A felony conflict-of-interest charge filed against the former CEO of the Oakland Coliseum should serve as a warning to public officials: Using your government post for personal gain cannot be tolerated.
That also goes for Contra Costa County’s elections chief, Joe Canciamilla, who abruptly resigned Oct. 31 after state investigators found he illegally spent $130,529 of campaign funds on a vacation in Asia, remodeling his Hawaii home and other personal expenses.
And for that county’s former district attorney, Mark Peterson, who is now a convicted felon after he similarly used $66,372 of campaign funds for personal items such as meals at restaurants, gasoline, clothing, movie tickets, hotel rooms and cell phone bills.