800-Plus Pages Will Tell Martinez’s Side of Story

San Diego City Councilman Uvaldo Martinez, under criminal investigation over his use of a city-issued credit card, will give the district attorney’s office an 800- to 900-page report within a “few days” to explain his side of the story, a Martinez spokesman said Monday.

The report was compiled by a private investigator who interviewed the people Martinez listed on city reports as his guests at lunches and dinners at city expense, said Don Harrison, a public relations man hired by the councilman last month.

Despite Martinez’s promises to give a full public explanation about his credit card use, both Harrison and William Grauer, Martinez’s attorney in the matter, said Monday that the chances are that the councilman will not publicly disclose the investigator’s voluminous findings. Grauer said it was unlikely that the report would be released.

“The public should have no concern that their interests are not represented,” Harrison said. “In fact, the public is represented by public authorities (the district attorney’s office). . . . The district attorney is going to have first crack at the material. What happens after that, I don’t know.”

Nearly two dozen people have told The Times that they did not eat as guests of Martinez as he indicated on city records. Others said they ate with Martinez, at public expense, but did not discuss city business.

City records from July 1, 1984, through June 30, 1985, show that Martinez and his top aide, Rudy Murillo, charged to the public about $9,500 in meals and travel expenses with their credit cards--more than all other council offices combined.

After news stories appeared about Martinez’s spending, the district attorney’s office initiated an investigation into whether the 8th District councilman committed fraud, a felony that carries a maximum four-year prison term. A conviction would also bar him from ever again holding public office.

Grauer declined to say what the investigator’s report concludes.

In other matters, Harrison said Monday that his public relations firm has billed Martinez personally for a $3,000 retainer. He said the councilman is personally liable for the bill, although he may be able to pay it with campaign funds.

Paying for the public relations services out of a separate legal defense fund, however, has been held to be improper by a recent city attorney’s opinion issued to Martinez, Harrison said.