Controversial Council Member Loses Seat by 9 Votes in San Gabriel

The most controversial politician in San Gabriel, Vice Mayor Frank Blaszcak, lost his City Council seat by nine votes Wednesday after a free-for-all recall campaign that included charges of drug dealing and “mooning.”

Although returns Tuesday night had showed Blaszcak with a two-vote margin, 32 ballots had gone uncounted that night because of questions by election officials.

When the uncertainties were resolved Wednesday, Blaszcak had lost by 1,894 to 1,903, with 27% of the city’s registered voters casting ballots. Voters also decided by a 3-1 margin that an election should be held to pick a successor rather than allowing the City Council to fill the vacancy. According to the state Elections Code, Blaszcak cannot run for his seat in the special election.

Final results showed that Blaszcak lost much of the affluent part of the city, while running strongly in the middle-class southern neighborhoods where he lives. One of his supporters described the campaign as “the Civil War--the North versus the South.”

‘On the Front Lines’

“We down here in the south part of town are on the front lines,” said Blaszcak, who blamed his loss on the lack of a public debate and “lies” allegedly told by his opponents. “We’re experiencing all the problems (of overdevelopment) the city is facing. In the north is where most of the Realtors and developers live.” He said he is considering calling for a recount, which could cost about $1,000.

The bitterly fought campaign had been cast both as a fight for the destiny of the city and a plebiscite on Blaszcak.

Blaszcak, a county public information officer who is now on disability leave, was accused of everything from having once tried to deal drugs to a Santa Ana police officer to “mooning” a citizen during a City Council meeting.

The vice mayor fought back with an attack against “corrupt” city officials and the city’s “old guard oligarchy.” In the midst of the campaign, Blaszcak announced, with attorney Melvin Belli at his side, that he was filing a libel suit against 11 residents, including a fellow councilman, a former mayor, two former planning commissioners and several civic leaders.

Focus of Controversy

Elected as part of a slate of slow-growth candidates only last year, Blaszcak has been a focus of controversy ever since.

Fiscal conservatives hit the roof when it was revealed last July that Blaszcak had bought a $2,100 portable telephone at city expense, so that he could attend to city business without using his office telephone.

The most serious charge against Blaszcak--and the one that gave rise to the libel suit--had to do with a 10-year-old allegation that he had once offered to procure $60 worth of cocaine for a police officer in Santa Ana. Blaszcak, who was working in that city as public information director, denied the accusation. Although Blaszcak resigned from his job, charges were never brought by the district attorney’s office because of insufficient evidence.