Hutton discontinues investigation, hands information to D.A., FPPC

On Wednesday, City Atty Gail Hutton said she discontinued her office’s

investigation into Garofalo’s business dealings, handing over information

to both the district attorney’s office and the Fair Political Practices

Commission.

“Any further investigation by this office would be unnecessarily

duplicative and redundant,” Hutton said in a written statement.

She said the state agency and the district attorney’s office have more

resources to investigate the mayor.

Hutton said her recent warning to Garofalo to abstain from voting on

advertisers remains: “None of the information we have collected during

our investigation indicates that we change this advice.”

Since June, Hutton’s office had been conducting an investigation into

whether Garofalo violated state law by publishing the city-funded

Conference & Visitor’s Bureau annual visitors guide. City Council members

are prohibited from doing business with the city they represent.

The only independently elected city attorney in Orange County, Hutton

has unique authority to pursue conflict-of-interest allegations.