Silverstein Takes Office With Charges Of City Hall Crimes, Demands Colleagues ‘Grow Up’, And Gets Denied Perfunctory Honor

The  top story this morning is the big fight that immediately broke out when the 16th Malibu city council began its term last night.

One newly-elected member accused three others of having a “vendetta” against him … and accused unnamed city officials of soliciting bribes.

NEWSCART 73132 SILVERSTEIN WHAT YoU SEE

“What you see of me is what you get … okay?”

Bruce Silverstein made that entrance … and those charges in his first statements as a city council member.

He said he has evidence of attempted crimes … evidence in the form of a sworn affidavit from Jefferson Wagner … the two-term city council member who left office last night.

Bruce Silverstein:

NEWSCART 73138 SILVERSTEIN CHARGES

“This weekend … Jefferson Wagner executed an affidavit that summarizes various incidents that he witnessed … heard about and/0r has been told about that evidences criminal activity and potential corruption within the City of Malibu at the highest levels.

“Among other things… the sworn affidavit details:

“(1) an attempt to bribe Jefferson Wagner like the scheme through a scheme like the one that was exposed in recent federal indictments of Los Angeles city council members and staff members,

“(2) previously undisclosed background details of the raid of Jefferson Wagner’s home in 2o18 and

“(3) allegations of the solicitation and acceptance a personal payments by members of the city staff, potential corrupt activities by one or more members of the city council, potential corrupt activities – I’m sorry – and favor – and favorable treatment of permit applicants, alleged code violators and others based on their relation to others on the city staff, potentially including the city manager.”

Silverstein asked that the city council to appoint an independent fact finding panel with subpoena powers … immediately.

That did not happen.

And after hearing Silverstein’s indictment … the three member majority voted to reject tradition … and bypass Silverstein as the selection for mayor pro tem.

Usually … in most years past … the candidate who gets the most votes in the most recent election is acclaimed mayor pro tem.

But last night … council members Karen Farrer, Paul Grisanti and Mikke Pierson voted instead for the other self-described reform candidate … Steve Uhring.

Uhring declined being named mayor pro tem … a mostly honorific title that traditionally has lead to being selected as the mayor after one year.

Uhring … for his part … told his new fellow council members he is used to working in contentious circumstances.

NEWSCART 7314o UHRING TURNS DoWN

“Look … I … I have worked in situations where I’ve had acrimonious people working around me.

“I’ve had … I’ve worked in situations where it’s been combative.

“And what I’ve learned is … however we start out … the real question is once you get going …how can everybody get together and work together and get something done?”

Steve Uhring.

Usually the election for mayor pro tem usually has as much drama as paint drying.

Not last night.

Pierson said he could not possibly vote for Silverstein as mayor pro tem … given what he described as personal attacks leveled by the new councilman elect since the election … and last night as he was sworn in.

Mayor Mikke Pierson.

NEWSCART 73127 PIERSoN ATTACKED

“I am not sure how you expect me to vote to support you … with what I feel are unending personal attacks.

“And I know we haven’t agreed.

“I know we have both struggle to work this out.

“I find that some of your actions hard to comprehend.

“The fact you would say we had a Brown Act violation on the attorney … picking an interim attorney without even asking.

“Some of your other things that you said I …  I don’t understand…

“I’ll be honest… They completely confound me.

“I want to get to know you.

“I want to work together like you and I have talked.

“We spent quite a bit of time trying to figure it out.

“And yet every time I just felt like you went out and attacked again so it’s really hard for me and my integrity in my honesty to vote for somebody I feel so attacked by.”

Mayor Mikke Pierson.

He .. Karen Farrer … and Grisanti voted for Uhring.

Uhring voted for Silverstein and then turned down the results.

Then … Karen Farrer nominated Paul Grisanti for the mayor pro tem title.

And … a bitter exchange between Mayor Mikke Pierson and Bruce Silverstein.

Silverstein … knowing he had only himself and Uhring as votes … did not give up.

NEWSCART 73141 SILVERSTEIN GRoW UP

“It is very obvious that others are capable of saying good things and pre … portending to wish to see less divisiveness … and yet incapable of themselves being not divisive by the very actions that are occurring tonight and by the actions that have occurred over the two weeks. The campaign is over.

“I would suggest you get over your upset-ness from whatever was said during the campaign … that you think marginalized you.

“And act like a grown-up.”

And with that … Grisanti was elected as the mayor pro tem.

And the next two years of local government began with two distinct factions … one of whom claims a mandate from voters.

As Silverstein himself noted last night … about 24 hundred Malibu voters picked him.

Official vote tallies show more than 61 hundred voters cast ballots in Malibu last month.

With that plurality … Silverstein finished first place in a crowded field … seven candidates.

And that would leave a sizable majority of Malibu voters … who did not vote for Silverstein.

All this acrimony and open fighting came a few minutes after city manager Reva Feldman acknowledged tensions as a new city council is about to be seated.

NEWSCART 73145 FELDMAN CRITICS

“And so now we welcome in a new council … and this kind of transition is going to come with hope and also was some tension.

“There’s no denying that we’re all aware about the criticism of the city that’s been swirling around it emails and the social media.

“Unfortunately this is given a lot of people a platform to be very critical of the city … and of me.

“And I have watched and I’ve read the comments about the city and I realize that we’ve been very well intended.

“But we can communicate better”

Feldman went on to say that the last two years have been “as difficult for me as they have been for all of you.”
But she said she has learned a lot … and looks forward “to all of us working together to rebuild the Malibu that we all love.”

Last night’s city council meeting started with lots of speechmaking about retiring Malibu city attorney Christi Hogin, and three city council members who are leaving.

We will cover that part of the story … tomorrow.