EDITORIAL:

Making accusations against people is no difficult task.

It happens all the time, especially to those who work in public service.

But just making an accusation doesn’t make it so. Proving accusations requires cold hard facts.

And that doesn’t happen all the time.

Such is the case of former City Attorney Robert Burnham.

Burnham, who served this city admirably for more than 20 years before retiring in 2004, has come under fire from rehab home activists for a supposed conflict of interest.

In result, Burnham stepped down from his post as a city advisor, which creates a huge void when it comes to the city’s long-running fight against John Wayne Airport expansion.

Rather than reiterate some of the accusations here, we’ll simply make this statement.

If those rehab home activists really believe they have a case, they need to take it up with the proper authorities. Provide documents to the district attorney or others charged with law enforcement.

If the allegations have any merit, the DA will pursue the issue and justice will prevail.

Pardon us, though, if we have our doubts.

So far, every claim of malfeasance has gone nowhere. They have produced no smoking gun and instead have managed to smear the reputation of someone who has been a faithful public servant for so many years.

We admit we have known Burnham for many years. And while we have not always seen eye-to-eye with him, we never questioned his integrity.

That’s because Burnham’s integrity among his peers at city hall and beyond has been nothing less than impeccable.

So we ask those who hurl the accusations against Burnham, do you really think he would build a rock-solid reputation and career only to throw it all away in order to build a cottage industry of rehab homes in the community he worked for and loved so dearly?

It kind of defies logic, don’t you think?

It’s clear, however, that logic isn’t what propels these activists.

Instead, they prefer to spin conspiracies and launch attacks at city council meetings and on websites, no matter how baseless they are.

Again, if Burnham has done something wrong, then let the proper authorities decide.

But if those accusations are as baseless as we suspect they are, a whole bunch of people need to hang their head in shame for smearing Burnham’s good name.