligan ready to save the day in the city attorney’s office, as she has already been saving the day at Code Enforcement.
Here’s Queen’s Another One Bites The Dust, for Robert Rogers today. Considering the Rialto tragedy today, Robert has really done a phenomenal amount of investigative reporting in the last few hours ~ and given us first peek at the results here!
You may need to click here, as I’ve said, this is my first time participating in a blog:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNQRfBAzSzo
Oh Please.
Let's see. Hometown boy who ruffles a few feathers once in a while or carpet bagging Orange County attorney fired by her former employer... Hmmm?
Think I'm voting Penman.
surprised it took a decade or so to find this out. plenty of people at the club have been ticked about all the free perks the these guys enjoy.
Can't believe Penman is using the everyone is doing it defense....
Not everyone is aware even the local "little fish" in the political pond, like the 11 elected city attorneys in California ~ the rest of the municipalities are all either appointed or farmed out ~ have an obligation to report to the FPPC on a regular basis. And, that even little things like a friendly offer to invite any public person to a simple $15.00 lunch, if accepted, must be reported to the FPPC by the public officials.
A lot of people just get disgruntled, make a comment or two among themselves and move along with their more important priorities in life.
Oftentimes, the little comments among themselves do not make it to the ears of people that do know the ins & outs of FPPC requirements ~ people that could do something with the information.
On the other hand, there aren't many folks in the know about FPPC details that have the time or inclination to request copies of the local politicos' FPPC filings, then, go over them with a fine-toothed comb. Granted, it wouldn't take a very fine toothed comb to catch the nit of Penman reporting the country club membership's value at, according to him, $150.00 fair market value.
There's room for an interested group of people to get together and collect copies of the FPPC filings, then go over them as a sort of oversight ~ a public watchdog.
Is anyone interested in starting up something along these lines?
Minimally, it could be an annual event, with attendees either distributing the copies among themselves, then meeting again to go over their findings, or, a longer meeting, with each official's entries gone over, line by line, flagging anomalies as the group deems fit.
I think our local government would benefit from a group of concerned citizens getting together to do this.
In August, while I was at Los Angeles for a certain meeting, I took the opportunity to meet with California Clean Money Campaign's Field Organizer and others. If you would like to become a part of a private citizen's review panel of the FPPC forms submitted by San Bernardino's public officials, please, let me know ~ the process should be as diverse and enhanced as possible.
Thanks!
Your Friend & Neighbor, Supporting Local Community & Personal Betterment In San Bernardino,
Susana Atanasova
The following scenario could have taken place in a first grade class
and/or a University class, where students are not allowed to disagree with
their professor’s ideology or politics.
I attempted to read this in The Sun in the Slice of Wry section.
Although I did not have my glasses, I am pretty sure it went like
this:
A first grade teacher explains to her class that she is Mayor Morris
and Marianne Milligan fan and also a fan of all those trying to unseat
the good Council people.
She then asks all her students who believe they are also fans of Mayor
Morris and his crowd to raise their hands. All the students raise their
hands in anticipation of getting a pat on (or In) the back, EXCEPT one
little girl named Janie. The teacher looks at the little girl in
surprise and asks” Janie, why did you not raise your hand?”
“Because I am not a Morris pack fan” she answers.
The teacher, still shocked, asked “well, if you are not a Morris pack
fan, then for whom are you a fan?”
“I am a fan for McCammack and Penman and proud of it”, the little girl
replied.
The teacher could not believe her ears and asked the little girl
“Janie, why, pray tell, are you a McCammack and Penman fan?”
“Because my Dad is a McCammack and Penman fan and my Mom is a
McCammack and Penman fan so I am a McCammack and Penman fan too.”
“Well”, said the teacher in an obiviously annoyed tone, that is no
reason to be a McCammack and Penman fan. You do not have to be like
you parents all the time. What if your Mom was a moron and your Dad
was a moron, what would you be then?”
“Then”, Janie smiled “ I would be a fan of Morris, Milligan, and all
those trying to unseat the good Council people”
Mr. Rogers, thank you for printing the names of other San Bernardino politicians, past and present, who have had the honorary invitations to be members at the country club. You posted this on the 10-19-07 blog and I commend you for putting this into perspective. This is not an issue that takes or manipulates money from taxpayers in any way. It has been given more attention by your publishers and editors than those things that have involved taxpayer funds such as no bid contracts with the Mayor’s daughter, the misappropriation of taxpayer funds to keep up the Mayor’s folly in Operation Phoenix without regard for the safety of the entire City.
