ELECTIONS ’88 : Van de Kamp Opinion Blocks Watchdog Panel

As complaints about campaign tactics fly between camps in the waning days of the primary election, the county commission in charge of resolving beefs over unethical campaign behavior and smears can’t act because of doubts about its authority, officials said Friday.

County Registrar of Voters Don Tanney said that although the county’s five-member Fair Campaign Practices Commission is required to meet at least quarterly, it hasn’t covened since November, 1986.

Why?

An opinion rendered by state Atty. Gen. John Van de Kamp in December, 1986, stated that such county commissions are unconstitutionally infringing upon freedom of speech when they interject themselves between campaigns and the voters.

“A state law or county ordinance which provides for a citizens advisory committee appointed by the board of supervisors which would hold hearings on complaints of unethical campaign practices . . . and would publicize its findings prior to the election would violate the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech,” Van de Kamp’s opinion stated.

Tanney said he received a request Friday to call a meeting of the panel today from Toni Iseman, a Laguna Beach resident and supporter of Measure A, the Citizens Sensible Growth and Traffic Control Initiative on Tuesday’s countywide ballot.

“I didn’t feel I had any authority to convene the panel after discussing the matter with the county counsel’s office,” said Tanney. The panel is appointed by the Board of Supervisors.

Iseman, who is upset about allegedly false ads against Measure A, said she was disappointed and will pursue changes in the county’s fair campaign practices ordinance that would possibly allow the panel to comment on campaign ads.

“I really believe there needs to be a neutral body that can say whether something is fraudulent or not,” Iseman said.

Panel chairman Marvin Adler could not be reached for comment.