Poway City Council votes to censure councilmember over misconduct
The Poway City Council has voted to censure fellow councilmember Tony Blain over a string of inappropriate and unprofessional behavior.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The Poway City Council has voted to censure fellow councilmember Tony Blain over a string of inappropriate and unprofessional behavior.
This is the first censure of a councilmember in Poway’s 45-year history.
Two weeks ago, the city attorney made explosive claims against Blain, accusing him of bullying and harassment. On Tuesday, the city council is officially reprimanding Blain for his actions.
Blain’s chair sits empty as he’s censured.
“I am not at all surprised that you are too cowardly to be here,” Poway Mayor Steve Vaus said.
It was a tough and unprecedented decision by his peers addressing him in his absence.
“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.
In a memo to council, District 3’s Peter de Hoff points to numerous violations of Poway’s municipal and ethics codes, as well as alleged violations of state law.
Included in the latest meeting agenda are numerous emails from Blain.
In some, Blain attempts to engage in vote trading and bribery with de Hoff and then-council applicant Christopher Pikus.
He then threatens a recall election against both if they didn’t support a special election. There are also email exchanges between blain and residents.
“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,” Vaus said.
Vaus says he’s heard from Blain’s constituents in District 2.
“I’m hearing from numerous people that have tried to call him recently. He just hangs up on them,” Vaus said.
Anita Edmondson lives in District 2 and previously held Blain’s seat.
“It breaks my heart to see someone come in with a wrecking ball really to undo all the good things in the city for really no good reason,” Edmondson said.
Blain declined to be interviewed when FOX 5/KUSI reached out.
“There’s more that’s probably going to come out and it's not sustainable for the city. The honorable thing for him to do is to resign,” Edmondson said.
Again, this censure is a formal reprimand of Blain.
It is up to the San Diego County district attorney to decide whether Blain violated state law.
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