There could have been a lot more emphasis and exposure in the appointing of Milligan to a Code position that was paid by the taxpayers. This position that just appeared out of thin air could have been used instead by what Mr. Penman described as a position to remove the bottleneck to the City’s developers and planners.The publishers and editors have also disregarded the Milligan “oopsie” mistakes and her insignificant experience in what is necessary to run our City Attorney’s office.
Whoever made the decision to cut the editorial section in The Sunday Sun that had to do with the Rialto tragedy to insert just a little more mud and bias into this political race is no doubt not a friend of the Police or their families as they grieve.
Thank goodness the local media is affording readers an opportunity to peek into the backroom dealings of Penman and others who have admitedly been "on the take" for over 10 years via honorary country club memberships year after year that Penman saw fit to file official FPPC forms swearing the "fair market value" of membership at the country club to be no more than $150.00 (One hundred and fifty dollars), less than the $16.00 a month is costs to visit Jerry Lewis Swim Center for a quick in & out on Saturday & Sunday afternoons!
At long last, in God's good time, at last Penman's tyrannical chokehold on San Bernardino is being loosened, one illegal long-time criminal act at a time.
Hello, Marianne! We welcome you to the office of city attorney with open arms! It's been a long wait!
Mr. Joe Penman/Mr. Jim Ortiz:
(and some comments for you also Mr. Rogers...)
Again true to form it appears Penman (under his pen-name...no pun intended...of Joe Ortiz) has sunk to new lows by managing to work into his outrageous rants the shooting of the Rialto Officer (see post from Joe Ortiz above dated 10/21/07). Pleading his case that he was persecuted by the Sun in today's editorial, Penman's "pen-name" Ortiz states:
"Whoever made the decision to cut the editorial section in The Sunday Sun that had to do with the Rialto tragedy to insert just a little more mud and bias into this political race is no doubt not a friend of the Police or their families as they grieve."
Nothing is off limits for that man!
It is important to remember that Penman, the City Attorney and "watchdog for the people" is, according to the Sun, the subject of a legal investigation by the Fair Politcal Practices Commission for accepting over a decade, free membership to the Arrowhead Country Club, a value of which club members estimate totals somewhere in the range of $20,000 to $40,000 over the ten year period in question. Our City Attorney, who tosses around the word "ethical" on a daily basis in accusing others and glorifying himself, needs to learn what the word actually means.
As far as the accusations against Mayor Morris, it is respectfully suggested that perhaps the Sun do a little more research before trying to equate the contract the youth academy run by the Mayor's daughter's had with the Parks Department to the situation Penman is in.
Kelly Willis, as City records show, and Penman himself explained, was providing services to the City's Parks Department before Mayor Morris was elected. From 2005 to date, Willis' organization has been paid a total of $5,247 for class instruction provided to students enrolled in classes offered through the City's Parks & Recreation Department. The Parks Department, as Councilwoman McCammack pointed out, contracts with many different instructors to provide various types of classes to our community. Both McCammack and Penman, in their rather poor performance, (staged specifically for the Sun and you Mr. Rogers at the last Council Meeting) had to admit that the services that Willis' organization provides to the City (often times at a financial loss for Willis' firm) are good programs for the City's youth.
The Sun needs to check the following two things:
First, read the City's Municpal Code regarding contracts which is on-line on the City's website; and,
Second, have Mr. Penman provide a copy of his policy, or any policy, that states that all contracts must be reviewed by his office.
Because Penman is so busy in promoting himself, you will find that written legal opinions and directions are few and far between. He may be the City Attorney, but it certainly doesn't appear that he spends his time providing legal advice or assistance to City Departments on a regular basis, or that after 20 years in office he is even aware of half the practices in place.
Mr. Rogers...think about this. Mr. Penman appears to be so concerned about supposed nepotism. If this is such a grave concern to Mr. Penman why wasn't Mr. Penman concerned that the wife of the former head of Civil Service was allowed to work in her husband's office (Civil Service Office) and be supervised by her husband (the head of Civil Service) for a number of years? Where is the righteous indignation on that? I wonder why that was not a concern to Mr. Penman? Better let him explain, I'm sure it will be interesting.
The City may very well decide that all contracts no matter how small in value need to be reviewed now by the City Attorney's Office. But this will be because of a change in procedure, not because of a violation of the law. Mr. Penman is accused of breaking the law, which is quite different and much more serious. One would hope an attorney would understand the gravity of the difference and not brazenly state "I'm not going to lose any sleep over it."
Mr. Rogers, as I have previously said and will continue to say, keep up the good work, ask the hard questions, and continue to do the research. The truth, as you are learning, is not as Mr. Penman would have us all believe.
