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Opinion: Conway Asks SGVCOG for Financial Aid Despite Felony Charges – You’ve Gotta Be Kidding!
Arcadia Weekly Jul 19, 2012
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Conway Asks SGVCOG for Financial Aid Despite Felony Charges – You’ve Gotta Be Kidding!
By Terry Miller
San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments Executive Director Nick Conway, who was recently arrested and charged with multiple felonies, has reportedly made a unique request that the agency pay his legal defense against the conflict of interest charges while head of the SCVCOG, this according to a repoprt in the Pasadena Star News.
The DA’s Office alleges Conway’s personal business gained financially from contracts and grants obtained for the SGVCOG, amounting to a serious conflict of interest.
Interestingly enough, as The Sierra Madre Tattler points out, it seems Conway has at least one fan in the publisher of THE Magazine, Steve Tobia.
On Sunday, Tobia went on and on in an advertising vehicle called “The Insider” which is inserted with The Pasadena Sun, which is, in turn, inserted in Sunday’s LA Times . Tobia’s editorial said Conway’s story is “local political assasination”. Tobia went as far as to say “Everyone should question the TRUE intent of his (Conway’s) recent political assasination.” Tobia then goes on to say the US and State Attorney should probe the Public Integrity Division. Strong words indeed.
John Crawford, publisher of Sierra Masdre Tattler, has long been a foe of SGVCOG and although this newspaper hasn’t always agreed with The Tattler, on this one Crawford is RIGHT ON…100%.
Here’s a clip from Wednesday’s terrific Tattler piece which refers directly to Tobia’s argument in defense of this Conway chap.
“There are a couple of flaws in Steve’s ( Tobia’s) argument, at least in my opinion. Nick was hardly an outsider at the SGVCOG. He was instead for many years its very large and in charge Executive Director. Steve never even mentions the term “Executive Director” in his screed. Plus that evil cabal of politicians Tobia refers to as the “Board of Directors” have actually been Nick’s most vociferous supporters at The COG. Some of whom are actually attempting to arrange payments out of The COG’s own insurance policies to help Nick out with his legal bills.
Steve Tobia’s colorful assertions of vast conspiratorial plots in the Conway Caper aside, I do have a question. Why in the world does Tobia care about this guy? There are some vague allusions to Caltrans and how that organization separately impacted the lives of Nick and Steve, but most of what is referred to in the article is terribly lacking in both detail and substance. Why Steve believes Nick is the victim of a “Political Character Assassination” is never fully explained.
So here is today’s question. What does Nick Conway really mean to Steve Tobia? The Tattler wants to know.”
Well done Tattler, we’d like to know too.
Send us your letters, opinions , rants or raves about SGVCOG and Conway’s attempt to get financial assistance to defend his felony charges.
