Politics & Government

Conflict of Interest Charges Dropped Against Former SGVCOG Director

Conflict-of-interest charges were dismissed Friday against the former executive director of the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Norm Shapiro granted a defense motion to dismiss the four felony counts against Nicholas Conway, who was accused of obtaining grants that benefited his private company.

"We're considering our options at this time," Deputy District Attorney Dana Aratani said after the decision.

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Conway's attorney, Ken White, said his client was "thrilled" with the judge's ruling.

"He's really lost everything," the defense lawyer said of his 61-year- old client. "He's out of the Council of Governments ... As a consequence of the charges, he lost all of his clients."

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Conway owns Arroyo Associates, a management consulting firm which managed the San Gabriel Valley public agency.

The prosecution alleged last year that Conway's firm received money to manage certain county and state grants that he obtained through his work as the council's executive director.

The defense maintained that Conway was an independent contractor, citing a recent ruling from California's 2nd District Court of Appeal that overturned a former Beverly Hills Unified School District consultant's conviction on four conflict-of-interest charges.

"Every single thing Mr. Conway did was specifically directed by the Council of Governments, voted on by its governing board, done in public on the record and approved by its general counsel, who had been specifically tasked to watch for conflict-of-interest issues," White said.

The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments includes 31 member cities, three supervisorial districts and the San Gabriel Valley Water Districts.

--City News Service



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