Pierson: Malibu 'No Place For Corruption Of Any Sort'

MALIBU, CA — Mayor Mikke Pierson released a public statement on former Councilmember Jefferson Wagner's sworn affidavit, which alleged different acts of corruption at Malibu City Hall.

"The City of Malibu is taking the allegations in the affidavit seriously and will convey the affidavit to the proper authorities," Pierson wrote. "The City is committed to transparency, accountability and ethical conduct in everything it does, both at the staff and Council levels. There is absolutely no place for any corruption of any sort at Malibu City Hall. Should any corruption be discovered at City Hall, the City will take all appropriate legal actions in response. We welcome the scrutiny."

Pierson addresses Wagner's claim that he was bribed by a vendor attempting to obtain a contract to remodel Malibu City Hall. Pierson writes that the bidder is unnamed, and there is "no allegation that the company allegedly offering a bribe was awarded a contract with the City."

In his affidavit, Wagner wrote that he could not recall the name of the vendor who offered him a choice of either a trip to Las Vegas with valuable casino chips, a trip for two to Costa Rica, or the re-stuccoing and painting of his home, each of which is worth about $50,000. Wagner said that he brought this concern to former City Attorney Christi Hogin, but had no knowledge of any city investigation into it. Hogin told the Malibu Times that she had never been informed of any vendor bribes.

Wagner also alleged a phone call from former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa pressuring him to approve a crosswalk for the Mani Brothers, who had donated to his gubernatorial campaign, and to extend City Manager Reva Feldman's contract and give her a raise. Wagner wrote that two days after he was the sole vote against extending her contract, police swarmed on his private home for a still unexplained raid. In his statement, Pierson simply repeated that Wagner had made this allegation.

Recently sworn-in Councilmember Bruce Silverstein has disputed that Pierson has the authority to make a statement on behalf of the city without bringing it to the City Council first. Silverstein cited City Council Policy 38, which states that "all news media inquiries on City policies, political issues and decision-making that are within the policy-making jurisdiction of the City Council shall be referred to the City Councilmembers, the City Manager or designated staff." Silverstein wrote a public statement that he understands this to mean that the Mayor is "just one of five Councilmembers on a legislative body that can act only at a public meeting that is properly noticed and agendized and which acts by a roll-call vote."

Interim City Attorney John Cotti responded that Policy 38 "does not prohibit the Mayor from making statements about events occurring at City Council meetings." Silverstein countered that Pierson was speaking on behalf of the city, which he feels the policy does not allow.

"I would have posted this commentary on the City of Malibu’s website, but I lack the authority to do so in my capacity as an individual Councilmember – just as Mikke Pierson lacks that authority," he wrote. Silverstein has asked City Manager Reva Feldman - whom he says should not participate in any inquiries since she is potentially implicated in the affidavit - either retract Pierson's statement, or publish his two comments as official statements on behalf of the city.

In a second post, Silverstein wrote that the only way the city will be able to investigate Wagner's claims is form a Subcommittee vested with the subpoena power of the City Council, and that the city place a litigation hold on destroying any documents.

"I am fully prepared to provide the scrutiny Mikke Pierson now proclaims to 'welcome,'" Silverstein wrote.