Private Pilot Flew Mayor Tony  Vazquez From KSMO To Salinas, CA

Then-Santa Monica Mayor Tony Vazquez may be a strong proponent of closing Santa Monica Airport (KSMO), but that didn't stop him from taking a flight in a Cirrus SR22 airplane with a private pilot from the airport to Salinas, CA in January 2016.

And the now-councilman may be in hot water for the flight.

The Los Angeles Times reports that pilot Russ Landau was asked to fly  Vazquez, who is no longer Mayor but remains on the Santa Monica City Council, on the late-night trip which took more than an hour. Landau said that he welcomed the opportunity to have the Mayor's ear during the trip, and to show him the value of both the airport and general aviation. He did the flight for free.

He was apparently not successful. Seven months after the flight, Vazquez and the rest of the council voted to close the airport. But the flight may become a thorny issue for Councilman Vazquez. The value of the flight, which if it had been a standard charter flight would have been at least $1,500, exceeds the limit for a gift to an elected official in California, which at the time was $460.

Vazquez did not disclose the flight on his required 2016 statement of financial disclosure statement. The reason for the flight has not been determined, and Vazquez is not saying. But it took place on the same that that the Association of California School Administrators was holding its Superintendents' Symposium, according to a public schedule. Vazquez consults with companies who want to do business with school districts, the LA Times reports.

It might have gone unnoticed, but Landau and Vazquez returned to KSMO after 0100, which violated the city's voluntary curfew at the airport. When Landau responded to the letter sent by the city asking him not to fly late at night, he explained that the mayor was on board. Santa Monica spokeswoman Debbie Lee said city officials are "assessing the situation and will make appropriate referrals as necessary."

Landau said that the flight was done as a favor for his friend Robert Rowbotham, who was the president of the Friends of Santa Monica Airport. Rowbotham had originally planned to fly the mayor to Salinas himself, but had a scheduling conflict.

(Image from file)

FMI: Original report