Editorial: Paul Biane: A Stain on San Bernardino County

Supervisor Paul Biane

San Bernardino County Second District Supervisor Paul Biane fancies himself to be a crime fighter.  Just ask him.  Or better yet, check out his campaign mailers where he takes credit for exposing the current corruption scandal.  He seems to forget he is named as John Doe No. 5 in the scandal he is claiming responsibility for uncovering.  In other words, he exposed his own wrongdoing.  And in his mind that means he should be re-elected to office.

Biane’s memory of past events seems to be failing.  For example, we find out today he forgot to tell his constituents about  his other criminal activity, that is, until he was reminded of it by an article in The Sun.  Not telling us until now about  his arrest five years ago for driving under the influence while in Illinois could be just an oversight we suppose.  But exactly how does one forget for four years that his driver’s license was suspended?  It seems he should have been reminded of that each time he turned the key in the ignition of his county-owned vehicle.

Biane’s memory got faulty again when he returned home from Illinois.  He forgot to mention his arrest when he returned to his job. Employees who drive county-owned vehicles are required to report any vehicle-related arrests to their supervisor, or in this case, Chairman Bill Postmus, or at very least, then-County Administrative Officer Mark Uffer.  Biane forgot . . . again.

So let’s recap.  Biane gets popped for deuce in another state.  Biane refuses to take a Breathalyzer test.  Biane has his license suspended.  Biane forgets to mention all of this to the county.  Biane then proceeds to drive a county-owned vehicle with a suspended driver’s license for four years.

A regular county employee would be fired once this was discovered.  But Biane holds himself to a “higher” standard.  Using his standard, not only can he break the law, he can flaunt it because he is “high”er.

Anyone who may think Biane’s behavior is harmless clearly doesn’t understand the significance of what has happened.  Not only is he a hypocrite, but had he been in an accident during those four years,  the liability to the taxpayers would have been so much greater.  The county has a responsibility to know such things, thus the rule.

Biane states that his driving record was checked each year and nothing showed up.  It’s possible that is true.  But that does not get him off the hook.  Had he  reported his conviction in Illinois, a more thorough check would have been done.  He should not have been driving a county vehicle.  Period.

Biane now says he will turn in his county vehicle as if that makes things right.  It doesn’t.  Biane has shown he is untrustworthy at best.  He has violated the trust bestowed upon him by his constituents.  John Doe No. 5 needs to do more than simply turn in his vehicle.

San Bernardino County Supervisor Paul Biane once referred to a “stain” on the County of San Bernardino in connection to the corruption scandal.  Seems he knew exactly what he was talking about . . . except he forgot.