THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE:

**CORRECTION: The next regularly scheduled Newport Beach City Council will be Nov. 13. **

An anti-rehab-home activist continues to accuse Mayor Steve Rosansky of benefiting from home-based drug rehab houses in Newport Beach, but has refused to hand over documentation of the alleged conflict of interest unless he can present his evidence during a City Council meeting.

“I don’t want to discuss it privately,” said rehab-home activist Bob Rush during a heated exchange with the mayor at Tuesday’s council meeting. “This is a public matter.”

Rush waved a document in the air while addressing Rosansky and the council during the Tuesday meeting, but refused to show it to the city’s outside legal counsel or city staff, stating he wanted to reveal the specific allegations against Rosansky in a public forum.

The mayor read a statement denying any financial interest in rehab homes at a council meeting last week.

“I addressed this issue last week,” Rosansky said. “It is his [Rush’s] intention to embarrass me I’ve discussed my finances with other special council.”

Rosansky cut off Rush after he went over the allotted three-minute time limit for public comments.

Rush maintains he was cut off because the mayor wishes to suppress embarrassing personal financial issues Rush might reveal in public.

“See you in two weeks,” Rush said to the mayor as he left council chambers, referring to the next scheduled council meeting Nov. 6.

“Rosansky is trying to bury a personal issue by using new outside counsel of Richards, Watson & Gershon to shield him from complying with Newport Beach conflict of interest policy requiring him to disclose the interest as part of public record,” Rush said after leaving the meeting.

Rush accused former City Atty. Bob Burnham and Rosansky earlier this month of profiting from drug rehab facilities in Newport Beach.

Burnham subsequently ended his contract with the city as a consultant on John Wayne Airport issues, citing attacks from residents. The allegations against Burnham stemmed from his wife’s work with Orange County Drug Court while he was still city manager.

Like Rosansky, Burnham has denied any conflict of interest on the issue.

City Council members hired the law firm Richards, Watson & Gershon in September to provide more legal advice on rehab homes issue.

A moratorium on new group homes in Newport beach was continued through October 2008 last week. Many residents have complained the homes are a public nuisance, and the council plans to work out tighter regulations.

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Discuss local issues, legislation with Harman

Residents who want to meet State Sen. Tom Harman will have the chance at an open house Nov. 1 in Costa Mesa. Those who attend may tour his district office and discuss legislation and local issues.

The event will be at 950 South Coast Drive, Suite 240 and is open to the public.

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Taxpayers Assn. gives senator an ‘A’ rating

The California Taxpayers’ Assn. has given Harman an “A” rating for the 2007 legislative session.

This was the fifth year the group, which opposes raising taxes and government spending, gave Harman its highest rating.

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Rep. gives remarks on Dalai Lama’s policies

U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher commented last week on a visit by the Dalai Lama to the U.S. in which President Bush and Congress gave the exiled Tibetan leader a Congressional Gold Medal.

He spoke out against Chinese occupation of Tibet but said the Dalai Lama’s request for regional autonomy didn’t take a strong stance against the communist country.

“The Dalai Lama has a big heart but he is a little naive if he thinks that the Chinese Communist Party will seriously negotiate or discuss anything with him or his representatives,” he stated in a news release.

“He first presented his autonomy peace plan to the Chinese 20 years ago, and the result has been more and more repression. For example, the Chinese recently completed a railroad into Tibet flooding Tibet with Chinese.”

BRIANNA BAILEY may be reached at (714) 966-4625 or at brianna.bailey@latimes.com.