Political Crooks of the Week: Vernon Mayor Leonis Malberg, age 80, and his wife Dominica, 83 convicted of voter fraud.

Vernon Mayor Leonis Malberg, age 80
Political Bad Boy of the Week

By Randy Economy
(Vernon, CA:)  The rotten smell in the air in Vernon, California normally comes from the pork factory at the Farmer John Pork Plant.  The other odor comes from a rotten/corrupt politicial family that has controlled this area for more than half of the past century.

But, today, justice has been served in this mighty small industrial city of 100 residents that is just a stone throw from Downtown Los Angeles.

The political mastermind who has controlled Vernon for more than 50 years is now an official convicted felon for voter fraud and other insider political crimes.

Malburg, the Mayor of Vernon for more than a half-century, and his wife were convicted of voter fraud and other charges on Friday by a judge who ruled after a court trial.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Johnson convicted the elderly couple of all counts but one, in which he found Leonis Malburg not guilty of assisting an unqualified voter – his 40-year-old son, John. The judge said the reason he could not convict Leonis Malburg of the lone count was that there was no evidence that John Malburg actually cast the ballot provided for him by his father.

“This dishonesty and arrogance is hard for me to fathom,” said Johnson after announcing the verdicts. He scheduled sentencing for the couple for Jan. 21, but indicated he was leaning toward heavy fines and not jail time. Leonis Malburg is 80, and his wife, Dominica, is 83. Neither is in custody.

There is only ONE way IN and ONE WAY OUT of VERNON, CALIFORNIA...

The case against the Malburgs was filed by the District Attorney’s Public Integrity Division in November 2006, about five months after the first contested election in Vernon in a quarter of a century. The defendants were charged in a superceding Los Angeles County Grand Jury indictment in October 2007. They waived a jury trial and opted for a court trial by Judge Johnson.

The judge said the evidence showed that none of the Malburgs lived in Vernon, even though all registered to vote there and Leonis Malburg was a candidate.

While maintaining apartments on Leonis Boulevard and 50th Street in Vernon, the family actually lived in Hancock Park, Johnson said the evidence showed. The judge said evidence showed that Dominica Malburg’s presence in Vernon was “extraordinarily rare,” as was John Malburg’s.

He said Leonis Malburg was in the city in the daytime on business – both in his capacity as an elected Vernon official and owner of a restaurant there. The judge termed Leonis Malburg’s use of the family apartment on Leonis Boulevard as “purely related to business.” John Malburg had the apartment on 50th Street, but among other things, the bedding was still in plastic wrappings and there was no refrigerator, the judge said.

...and its over the polluted Los Angeles  Riverbed Bridge.

Noting the Malburgs testified that they maintained residence in Vernon, the judge said, “I do not believe any of them at all.”

Both defendants were convicted of conspiracy to commit voter registration fraud, fraudulent voting and voter registration fraud. In addition, Leonis Malburg was convicted of a public official aiding illegal votes, false declaration of candidacy, voter registration fraud, perjury by declaration, fraudulent voting and assisting an unqualified voter (his wife).

Earlier this year, John Malburg, former dean of students at Daniel Murphy Catholic High School, pleaded no contest to conspiracy, voter registration fraud and perjury. In a separate and unrelated case, he pleaded guilty to child molestation. He currently is serving an eight-year prison term.

Deputy District Attorneys Max Huntsman and Jonlyn Callahan prosecuted the case, and they did a fantastic job!  Thanks Max and Jonlyn for cleaning up Vernon, once and for all...what took you so long....lol.