Bribery Scandal Leads to Suit Against Official

San Bernardino County has sued a sitting county supervisor and 21 other defendants in an effort to recoup millions of dollars lost in the county’s unfolding bribery scandal.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday, accuses county Supervisor Gerald R. Eaves of breaching his fiduciary trust by accepting gifts of trips to Canada, Mexico, England and Hawaii from a company that sought contracts with the county.

According to the lawsuit, “within less than 12 months of receiving such gifts the officials participated in county decisions” to employ the company. The lawsuit also accuses Eaves of failing to report the gifts.

Eaves could not be reached for comment, but in a written statement he denied any wrongdoing.

The suit is the latest chapter in a case that has rocked the county at the highest level; the chief administrative officer, James J. Hlawek, resigned and pleaded guilty in federal court in October to accepting bribes in exchange for helping companies secure contracts with the county.

Three former high-ranking officials and three business executives also have pleaded guilty. Eaves has not been charged with any crime.

In December the county launched its own investigation, hoping to discover the damage to taxpayers and “any other improper activities that the federal action had not addressed,” said David Wert, spokesman for the county.

“We did discover a number of issues that have not been raised by other authorities,” Wert said. “This lawsuit is the product of that investigation.”

In his statement, Eaves called the lawsuit a “rehashing of news stories and familiar politically driven allegations.”

Other supervisors initiated votes in question, he wrote, “and every outcome was unanimous or passed with only one dissenting vote.

“Therefore my actions, for which I am being sued, would never have changed the outcome of the matter.”

Eaves’ attorney, Bill Lemann, said, “Mr. Eaves didn’t commit any crime. Mr. Eaves did not cost the county any money. Mr. Eaves did not know.”

The decision to file the suit and to include Eaves was made by the Board of Supervisors in closed session, without Eaves, Wert said.

“We deliberated at great length. . . . It wasn’t an easy thing to do,” said Supervisor Dennis Hansberger.

Although the lawsuit does not accuse Eaves of bribery or of accepting kickbacks, he was the conduit through which some sources involved in the case exercised improper influence, Hansberger said.

“They used him to get where they were going and they provided him with generous gifts that they did not report,” Hansberger said.

At the heart of the scandal is the county’s former chief administrative officer, Hlawek, who is cooperating with authorities as part of a plea agreement, prosecutors said.

Hlawek is also named in the lawsuit. Other defendants include Harry Mays, the county’s CAO from 1986 through 1994, and management consultant Ronald Canham.