Without explanation, San Diego schools chief Carl Cohn has named an interim chief administrative officer--even though retired Rear Admiral Jose Betancourt still holds that position. Betancourt pleaded guilty last month to a federal misdemeanor charge of violating conflict-of-interest laws. He agreed to pay a $15,000 fine and serve one year of probation for consulting work he did for a military contractor shortly after retiring in 2005 as a rear admiral and commander of the Navy Region Southwest. Since then, Cohn has ignored demands to call for Betancourt's resignation.
Click here to read The San Diego Union-Tribune article.
EARLIER: Jose L. Betancourt, a retired rear admiral and currently a top official with the San Diego Unified School District, has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of violating conflict-of-interest laws. Shortly after his retirement, Betancourt took a job with a company that sought a major contract with the Navy. But federal law requires a one-year “cooling off” period for certain high-ranking government officials before they can do business with the agency they worked for. Betancourt says he has no plans to step down from his $185,000-per-year post as the school district's chief administrative officer.
Click here to read The San Diego Union-Tribune article
