3 Supervisors to Vote on Peers’ Legal Fees

The Board of Supervisors will meet in special session at 2 p.m. today to decide whether the county should pay lawyers to defend the two supervisors and county auditor-controller accused last week of willful misconduct in office.

The county counsel’s office has determined that taxpayers are not obligated to pay for the defense of Board Chairman Roger R. Stanton, Supervisor William G. Steiner and Auditor-Controller Steve E. Lewis.

But the final decision rests with Supervisors Marian Bergeson, Don Saltarelli and Jim Silva, who must vote unanimously to pick up the legal bills, which are expected to be substantial.

Stanton and Steiner cannot vote on the decision because it would be a conflict of interest for them to take part. So a single dissent among the other three supervisors would prevent the majority needed to approve payment. Stanton, Steiner and Lewis would then have to pay for their own defense.

The three were charged with willfully failing to oversee the investment activities of former Treasurer-Tax Collector Robert L. Citron, whose reckless investments caused $1.64 billion in losses to the county-run investment pool, which prompted the supervisors to file for bankruptcy protection for the county.

The board is also expected to discuss whether to pay for the criminal defense of former budget director Ronald S. Rubino.

Rubino was indicted last week on two felony counts of aiding and abetting Citron’s skimming into a county account of more than $60 million in interest belonging to schools, cities and special districts that entrusted their reserves to the county.

Previously, the board has declined to pay the legal expenses for the criminal defense of Citron and his former top assistant, Matthew R. Raabe, after both were charged with six felony counts of securities fraud and misappropriation of funds.

Raabe was declared indigent by the court and is being provided a defense attorney at taxpayer expense.