
ANTELOPE VALLEY – With the State Senate belatedly taking action against three senators accused or convicted of various crimes, local activists are calling on Assembly Speaker John Perez, the Assembly Rules Committee and the Assembly Legislative Ethics Committee to institute an investigation into the whistleblower allegations against Assemblyman Steve Fox.
“The public was first notified of Assembly Member Steve Fox’s misuse of public funds and employees for the purposes of financial gain over a month ago,” said district Republican Party Chairman Drew Mercy in a press release. “Yet the Speaker of the Assembly has done nothing to investigate these allegations or ensure that Steve Fox stops any illegal use of tax dollars.”
Fox is accused of paying an employee below minimum wage, refusing meal and break periods, and forcing the employee to work unpaid on his campaign under the threat of being fired, according to a lawsuit filed in February.
The activity described in the lawsuit also includes major and potentially criminal violations of Fox’s duty as an Assembly Member, Mercy claims. Fox is accused of forcing his government employees to work for his private law practice. Read the entire lawsuit here.
Using taxpayer funded resources or his official position to enrich himself is a major breach, and neither Fox nor the Assembly leadership has done anything to assure residents that illegal activity in the Assembly office has been stopped, Mercy alleges.
The following is the text of a letter sent Friday to the Speaker of the Assembly, the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Rules Committee, the Co-chairs of the Assembly Legislative Ethics Committee, and Special Assistant to the Speaker Darren Parker, who is also an Antelope Valley based activist.
Dear Speaker Perez,
With the Senate finally taking action to suspend Senators Wright, Yee and Calderon, albeit with pay, the Assembly’s silence and refusal to act on the whistle‐blower lawsuit against Assembly Member Steve Fox is deafening.
It has been over one month since the public learned the multitude of labor violations within Steve Fox’s law office and Assembly office, yet no investigation by the Assembly Legislative Ethics Committee is taking place, nor has there been even a word by Assembly leadership or the Rules Committee that any steps have been taken to ensure the public resources entrusted to Assemblyman Fox are being protected.
Californians are sickened by the revelations that legislators are using their office to enrich themselves personally, whether it be selling votes, selling rocket launchers or using their staff illegally for their private enterprises as the whistleblower informs us has taken place in Steve Fox’s office.
We are requesting your immediate action to direct the Assembly Rules Committee and the Assembly Legislative Ethics Committee take steps to ensure any and all illegal activity in Assembly Member Fox’s office is put to an end, that the public employees involved are protected when it comes time for them to testify and that any illegal actions by Assembly Member Fox are properly dealt with.
This is a great opportunity to show that both parties can work together to put a stop to the bad apples hurting California’s reputation across the nation.
Sincerely,
Drew Mercy
Republican Party Chairman
36th Assembly District Central Committee, Los Angeles County
Tom says
Steve Fox is Guilty, until proven innocent! That is all…
Andrew says
Steve Fox is a very nice guy. I feel that he is innocent..unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This is the United States of America still..right? (for now at least).
debbi says
well if you don’t believe me ask https://www.facebook.com/angel.artiga1?fref=ts
Tina says
Steve Fox is one of the nicest people I’ve met. He’s very kind and extremely generous! I know the person that is making claims against him in the article. This person making these claims is one of the RUDEST individuals I have ever met! Anytime I called Steve’s office, this person behaved like YOU were bother HER! Anyone else in his office was nice and his staff was even allowed to bring their pets to the office. How many Bosses would allow that? None! Obviously, the rude female making these false claims, waited till steve was in a place of power just to try to make these disgusting claims, with the intent to bring him down. Sorry dear….go get a job and make your own money!!!! Stop accusing someone of something YOU participated in and now your crying over spilled milk! Your behavior was hardly the model A+ office receptionist!
DEBBI says
STEVE FOX HAS BEEN ON DRUGS FOR YEARS I THOUGH EVERYONE KNEW?? I KNOW WHO HE BOUGHT IT FROM
William says
Drugs make you type in all CAPS.
Tina says
DEBBI- I think the only one on drugs is you. Since you claim you know WHO he bought it from…..that must be your supplier also, huh?
William says
@Tina
DEBBI could be telling the truth. Steve Fox probably bought aspirin at Walgreens.
Tina says
William- and maybe some Vitamin C’s. haha.
DEBBI says
ok dismiss me ok but look at who he works close to and has worked for him over the years why would he have some one like him around? I mean lie down with dogs and you know what you get
Eric says
It is easy to dismiss paranoid ranting, such as you’ve done. Also easy to dismiss something when you present it in such a fashion (all caps).
Provide facts instead of conjecture, and maybe you won’t be dismissed so easily.
Andrew says
Good come back lol
bird says
Without proof your words are just ugly, dangerous gossip. Anybody can say anything they want about someone.
Nancy P says
What does the fox say?
:( says
Ha! DUI Drew on the front lines trying to get something, anything to stick against Fox. Guess Drew went looking for this woman. Wonder if he ran into her while looking for a lawyer to get him out of his own DUI troubles.
