Inland Empire city councilman charged with felony conflict of interest

July 15, 2009 | By Steven Cuevas | KPCC
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Authorities in San Bernardino today charged a Grand Terrace councilman with felony conflict of interest. Investigators say Councilman Jim Miller voted for city expenditures that benefited his wife’s business. More on the story from KPCC’s Steven Cuevas.

Jim Miller is charged with approving some $18,000 in county-sponsored advertising that appeared in Grand Terrace City News, a weekly newspaper published and printed by his wife. Margie Miller says she stopped accepting the ads last year, after a city official notified her that there could be a conflict of interest.

Jim Miller’s day job is with the San Bernardino County Real Estate Services Department. That agency’s placed him on administrative leave. But Miller can keep his job as a Grand Terrace city councilman – unless a jury finds him guilty of felony conflict of interest. Voters elected Miller to the Grand Terrace council 5 years ago. He’s up for re-election in three years. He faces up to three years in state prison if convicted.

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