It seems that Penman was the only honest politician who actually REPORTED this as required. The MANY other local politicians who failed to do so, and now are trying to point fingers.
We want an HONEST City Attorney: Re-elect City Attorney Jim Penman!
Mr. Rogers,
I am just as interested in "liti-gate" with in Milligan's Office. I work in the City Managers Office and have seen several formal complaints come across my desk filed by several every day citizens regarding Milligan and her ability to locate current files. The files seem to be lost in the abyss of her office when it suits her needs. In fact, there are several complaints about missing files from Milligan's Office on file with in our office as we speak. Missing files seem to be a recurring problem for Milligan and her staff.
In addition, Milligan has tried to cover up her employees attending "social functions" on "city paid time". This could result in litigation for the city.
Apparently, in her current position within the Code Enforcement Department, Milligan has protected one particular couple from having code violations apply to them. The complaint says, according to **********, Milligan has made a "special" policy and procedure regarding this particular couples' code vioaltions and will not enforce current city code against this couple. Apparently, the Code Enforcement Office does not have a copy of this policy, rather the complaining party was referred to Ms. Milligan since "she was the one who wrote the policy" according to Williams. Ms. Milligan has failed to respond to telephonic, written and in person messages left for her regarding this "policy". Therefore, no copy is available for review. Perhaps you may have better luck getting a copy? Furthermore, according to *******, in order to make this couple compliant with code enforcement issues, the reporting party must sue them civily. "Code Enforcement is not going to get involved". Not get involved? Isn't that their job? The neighbors have to look at this mess, and then sue to get it corrected? That is just not right.
This particular couple have had code complaints filed against them by several of their neighbors over the past two year but were never made to comply. According to Code Enforcement Officer, there is "no file" on this couple, it has just vanished with out a trace. Even though Jody Mansfield herself has taken complaints, took pictures, and encouraged them to become compliant: "There is no file for that address", stated ****** repeatedly. All questions regarding this couple must go directly to Milligan.
What is really happening here? Many believe it is because this Code Enforcement Supervisor routinely attended "social functions" at this couples residence for as much as 4 hours at a time on CITY PAID TIME. Many Code Enforcement employees are friends of this couple. Milligan has knowledge of this and is trying to cover up "liti-gate" until after the elections.
In light that the Morris Camp has brought up this whole absurd CC membership thing as a distraction, I thought the other side should be exposed. They don't want "liti-gate" to come out before election time to harm Milligans run for City Attorney. Sounds like Milligan is the dishonest candidate here.
Sounds like we as citizens need a formal inquiry into these wrong doings by Ms. Milligan.
LITI-GATE........seems that litigation follows attorney Milligan around where ever she goes....Costa Mesa, and now San Bernardino.
Thus, we must Re-Elect our current City Attorney come Novemeber.
Re-Elect City Attorney Jim Penman. The honest candidate.
I too am more concerned about "liti-gate" it is the talk of the town.
Once again integrity is an important aspect of ones character. I for one do not want Milligan giving favors in ANY position. SHe needs to be placed on Administration Leave until this is investigated.
Glen Baude are you out there? Glen are you going to take the fall for this? Or is Milligan going to be held accountable?
Vote Penman
74 words in 11 minutes! You're blazing along at 6.72 words per minute.
Not exactly the brightest bulb in San Bernardino, are you?
Thank you for trying ~ this is not a typing contest by any means. Improper capitalization, spelling & grammar, while detracting are not reasons to disreard the substance of your messages slapped up in the time it takes to change aliases and post them.
Unfortunately for you & your candidate, there is no substance in your anonymous posts.
There is no better candidate for San Bernardino City Attorney than Marianne Milligan!
Penman will need to focus his time & energies toward explaining why he valued his portion of the $20,000.00 - $50,000.00 in fair market value for over a decade of country club memberships to him and, minimally, his 3rd wife, the bawdy Judi Penman, at $150.00 annually.
That's the beauty of The American Way: We get the job done! The net has been cast against Penman by the investigators at FPPC - far superior to those at City Hall, I dare say - and, carefully, attentively, properly, every fiber of the noose that Penman slipped around his own neck is being examined... Soon, after righteous verification of every little detail, after checking and rechecking, Penman will, most assuredly, be found to have hung himself (Politically speaking).
How many people in the private sector would hire someone who has undeniably done what Penman has done to do their taxes, much less be their "watchdog"?
Not me! I'll take proven advocate for whistle-blowing and righting wrongs, Marianne Milligan for San Bernardino City Attorney ANY day of the week!
