San Diego mayoral candidate Ron Roberts "took several
flights" aboard Padres charter jets in the late '90s and
flew on team Owner John Moores' private jet, "once to a
Padres games in Mexico and later on business to a Houston
medical center," according to Philip LaVelle of the SAN
DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, who noted Roberts' relationship with
the team has become an issue in the mayoral campaign.
LaVelle reported that whoever is sworn in as the city's new
mayor on December 4 "will almost certainly" have the team's
ballpark project to deal with. Roberts said that his travel
and friendship with Moores were "completely above-board,"
and said, "I want the Padres to be here and I want the
Padres to be a part of the community but I'm not going to
jeopardize the financial future of this city in order to
accomplish that." Roberts' opponent, Superior Court Judge
Dick Murphy: "How can the public believe Ron Roberts will
stand up for taxpayers against the Padres if he is flying
all over the country in the Padres' private jets?" Roberts:
"I paid my own way, period. I think I have a right to a
private life, and voters should know that I have
consistently paid my own way" (S.D. UNION-TRIBUNE, 9/18).
