Tuesday evening’s agenda included 24 pages of evidence, including emails between District 2 City Council member Tony Blain and his fellow councilmembers, as well as the city manager and attorney, NBC 7’s Kelvin Henry reports.
The Poway City Council voted Tuesday to censure District 2 City Councilmember Tony Blain over accusations including bribery, vote-trading and intimidation tactics.
"This is the first and only censure in this city's 45-year history," said Poway Mayor Steve Vaus. "This is not a step we take lightly."
Blain is also accused of using law enforcement to silence his critics, which included some constituents, according to the memorandum for the censure resolution.
A censure is a formal reprimand and does not remove Blain from office. However, in an email included in the evidence, the Poway City Attorney says the councilmember's actions towards his colleagues, are "likely criminal in nature."
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
The councilmember took office in December after his election to the District 2 seat a month prior. Shortly after, he threatened a recall effort against another colleague if they did not vote the way he wanted, according to the memorandum.
In the evidence presented in the agenda, at least one constituent says Blain blocked them from his campaign social media accounts. Others say he bullied them on the social network, Nextdoor.
For his part, Blain says he's been harassed and threatened via email and social media.
Local
In an email from January 17 included in the evidence, he told Poway City Manager Chris Hazeltine and City Attorney Alan Fenstermacher that he filed a complaint with the Poway Sheriff's Office over these threats. He also claimed his supporters were harassed by someone during election season.
In an emailed response to NBC 7 about the censure vote, Blain said:
"This is all political lies and retaliation from Mayor Vaus who takes millions of dollars from battery plants and developers then votes YES on their developments — he is CORRUPT and Poway residents will VOTE NOV 2025 and 2026."
Blain had tense relationships with many leaders in Poway, including the mayor. He served Mayor Vaus with a recall effort on January 21, 2025.
Blain was absent from Tuesday's meeting, an absence that did not go unnoticed.
"Your absence here speaks louder than words," said Vaus. "I am not at all surprised that you were too cowardly to be here, but you cannot run and hide from this censure resolution. You have brought it upon yourself."