The hole Penman has dug for himself is so deep, even at this late stage in the election process, (were there to be any bad news about Marianne to FINALLY be found - there has been NONE, so far), it STILL wouldn't be enough to overcome the LONG LIST of negatives on the Penman side of the ledger.
Keep trying to dig a grave for Marianne, if you like ~ your candidate Penman has already dug his own. Here's one admonishment: People who go around trying to dig graves for others inevitably end up falling in them, burying themselves.
Life's short ~ accentuate the positve ~ it isn't too late to alter your skewed perspective and vote for the candidate who has NOT committed crimes against the FPPC and private citizens for over a continuous decade.
You will surely NOT regret joining me in voting for MARIANNE MILLIGAN FOR CITY ATTORNEY!
This whole club-gate thing is stupid, it is an attempt to get the focus off of "Gym-gate", "Jim-gate" and "liti-gate".
Penman didn't hide anything, he reported it, he was the only honest one as far as I can see. Along with the City Manager.
Secondly, "Jim-gate" only reported a pair of ball tickets for income. Does the Morris camp think we are that stupid to think you can raise a growing family on a pair of ball tickets? Did Jim Morris report all his income? Heck no. Everyone knows Daddy Morris is forking the bill. I think they call that money laundering. Pregnant wife Dawn, a school teacher, doesn't make enough to support a family.
Gym-gate is such a no no. You don't dip your pen in company ink. What was Morris Camp thinking? Is that how the city handles contracts? Better lose that file along with those from Code Enforcement.
Liti-gate is another buzz word in Berdoo this week. EVERYONE IS TALKING!!!!! The Morris allusion is starting to fall apart...Milligan is a dishonest attorney who needs to be disbard. Glen Baude needs to put her on Admin Leave and investigate...otherwise he will end up holding the bag. Glen the Morris' will throw you under the railroad car along with everyone else to get what they want..... Supreme power. Better feed Milligan to the dogs for the "liti-gate" cover up in code enforcement. Investigate or litigate the choice is yours.
I want a job that you can just make up your own policy to suit youself, lose files, and go to social functions on PAID CITY TIME. Sign me up.
I want answers to the liti-gate cover up on behalf of Miligan.
The Mayor Morris machine has been very busy this week. It is really sad that this is the best that they could come up with. Jim Penman is too honest as he is one of the few who actually reported this honorary membership. It has really no $ value.
An honorary memebership can't be re-sold, has no say in voting, does not have the same benefits of a golf membership. So Penman went to the CC and bought his own dinner, big deal. He paid for his dinner and got nothing for free. Do you really think that Jim Penman needs an honorary membership to eat dinner at the CC. He has numerous friends who have golf memberships that would be more than happy to have him as their guest. In fact, perhaps on those occasions that he had dinner at the CC he was a guest of a golf member and didn't actually use his honorary status. Does the Morris machine still feel the need to put a value on that?
If so, has Baby Morris ever went to dinner at the CC as a guest? Did he claim those visits to the country club? No! (all he claimed was ball tickets remember). In any event, I bet he didn't even pay for his own dinner since he doesn't have a "paid" job.
If the Morris machine wants, lets compare financial records of the Penman camp and the Morris camp. I have been curious how Jim Morris takes a job with no salary when he has a growing family. I am curious how much money the Mayors' family have dumped into Milligans campaign. We all know that Morris created that job for her. I am curious how baby boy Morris lands the #2 spot in the Mayors office. Oh wait a minute, Daddy created that position. I am curious how baby girl Morris lands city contracts without going thru the normal bidding process. Oh wait, Daddy approved it.
Is Pat really going to hang Valles and the others? No. He knows there is no value to an honorary CC membership. It is just a gimmick that the CC uses to recrute new golf members, nothing more.
I think ALL of can agree that from now on it will be MUCH easier for the general public to follow along as to what is and is not being reported in the way of gifts and other contributions, thanks to Rachel Clark adding the uploading of the forms Office of City Clerk must collect and turn in to FPPC stating all this information.
From then on, all any of us with a question needs to do is click on the link and the forms will appear for review.
We certainly do live in the times of ever more transparent interactions. As far as financial reporting goes, I think that is a very good thing.
It's just too bad Penman can't be held accountable for the whole 10+ years he's been doing this, because the statue says it only goes back 4 years.
Well, with this new and improved modern way of doing things in San Bernardino, illegalities like this will be visible to anyone with a computer and the desire to look for themselves. That's progress and it's good.
Wow! Posting the forms on the internet for all to see!!!
GREAT IDEA!!!
Why didn't the City Clerk's Office do this sooner? Hmmmm.....
Well, whose idea was this initially? Joseph Turner’s…..
But it is great that our current City Clerk can learn from her opponent!