Ex-Commissioner at Port Guilty of Conflict
A former port commissioner pleaded guilty to a felony count of violating state conflict-of-interest law.
David Malcolm, a San Diego County political power broker for 21 years, acknowledged Wednesday that, during his tenure on the port commission, he had violated a state government code prohibiting conflict of interest for public officials.
Malcolm, 49, was under investigation by the San Diego County Grand Jury when he entered his plea before Superior Court Judge John Einhorn.
He agreed to pay $249,000 in restitution for the cost of the district attorney’s investigation. He also must pay a $1,000 fine.
Investigators looked at whether Malcolm acted improperly as a port commissioner when he spearheaded the deal that allowed Duke Energy to enter a 10 1/2-year lease with the San Diego Unified Port District to operate the South Bay Power Plant in Chula Vista.
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