Someone may need to hire a private investigator to identify the
initiators of the most talked about issue in town
– a lengthy disclosure and lawsuit alleging county Supervisor
Richard Scagliotti as a corruptive profiteer.
Someone may need to hire a private investigator to identify the initiators of the most talked about issue in town – a lengthy disclosure and lawsuit alleging county Supervisor Richard Scagliotti as a corruptive profiteer.
One day after Scagliotti accused developers of the East of Fairview project of commissioning the anonymous investigation, Award Homes – the developer of a separate 677-house proposal – entered the mystery. The group in question calls itself Los Valientes, which means “the brave ones” in Spanish.
Scagliotti received a legal declaration from local defense lawyer Arthur Cantu dated Oct. 15. In it, the former district attorney candidate divulges a conversation he held with Award Homes’ Michael Van Every during the 2002 election campaign. Scagliotti sent a copy of the declaration to the Free Lance on Thursday.
Referring to Van Every, according to Cantu’s letter: “He stated that his primary interest was to see that Richard Scagliotti be put in prison.”
Van Every, a development manager for Award Homes, vehemently denied any entanglement with the investigation, calling speculation of Award Homes’ involvement “completely false.” Furthermore, Van Every blasted the anonymous investigation Thursday.
“The persons responsible for that are cowards,” he said.
Scagliotti did not directly accuse Award Homes of being involved in the investigation. Though he did say Van Every has been “very disgruntled” with him and other members of a countywide annexation commission that turned away the Award Homes’ West of Fairview development in mid-2001. That disapproval has since been followed by a $56 million lawsuit against the Local Agency Formation Commission, along with further litigation against the city.
“It’s only speculation at this point,” said Scagliotti, who recently announced he would not run for re-election in March when his fourth term expires. “There is a pattern that is evolving here. As days go by, pieces of the puzzle will start falling in place.”
Lawyer for Los Valientes, Michael Pekin, on Thursday again declined comment on all matters dealing with the identity of the group. One day earlier, he denied allegations from Scagliotti that East of Fairview developers, namely Tom King and Ronald Dominguez, were involved in the investigation.
“Van Every? OK, so Van Every is number three,” Pekin said in laughter. “Oh, Jesus. Man, I’m getting paid for this? This is incredible.”
Whether Award Homes or East of Fairview interests are involved, Scagliotti still confidently contended that developers spearheaded the five-month investigation. Scagliotti, who has been a managed growth advocate, supports the heated Growth Control Initiative on the March ballot.
The investigation conducted by Dave Henderson of Salinas-based Central Coast Investigative Services was followed by a lawsuit filed Tuesday, also by Los Valientes, opposing a pending suit attempting to yank the Growth Control Initiative off the ballot.
The suit summarizes the investigative report’s series of allegations that Scagliotti used his influence on the Board to gain profit from several property transactions and contracts involving the county. Scagliotti is also a local developer.
District Attorney John Sarsfield on Wednesday sent a letter to Henderson stating the allegations do not warrant criminal prosecution.
Scagliotto said he had never met Cantu before Thursday, that the declaration came unsolicited. Cantu could not be reached for comment Thursday.
“He (Cantu) felt it was pertinent, with what was going on,” Scagliotti said. “There’s a large group out to get me at any cost.”
