San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders last week called on the City Council to stop paying the legal bills of five former city officials who were charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission with fraud for failing to disclose unfunded pension liabilities to investors in 2002 and 2003.
The city has spent $1.8 million to pay legal fees for former city manager Michael Uberuaga, treasurer Mary Vattimo, auditor and comptroller Edward Ryan, deputy city manager Patricia Frazier, and assistant auditor and comptroller Teresa Webster. The five were charged April 7. Their lawyers have not responded to requests for comment despite repeated phone calls.
“Our federal government has charged these individuals with fraud,” Sanders said in a statement. “All five individuals are entitled to a fair and balanced trial, but I don’t believe it should be at the taxpayers’ expense.”
