Pomona : Bader Joins Recall Drive

Assemblyman Charles Bader (R-Pomona) has joined the campaign to recall Councilman C. L. (Clay) Bryant, accusing him of “abuse of the public trust” through intimidation of employees and of favoritism in the handling of city contracts.

Bader, a former Pomona mayor who served with Bryant on the council in the early 1970s, said he has never, until now, signed a recall petition. But he said Bryant should be removed from office for reasons that amount to “political corruption.”

He accused Bryant of engineering the firing of Police Chief Richard M. Tefank, making personal attacks on police officers, intimidating employees, attempting to cancel the services of the Pomona Valley Humane Society because of his “personal dislike” for the director and of denying payments to another city contractor “for political reasons.”

Bryant said he was not surprised by Bader’s decision to join the recall campaign, saying that Bader “is one of the good old boys” who used to control city government, but are now out of power. Bryant said Bader’s influence among Pomona voters “is nil. I don’t worry about Bader.”