Officials say agencies unlikely to take up case
Formal complaints against Santa Monica City Councilman Mike Feinstein have been sent to two public agencies charged with investigating political corruption.
Green Party members mailed the complaints to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office and the California Fair Political Practices Commission late last week, party officials said.
“I felt I couldn’t stand by anymore,” said one Green Party member, who asked not to be identified. “I did-n’t get the sense the state party was taking this seriously and this is something that has to be cleared up.”
Feinstein has declined to comment on the matter to the Daily Press. His attorney, Steve Churchwell, did not return phone calls Monday.
However, Feinstein told Surfsantamonica.com, a Web site that covers local news, that some adversaries within the Green Party are using the issue to embarrass him in the media. Feinstein told the Web site he has followed all of the state’s fundraising laws, and he will fully disclose his fundraising next month.
“There are rules for filing fundraising reports, and I have followed them," Feinstein said. “I am doing my own filing, and that’s all that’s happening, and I guess people aren’t willing for that to happen on its own timeline. There is no case. ”
Several local Green Party leaders’ patience has run out with Feinstein. The former Santa Monica mayor has ignored their requests to explain why he deposited more than $30,000 in Green Party contributions into a private bank account more than 18 months ago.
They asked him in 2001 to submit statements from the local credit union where the deposits were made, but Feinstein hasn’t produced any records, according to leaders of the Los Angeles County Green Party.
The money was reportedly used to pay rent and bills for a storefront at 2809 Pico Blvd., that Feinstein uses as a Green Party headquarters. However, party leaders say the office is not recognized by the Green Party.
Some Green Party members say Feinstein had no right to allegedly use the funds to support a local chapter without their approval because the check was made out to the L.A. County Green Party.
The issue has been under wraps for more than a year, but top party officials are no longer remaining silent about Feinstein’s alleged wrongdoing. State Green Party officials signed a letter sent out nationally in January to warn members that Feinstein is not recognized to speak for the party or to raise money for it.
Now some Green Party members have escalated the situation by filing the complaints. They are asking for a formal investigation into the events to ensure that Feinstein didn’t break the law.
Representatives with both the D.A.’s Public Integrity Division and the state FPPC could not verify on Friday whether the complaints had been filed. Jane Robison, a spokeswoman for the D.A.’s office, said Feinstein’s alleged actions aren’t likely to warrant an investigation.
“It doesn’t sound like something we would handle,” she said. “They way it’s been described to us, it sounds like more of a matter for the police. We only get involved when public officials misuse public funds.”
A spokesman for the FPPC would not confirm or deny if complaints have been filed against Feinstein. But the spokesman did say almost all disclosures are required to take place every six to 12 months. He did not know of any campaign laws that permit disclosures to be made every two years, as in Feinstein’s case.
A local election law attorney, Fred Woocher, said complaining to the agencies probably won’t have immediate results, if any at all. He said the DA’s office takes on bigger cases and the FPPC’s small staff is overwhelmed with complaints.
“Usually, you wait in the dark to find out anything,” he said. “These agencies are so backed up and it can be a long time before you see any relief.
“They are all strapped and have bigger fish to fry. It’s a long process in both realms, so don’t expect to see investigators serving search warrants any time soon.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 18, 2003. Read the original PDF.