Practically every public official who ever uttered "desalination" was investigated by the California Fair Political Practices Commission for "aiding and abetting" in the alleged conflict of interest that ultimately sank the project.
And now they've all been exonerated, at least pending the results of the criminal trial for former county Water Resources Agency Director Steve Collins, who was paid $160,000 by desal project contractor RMC Water & Environment while repping the county.
All of the county supervisors—Lou Calcagno, Dave Potter, Jane Parker, Fernando Armenta and Simon Salinas—were investigated by the FPPC.
So were County Counsel Charles McKee, Deputy County Counsel Irv Grant, former MCWRA general manager Curtis Weeks, former Marina Coast Water District GM Jim Heitzman.
They were all investigated, along with Collins, for potential violations of the California Political Reform Act.
FPPC Counsel Galena West sent all of their lawyers a letter on Nov. 26 to say the FPPC was closing its investigations.
All of the individuals were investigated for aiding and abetting.
In Calcagno's case, there was also an investigation into a conflict of interest. "The Commission found no evidence of a violation and is closing the matter," West wrote.
Collins himself was also released from the FPPC investigation on Nov. 26.
Collins has tried multiple venues—a civil lawsuit against the county (he lost) and his blocked defense in criminal court—to tell the story of who knew what when, incriminating other officials in the RMC deal. The FPPC, it turns out, will not be his venue for that, either.