2 Ferguson Supporters Accuse Opponent Hart of Unethical Conduct

Two supporters of Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) have accused Ferguson’s major GOP opponent of unethical conduct in her public statements about investigations of Ferguson by the FBI and the state Fair Political Practices Commission.

The accusations against Newport Mayor Pro-Tem Evelyn Hart are being reviewed by the Orange County Republican Central Committee’s ethics committee. A report is expected next week.

Hart, who shared the speaker’s table with Ferguson on Friday morning at a 70th Assembly District candidates’ forum, said she was mystified by the accusations.

Ferguson complained Friday that Hart’s statements go beyond informing people about the investigations and actually imply that he has been arrested, indicted or found guilty.

Legislative Record Cited

“I don’t even know what he’s talking about,” said Hart, whose challenge of Ferguson caused an uproar in the county Republican Party.

Hart has cited Ferguson’s legislative record and the FBI and FPPC investigations as reasons why she bucked party leaders to run against Ferguson. The investigations stem from allegations that Ferguson illegally funneled campaign contributions to two pro-growth candidates for the Costa Mesa City Council.

David Dykstra, president of the California Republican Assembly of Corona del Mar, complained to the county GOP ethics committee that, at the Orange County CRA convention April 9, Hart made “unethical, slanderous and vicious accusations” concerning Ferguson.

“She was, in essence, conducting a kangaroo court where the accused was guilty without a trial,” Dykstra said in the letter. Similar charges were made by Hope A. Bergo of Laguna Hills.

Ferguson, speaking to reporters after the candidates’ forum sponsored by the Newport-Harbor Board of Realtors, said Hart also made statements to the press about the pending investigations.

Ferguson said, “She used terms in the newspaper, like when I am arrested, or after I am indicted.”

In the article Ferguson was referring to, Hart was quoted as saying, “What if he (Ferguson) got arrested tomorrow? Somebody’s name has to be on the ballot.”

Hart’s campaign manager, Paul Deffebach, responding to Ferguson, said: “There’s a difference between ‘what if’ and ‘when.’ A big difference.

“We don’t want Gil arrested, but we didn’t start the investigations against him, and those are ongoing things,” Deffebach said, adding that they put a cloud over Ferguson remaining in the Assembly.

Referring to attempts by Republican leaders to keep Hart from challenging Ferguson, Deffebach said, “This ethics committee thing is just another extension of those intimidation tactics.”