Drew went to today’s press conference against the pillow case rapist, and tried to push around some of the folks Fox called to stand with him, telling people who could and couldn’t stand in front of the camera. What a laugh that was! Those in attendance looked at DUI Drew like he was something stuck on the bottom of their shoes. EVERYONE ignored him and pushed Drew to the back. LOL Worth standing in the wind just to see it happen!
Wasn’t DUI Drew the same guy who tried to tell everyone Muslim terrorist were controlling Palmdale a couple years back? Him and the church lady? Who is this clown?
William says
Mercy reminds me of those young, aggressive idiots that Chris Christie has surrounded himself with, or had surrounded. They’ve either been fired or resigned and are taking the 5th.
I wonder how long before Mercy is tossed under the bus, y’know a BYD electric bus.
Stinger says
So, Drew Mercy wants to start talking ethics now? Looks like the party of Parris is still smarting from their loss in the last election and, since Fox has done entirely too well for the AV on his record, they feel the need to start early with their slandering & pandering this time…
William says
I wonder what the punishment is if this is all made up.
Angel says
At this point I’m on Team Fox. Why? Because he has done more for the AV than almost anyone else. When I talk to people ‘in the know’ I always hear about another event he attended or how he is working on another project. Wish more politicians out here had this clean of a record. Man is not perfect – but if we are throwing (verbal) stones there are much better targets.
Boogertown says
I saw Steve Fox picking his nose and flicking it out of his car in Lancaster. I am whistle blowing that. It was gross. Keep boogers off our streets.
ME says
Hahahaha!!!
William says
Wasn’t Mercy the guy with the DUI last summer? Oh, mercy me.
Wonder if he’s still drunk. Is he the best tool they have in their toolbox?
Stinger says
Emphasis on the word, “tool.”
DEBBI says
tool something you use to fix something else. right?
William says
Context is everything, DEBBI. Check out #6 definition and you will have learned something today. It must be exhausting for others to have to explain everything to you.
tool
1.• A device, such as a saw, used to perform or facilitate manual or mechanical work.
2. •a. A machine, such as a lathe, used to cut and shape machine parts or other objects.
b. The cutting part of such a machine.
3. • Something regarded as necessary to the carrying out of one’s occupation or profession: Words are the tools of our trade.
4. • Something used in the performance of an operation; an instrument: “Modern democracies have the fiscal and monetary tools . . . to end chronic slumps and galloping inflations” (Paul A. Samuelson).
5. •Vulgar Slang. A penis.
6. • A person used to carry out the designs of another; a dupe.
7. •a. A bookbinder’s hand stamp.
b. A design impressed on a book cover by such a stamp.
8. •Computer Science. An application program, often one that creates, manipulates, modifies, or analyzes other programs.
debbi says
maybe if you know that I was born in back woods of Penna uneducated poor …. I didn’t start talking until I as 19 year. Then you would see I am doing the best I can. The caps was a typo but I will be still like I have been. I was just surprise when I read that and though wow now they know.
William says
@DEBBI
I know how ya feel. I was born in a manger myself.
Stinger says
I’m gonna go with definition 6… Although 5 was a close second…
JS says
This is not a shock to me. Did any of you ever walk into Mr. Fox’s law office? I did – and all I saw was a whole lot of campaigning going on. Especially when it was time to put up his signs – which – by the way – I still see here and there.
Lin says
None of these charges are new to Mr Fox – they have all been made on the local level and some how he has made them all go away. Wasn’t there even some charge that he misused a credit card when he was on the AV Hospital Board???
Paul says
Fox was my lawyer for a case a few years ago, and he was terrible. He showed up late several times, and was always un kept with either his shirt un tucked or a messy tie. I knew these were harmful observations, however it was his way in which he handled my case that really bothered me. I was surprised when he won his election, but after reading this, it really makes sense.
William says
Yeah, Paul, Albert Einstein was unkempt and probably late too.
What was the outcome of your case? You didn’t say. I’d guess that if he lost your case you would have said so.
huh? says
That’s a strange comparison? Einstein?
William says
Sheesh. You’re not paying attention. There are very talented people who are unkempt. Paul was using that against Steve Fox but didn’t comment on the work he did for him.
Stinger says
Pure dirty politics using baseless accusations. No more, no less.
Typical of the party of Parris.
William says
Yeah. I know. They turn a blind eye to Parris but go after Fox. Hypocrites.
DEBBI says
as far as i was told the two where thick as thieves only difference is Paris is clean and sober, Now.
Hmmm... says
Are you sure of that last part, Debbi?
Dave S says
Republican Election 2014 checklist item, nothing more.
??? says
Whatever Steve fox is a good man
Letlow says
Steve Fox has done many great things for the area, however this lawsuit is very believable. Politicians/business people do this to their employees all the time. Steve Fox is just getting caught, that’s all. Smh…
s says
When was Fox found guilty of this, Letlow? Answer: he wasn’t. So, how is this ‘getting caught?’