Uhring Fights Other 3 Councilmen As They Approve Probe Of Silverstein’s Alleged Harassment
Written by 991KBU on March 9, 2021
Allegations that city councilman Bruce Silverstein harassed the city manager… to the point of her offering to resign … and hit the city with a damages lawsuit … will be investigated by an outside law firm.
The vote last night came over the strenuous objections of Silverstein’s political ally … fellow city council member Steve Uhring.
Silverstein was recommended to leave the meeting by the acting city attorney … due to his conflict of interest.
Despite Silverstein’s absence … the meeting grew heated … as his ally Steve Uhring fought against hiring an outside law fimr to investigate Silversteinm’s conduct. City Manager Reva Feldman has been the target of insults and dozens of emails from Silverstein … who like Uhring ran on a platform of firing the city manager.
Feldman has offered to be bought out of her contract … and intimated that she will file suit for harassment and defamation … a lawsuit that many Malibu people who practive law have publicly said she stands a good chance of winning.
Last night … three city council members said it was self obvious that a claim of harassment needed to be investigated … to protect not just one employee … but to protect all city employees.
Uhring argued that the investigation was just a political act … aimed at providing fodder for a possinle recall election against Silverstein.
That recall election would also likely target Uhring.
Here is Uhring grilling mayor Mikke Pierson at last night’s city council meeting.
NEWSCART 73304 SU MP MAYBE THE RESIDENTS WILL RECALL BRUCE
UHRING: “OK, let me just ask the question … “
PIERSON, INTERRUPTING: “I mean what do I want to do?? I want to move on is what I want to do … I don’t want to leave this hanging with people …”
UHRING, INTERRUPTING: “So let’s assume you come back and the lawyer says it’s harassment. Then what happens? What happens? Let Mikke answer, please.”
PIERSON: “Well, I guess then we know we are at risk. And we know that we are going to have to deal with being at risk. I don’t know … maybe the voters will want to recall that person … how do I know??UHRING: “Ah!!!! So now we are coming up with a program that says ‘let’s figure out how to recall …
PIERSON, INTERRUPTING: “I’m not saying that!!!
“You’re pushing me in that direction … I don’t know what you want me to say …
I’m following your lead.”
UHRING: “This is your proposal.
“I just want to know where you think this is going to lead us.
“And apparently you think this is some kind of program that says … ‘if we can find somebody who will say this is harassment … we can recall Bruce.’ “
Uhring’s logic is that an outside attorney will only offer an opinion … an opinion that reflects what the three member council majority wants to hear.
During the meeting … Uhring repeatedly interrupted the others … to the point where his mike was apparently shut off.
Here’s Karen Farrer … who got three sentences into stating her opinion … before being interrupted.
NEWSCART 73310 KF SU NOT ONLY BUT STAFF
FARRER: “I don’t agree with Steve’s line of thinking … I won’t call it logic.
“I think we are putting the city at risky not investigating this.
“And like Mikke said … any organization … I don’t care is it’s a business .. a school … anythbing ./.. if you don’;tinvestigate a claim of harassment … you are a fool … okay??
UHRING, INTERRUPTING: “I’m not saying don’t investigate a claim of harassment …”
FARRER, INTERRUPTING: “Excuse me?”
UHRING, TALKING OVER: “I’m saying this is the wrong …”
FARRER TALKING OVER: “OK, I thought I had the floor.”
UHRING, TALKING OVER: “Well you … [unintelligible] … don’t say it’s not logic.”
FARRER, TALKING OVER: “Do I have the floor or not?”
UHRING, TALKING OVER: “Go right ahead.”
FARRER: “Who is doing tech … do you have the ability to mute councilmembers who do not have the floor ??? Thank you.
FARRER: ” “We have a responsibility … not only to investigate this claim … but to all of the staff.”
Karen Farrer and Steve Uhring … who was silent by this point … possibly because Farrer asked for his mic to be shut off.
In the end … the council voted 3 to 1 to have the city human resources staff interview and hire an outside attorney to investigate Feldman’s claims about Silverstein.
A second outside firm will also investigate allegations made by Silverstein … allegations of bribery and favoritism at city hall.
We refer to the affadavit signed by former city council member Jefferson Wagner.
Once again last night … Malibu residents who are lawyers stood before the city council to point out what they said were the vague and unsubstantiated claims nature of Wagner’s allegations.
They pointed out that Wagner does not even remember the name of the man who supposedly tried to bribe him … and that he waited more than 10 years to publicize the alleged crime.
Last night … the council voted to have a different outside law firm investigate the allegations leveled by Wagner … as made in an affadavit prepared by Silverstein.
And the city council also delved into the meaty issue of its city policies … policies that Silverstein says lead to a lack of transparency and accpiuntability.
We’ll have that part of the story … tomorrow.
