Leonis C. Malburg - Political Career

Political Career

Malburg's career in city government began when he accepted an appointment to the Vernon city council following the death of a sitting councilman. After eighteen years on the council, Malburg was elected mayor by the council and has served in that capacity since. Under Malburg's leadership, the city has multiplied its surplus while providing businesses within its borders with natural gas service, fiber optic systems, and its own light and power company, with rates up to 40% lower than those outside the city. As mayor, he has also overseen ongoing land development and the city's expanding infrastructure, including a power generation station which bears his name. In 1978, the Mayor and city council made the controversial decision during a labor dispute to dismiss striking firefighters who refused to report for duty or take acting positions on fire calls. It was the opinion of city leaders that the firefighter's illegal actions, which came after their union rescinded its agreement to a solution brokered by a state mediator, left the city with a dangerously thin line of fire defense. Superior Court Judge Harry L. Hupp upheld the city's decision in October, 1978, ruling that the firefighter's strike was indeed illegal. However, after four days of negotiations with the union, the city reinstated the dismissed firefighters. Still, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, responding to political pressure from labor unions seeking retaliation for the initial firings, cancelled its mutual aid agreement with the City of Vernon (a move that was criticized by the president of the 40-member Independent Cities of Los Angeles County Association). The county district attorney's office also charged Malburg and other administrators with crimes unrelated to the strike. In Malburg's case, the district attorney office accused the mayor of falsely declaring his domicile to be the family residence he built in Vernon, charging that his true domicile was the Los Angeles home he inherited from his grandfather. In 1979, Judge William Keene dismissed the charges when it was revealed that the district attorney's office had withheld evidence from the grand jury which directly contradicted the prosecution's claims. Similar charges were filed again, twenty-seven years later, after the city attempted to suppress a report by a city attorney that the city administrator was stealing from the city. In the course of that investigation the District Attorney's relatively new Public Integrity Division learned that Malburg and his wife and son all claimed to live in an apartment within an office building in Vernon. The city's attempt to suppress the report was unsuccessful and the city administrator, Bruce Malkenhorst, Sr., was charged with misappropriating public funds. The mayor and his family were charged with voter fraud. Leonis's son, John Malburg, was sent to prison for child molestation discovered during the same investigation.

After being sued by the City of Vernon over nearly $1.5 million in attorney fees, Malburg resigned the office of mayor on July 1, 2009.

In December 2009, Leonis Malburg and his wife were convicted of conspiracy, perjury, and voter fraud. (see editorial, Los Angeles Times, December 9, 2009, "Justice Comes to Vernon") In January 2010, they were ordered to pay over $600,000 in restitution and fines.