Malibu Mayors Issues Statement That Allegations Will Be Seriously Considered – New Councilman Says Mayor Does Not Have Right To Speak For City

Malibu’s mayor has issued a statement … pledging a transparent investigations into allegations by city council member Bruce Silverstein of bribery … favoritism and other illegal acts at City Hall.

And Silverstein has fired back with a demand that the city pull down the statement … alleging that the mayor does not have the right to speak for the city.

Mayor Mike Pierson’s statement was published on the city web site late last week.

In it … Pierson says last Monday night’s swearing in ceremony speech by Silverstein was where the city was “first made aware of an affidavit from outgoing council member Jefferson Wagner that contains allegations that a bidder tried to bribe him some years ago.”

Pierson says the affidavit contains no allegation that the company allegedly offering a bribe was awarded any contract with the City.

Pierson also said that Wagner alleges that certain phone calls he received have led him to suspect that the law enforcement raid on his house was politically motivated.

That was the raid when county investigators combed though Wagner’s house … looking for evidence that he was living outside city limits.

No charges were ever filed.

In an official city announcement … Pierson says the City of Malibu is taking the allegations in the affidavit seriously and will convey the affidavit to the proper authorities.  We welcome the scrutiny. 

That seemed to further infuriate Silverstein.

He sent the city a demand … that it “revoke and repudiate” Mikke Pierson’s official statement that the City published.

Either that .. or also publish two on the city website long statements that he wrote.

Silverstein has a lot to say – 14 hundred words in his two manifestos.

Silverstein objects to the city publishing Pierson’s statement in the first place.

He points to a longstanding city council policy that says the mayor  is merely a figurehead .. and does not get to speak for the city.

Although that has been the official longstanding city council policy here … mayors here have been issuing statements on behalf of the city for decades.

And to be technical … that policy has not yet been adopted by the new city council … it expired when the new city council was sworn in.

Silverstein says… and we quote …

“The lawless manner in which the City of Malibu operates is both atrocious and surreal.

When will the residents rise up and let their elected officials know that the residents expect the elected

officials to act within the bounds of the law and with integrity?

“I will have more to say in the days to come.

Silverstein again asks for a “Special Meeting of City Council before Christmas, and with Mikke Pierson’s support, we could authorize the investigation that

Jefferson Wagner and I have proposed.”