Official Censured for Monitoring Computer Messages

The City Council, in a 4-1 vote, agreed Monday night to censure Councilman Edward Glasgow, who was investigated by the district attorney’s office for receiving confidential computer messages between the city manager and police chief.

The council’s action may give residents who have considered starting a recall drive against Glasgow the support they wanted before going ahead.

“I have been extremely concerned about this issue since it first arose,” said Councilman Peter F. Buffa, who made the motion to censure Glasgow.

Buffa called Glasgow’s actions “an act of covertly intercepting and sharing confidential internal information.”

The council’s action, with Glasgow dissenting, was merely symbolic and carries no penalty.

Glasgow has maintained that he did nothing wrong, that he was acting on behalf of a constituent who brought to his attention possible misuse of office by Police Chief David L. Snowden.

Glasgow told Orange County district attorney’s investigators that he received copies of computer messages between City Manager Allan L. Roeder and Snowden from now-retired Costa Mesa Police Lt. John A. Regan.

The district attorney’s office decided not to prosecute either Glasgow or Regan.

However, some council members expressed concern about the privacy of computer messages, especially those of a sensitive nature.

Council members, after they learned of the investigation through newspaper reports, asked City Atty. Thomas Kathe whether it was in their power to censure a fellow council member.

Kathe, in a Dec. 10 letter, said that although the city code does not spell out the council’s right to do so, it may legally censure another council member if there are no penalties attached to the censure.