Anaheim Seeking Outside Counsel in Campaign Probe

ANAHEIM — The City Council has decided to try to hire Ravi Mehta, outgoing chairman of the state Fair Political Practices Commission, to examine whether Mayor Tom Daly and former Councilman Irv Pickler violated the city’s campaign-finance law.

Councilmen Bob Zemel and Lou Lopez voted Tuesday to contract with Mehta, a former Orange County prosecutor and an aide to County Supervisor Gaddi H. Vasquez who is stepping down Friday from the state commission. Councilwoman Shirley McCracken voted against the action, and Daly and Councilman Tom Tait abstained.

Daly, who has denied any wrongdoing, opposed hiring outside legal consultants, saying it would be a waste of taxpayers’ money when the city attorney’s office could do the work.

Zemel presented a proposal to hire independent consultants to examine issues relating to the city’s campaign-finance ordinance and recommended Mehta because of his experience at the state commission.

Mehta said Wednesday that city officials had not yet approached him.

“I’m flattered. . . . This is news to me,” he said, adding that he will make a decision after he finds out what the examination would entail.

Mehta said he is leaving the commission, to which he was appointed in 1995, because he has exceeded his two-year commitment to the panel, which enforces state election laws.

However, two commission members last July demanded that Mehta resign after he made comments critical of Proposition 208, the state campaign-reform law now being challenged in court.

Zemel said that seeking outside legal advice is necessary because City Atty. Jack L. White has a conflict of interest in investigating these matters because he is appointed by the council.

“I’m looking for advice,” Zemel said. “I’m not saying anybody did anything wrong. I’m looking for an outside, independent opinion.”

If he agrees to perform the work, Mehta would examine whether Daly and Pickler violated the city’s campaign-finance law in the November 1996 election. The law limits campaign contributions to $1,000 per donor.

In an opinion delivered to the council earlier this month, White said that allegations of campaign-law violations against Daly and Pickler were unfounded.

Zemel, however, said that having an independent examination would ensure that the city’s campaign law is not being selectively enforced.