A Poway City Councilmember was censured on Tuesday, less than two months after he was sworn into office.
District 2’s Tony Blain is accused of bribery, vote-trading, and using law enforcement to intimidate members of the public. He is the first councilmember to be censured in Poway’s 45-year history.
The motion to censure Blain was introduced by Councilmember Peter De Hoff.
DeHoff claims Blain approached him and offered to vote for his appointment as Deputy Mayor in exchange for his support for a special election in District 1. In a memorandum attached to the censure resolution, DeHoff provided email evidence for his claims.
DeHoff alleges Blain threatened him and now Councilmember Pikus with recall efforts unless they acquiesced.
“I will hold off on filing my Notice to Recall you until I see how you vote on the Special Election,” Blain wrote in an email, which DeHoff provided.
“On two occasions, Councilmember Blain directed the City Manager to file reports with the Sheriff’s Department when individuals sent emails critical of his behavior to his city account,” DeHoff wrote, attaching an email from Blain to that effect.
“When one of these individuals demanded Blain’s resignation via email after his attempted vote trading came to light, Councilmember Blain filed a report with the Sheriff’s Department (Attachment B). The Sheriff’s Department concluded no crime occurred.”
City Attorney Alan Fenstermacher has also accused Blain of threats and harassment. Ever since Blain took office, Fenstermacher says he has bombarded him with questions and complaints — sometimes contacting him late into the night and on weekends.
“When I told him it was illegal for me to provide advice on things like campaign issues, planned recalls or ballot initiatives as an unauthorized use of city funds, he’d threaten to fire me in 10 months or 23 months when he says he’ll have control of the City Council for 10 years,” said Fenstermacher.
“I’ve never been harassed by someone in a position of power like you’ve done,” the city attorney wrote in an email to Blain. Calling him “a walking liability” for the city, Fenstermacher said his dealings with Blain had “been the most personally draining several months of my entire career.”
Blain was elected to the open seat in November, defeating Jared Wilson and Vanessa Springett. He had the endorsement of GOP activist Carl DeMaio, who is now serving in the State Assembly.
Even Blain’s ideological allies on the council have admonished him for his behavior.
“Some of the people that he threatened with law enforcement action because they criticized him, they’re afraid to come to city council meetings, now they’re afraid to speak up. That’s just so wrong,” said Mayor Vaus.
“It kills me that you feel like I betrayed you because I tried really hard, harder than I should have to prevent this,” said District 4 Poway Councilmember Jenny Maeda.
Read more about the censure here.