EDITORIAL

It’s time for the Orange County District Attorney’s Office to come

clean.

It’s time the nine-month investigation into the alleged conflict of

interests by Councilman Dave Garofalo comes to a close.

The public and the former mayor have waited long enough.

If charges are to be brought against Garofalo, so be it. If not, let’s

end the matter and get on with our lives.

Two weeks ago, district attorney investigators raided Garofalo’s home

and office, seizing computer equipment and files. This was done as part

of the district attorney’s investigation into alleged conflicts of

interest stemming from his business, David P. Garofalo & Associates.

Garofalo has also been scrutinized in investigations by the Orange

County Grand Jury and Fair Political Practices Commission. The business

owned publishing rights to the Huntington Beach Conference & Visitors

Bureau’s visitors guide for several years starting in 1993. The

allegations claim that Garofalo may have profitted from the contract and

had conflicts of interest when voting on projects put forth by

advertisers in the publication.

Garofalo has consistently denied any claim of wrongdoing, adding that

he actively sought and followed legal advice on issues where questions

arose.

And the April 12 raid was another part of the legal process. A process

that has to end.

We have been some of Garofalo’s harshest critics, even calling for his

resignation in the wake of the investigation. But this long and torturous

investigation has gone far beyond expectations. By dragging it out this

long, it has only served to cast a dark shadow upon Garofalo, a man who

has yet to be convicted of any crime.

It leaves members of the public wondering what the investigators were

looking for. Just what have investigators found?

It’s time that we know. The public and Garofalo have that right. If

Garofalo is heading to court, it’s time he gets his day there.

If he is not, it’s time the district attorney says so and we can all

close the book on this ugly chapter in Huntington Beach politics.