In an ever-developing story that is beginning to garner more attention outside of the city, Long Beach city manager Pat West said on Friday that he had placed redevelopment director Craig Beck on paid administrative lead after new information has come to light regarding discounted trips that Beck took with a lobbyist who represents a hotel chain looking to do business in Long Beach.
The Press-Telegram first reported West’s decision on Friday, and also released e-mail transcripts between Beck and the lobbyist – Mike Murchison – that occurred before and after the November trip to Napa, revealing several coded jokes and the fact that Beck was informed he would be comped for his hotel stay in an early October e-mail. Beck has maintained in previous interviews that he did not know his stay would be discounted and that he paid the difference owed right away upon discovering the “mistake.”
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The most interesting part of the story is the reaction of city attorney Robert Shannon, who said that he believed he was misled by statements given by Murchison and DLBA director Kraig Kojian in interviews conducted last week about the Napa trip and others. Shannon said that he could believe that Beck misunderstood how the discount would work, but that Kojian and Murchison were not truthful about what they knew and when they knew it. Shannon also indicated that he does not believe any of the activities were illegal.
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