Heffernan welcomes conflict rule ally

June Casagrande

Councilman Gary Adams’ announcement that he will propose

tightening city rules on recorded campaign messages as part of a

conflict-of-interest ordinance has created strange bedfellows of two

council members on opposite sides of a local political scandal.

Councilman John Heffernan, who proposed creating new conflict

rules governing city elections, did so with Adams’ campaign manager,

Dave Ellis, in mind.

As consultant for the Airport Working Group, Ellis’ firm received

about $458,000 of a $3.6-million city grant to the working group and

Citizens for Jobs and the Economy to promote El Toro Airport

education. Working group executive director Barbara Lichman and jobs

group leader Bruce Nestande were also paid six-figure sums from the

grant for their work.

Though the payment to Ellis’ firm was legal and within city and

grant guidelines, Heffernan believes such payments shouldn’t be.

He has asked the city to consider drafting conflict-of-interest

rules that would forbid paid campaign consultants from later

receiving lucrative jobs funded out of the city treasury.

If Heffernan gets his way, new rules would also forbid candidates

from misrepresenting their political party affiliations and

endorsements on campaign literature.

In the wake of revelations that Ellis produced a phony and

misleading phone message to benefit Adams’ campaign, Adams is now on

Heffernan’s side of the issue.

Adams, who says he did not know about or approve of the phony

phone message, said he plans to propose an additional provision to

proposed conflict rules that would require the scripts of all

recorded campaign messages be filed with the city clerk’s office

prior to their being used.

Current rules require campaign literature to be filed with the

clerk’s office, but do not cover phone messages.

The district attorney’s office is reviewing a complaint against

Ellis and Adams about the phony message.

“I’ve been sitting back, waiting and hoping that one of the people

on the council who worked with Ellis would take a lead in moving a

conflict-of-interest ordinance forward,” Heffernan said.

He added that he was pleased by Adams’ announcement. “If this

comes from someone whose campaign Ellis ran, it’s not such a slap in

the face,” he said.

Adams’ suggestion could put into motion Heffernan’s idea, which

has been on hold due to the November elections and the holidays.

Heffernan said he will push to assure that new rules contain not only

stricter guidelines, but meaningful penalties for those who break the

rules.

“For example, if you do something wrong and the city has to hold a

special election because of it, should you pay the $50,000 or

whatever it costs to hold a special election?” he said. “These are

the things we need to decide and let everyone know up front.”

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport.

She may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

june.casagrande@latimes.com.