Former Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet and two real estate developers were charged with 30 counts of public corruption Thursday ranging from bribery to conspiracy to commit bribery and perjury. The charges come a year and half after agents from the FBI and Riverside County District Attorney’s Office raided Pougnet’s home and offices at City Hall.
Prosecutors allege that Pougnet accepted $375,000 in bribes over a period of two years. In return, he cast 11 votes on projects connected to the developers that required City Council approval. According to court documents, some of the tainted projects include The Dakota, the Desert Fashion Plaza, The Morrison and Vivante. Palm Springs will now be left holding the bag.
“Unfortunately for Palm Springs … there’s going to be some difficulties in untangling this,” said Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin. In a statement, council members said they expect it to be an arduous process involving “a complex analysis by legal and business experts as to the best way to proceed with each of these properties.”
Authorities do not believe the corruption scheme involved any other parties. But they encouraged residents and city leaders to consider changes in the way their city government operates if they’re concerned by the “process” that allowed these development projects to go through.
“The message I hope goes out here is that everybody deserves fair, open and honest government,” Hestrin said. “People in public office need to be held to a high standard for the good of the public. They shouldn't be there to enrich themselves.”