San Diego Official: Defendants should pay own legal fees

From the San Diego Union Tribune:

City Attorney Michael Aguirre today called on the board governing San Diego's retirement system to stop paying legal fees for six former and current trustees facing felony conflict-of-interest charges.

"Effective immediately I am advising you to discontinue any additional payments for legal fees for San Diego City Employee Retirement System, SDCERS, board members who have been charged with criminal law violations by the people of the state of California," Aguirre said in a letter to the board.

Ronald L. Saathoff, 57, John A. Torres, 56, Mary Vattimo, 44, Terri A. Webster, 43, and Sharon K. Wilkinson, 55, are each charged with three conflict-of-interest counts. Cathy Lexin, 54, faces one count.

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