The Los Angeles County District Attorney has opened a case file on the City of Santa Clarita’s ‘Mayor Dude’ campaign complaint. Responding to a formal letter of complaint by local Democrat gadfly Bruce McFarland which was sent to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Public Integrity Division on March 17, 2010 as reported here on March 18, 2010 in a story title: Complaint filed with DA’s Public Integrity Division over “Mayor Dude” campaign. 

The letter sighted potential campaign violations of the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) regulations. The campaign was initiated and run by the City while Councilman Frank Ferry was Mayor for most of 2010.  

Mr. McFarland believes that the campaign “constitute misuse of public funds” and that it was nothing more than “a self- aggrandizing public relations campaign initiated” by Ferry. He sighted FPPC regulation 18901 which covers “mass mailings sent at public expense” and he believes that there has been a “misuse of public funds has been committed.”

In the letter to the District Attorney, McFarland’s letter said; “According to the FPPC (Title 2, Division 6, California Code of Regulation, § 18901) there are four criteria, that if met, constitute ‘mass mailings sent at public expense’- a serious violation of CA law. They are as follows:

(1) Any tangible item sent and delivered to your residence, business, or PO box.

Check. All the print advertising (the Signal, the Magazine of Santa Clarita etc.) featuring ‘Mayor Dude’ meets this criteria.

(2) The item features an elected officer (e.g. Mayor Frank Ferry) who is affiliated with the agency (e.g. Santa Clarita City Hall) which produced the mailer.

Check. Mr. Ferry worked in close cooperation with the city to develop and promote the ‘Mayor Dude’ campaign. Just imagine all the pictures he had to pose for- like the one on a skateboard for example…

(3)(A) Any of the costs of distribution is paid for with public moneys; or (B) Costs of design, production, and printing exceeding $ 50.00 are paid with public moneys, and the design, production, or printing is done with the intent of sending the item other than as permitted by this regulation.

Check, check, and check. All invoices for the design, production, and promotion of the ‘Mayor Dude’ campaign were received and paid by Santa Clarita City Accounts Payable with taxpayer money. The invoices spell out the fact these ads were prepared for print publications.

(4) 200 or more of these mailed items went out in one calendar month.

Check. Thousands of ads for ‘Mayor Dude’ went out to residents in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Copies of the invoices are available. See this video for more: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ypej92bb0C0    

A letter dated March 22, 2010 from District Attorney Steve Cooley states that the case has been assigned to District Attorney Max Huntsman for preliminary review. The letter states that; “He will determine whether a full investigation is warranted.” The Beacon will be following this story very closely and will be reporting on further developments.