San Diego's city attorney has filed criminal charges against a Sunroad Enterprises executive. The city attorney says developer Tom Story broke ethics laws when planning a new high-rise near Montgomery Field. KPBS reporter Andrew Phelps has more.
City Attorney Mike Aguirre charged the developer with nine misdemeanors. Aguirre says Tom Story lobbied city officials for permission to build a 12-floor office tower. Normally that's okay, but the city attorney says Story broke the rules by lobbying too soon after he left city government.
Story is former Mayor Dick Murphy's ex-chief of staff. There's another complication. Story's building is close to Montgomery Field, and the FAA says it's 20 feet too tall for planes to land safely.
Story's lawyer dismissed the charges as "ridiculous." She says the city attorney already filed civil charges. And she says Story joined Sunroad Enterprises after the building's height was decided. Story has requested removing the city attorney from his case. He says he's a victim of personal bias.
Andrew Phelps, KPBS News.
