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RaceBannon
Member, Swaye's Wigwam Posts: 107,710 
in Tug Tavern
https://msn.com/en-us/news/politics/how-a-coup-in-the-city-of-industry-opened-the-door-for-a-20-million-corruption-scandal/ar-AAX1tBg
In early 2015, members of the City of Industry’s nobility met in a vacant office building to plan a coup.
The owner of the local trash company — a former longtime mayor and kingmaker in town who had fallen from favor at City Hall — and a powerfully connected former state senator brought together a municipal government attorney and three handpicked City Council candidates to plot their moves for an upcoming election and beyond, according to interviews and court testimony.
At the same time, across more than a dozen clandestine meetings, the group drafted a rough framework in which the tiny city — already a regional economic power due to its embrace of all manner of commerce — would position itself as a major player in the state’s goal to transition solely to renewable energy.
To accomplish this lofty goal, the future council members put their faith in a previously rejected plan from Frank Hill, a former legislator-turned-convicted-felon, and William Barkett, a developer with $50 million in debts and no experience in the renewable energy industry to his name. The two men had long-gestating ambitions to turn an undeveloped ranch land retreat purchased by the city decades earlier into a massive solar array that would allow Industry to offload excess power at a premium.
They just needed a new administration willing to foot the bill.
The new council pledged to make sweeping changes — and in many cases did — though the solar project was seemingly exempted from such scrutiny. The project was voted on in secret, never put out to bid and resulted in $20 million flowing with little oversight to an unqualified developer with a troubled history.
In early 2015, members of the City of Industry’s nobility met in a vacant office building to plan a coup.
The owner of the local trash company — a former longtime mayor and kingmaker in town who had fallen from favor at City Hall — and a powerfully connected former state senator brought together a municipal government attorney and three handpicked City Council candidates to plot their moves for an upcoming election and beyond, according to interviews and court testimony.
At the same time, across more than a dozen clandestine meetings, the group drafted a rough framework in which the tiny city — already a regional economic power due to its embrace of all manner of commerce — would position itself as a major player in the state’s goal to transition solely to renewable energy.
To accomplish this lofty goal, the future council members put their faith in a previously rejected plan from Frank Hill, a former legislator-turned-convicted-felon, and William Barkett, a developer with $50 million in debts and no experience in the renewable energy industry to his name. The two men had long-gestating ambitions to turn an undeveloped ranch land retreat purchased by the city decades earlier into a massive solar array that would allow Industry to offload excess power at a premium.
They just needed a new administration willing to foot the bill.
The new council pledged to make sweeping changes — and in many cases did — though the solar project was seemingly exempted from such scrutiny. The project was voted on in secret, never put out to bid and resulted in $20 million flowing with little oversight to an unqualified developer with a troubled history.
Comments
Not surprisingly water was diverted to lands in the San Fernando Valley owned by the publisher of the Los Angeles Times and other powerful officials to benefit their own pockets.
Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was.