Supervisors Blast Commissioners’ Aid to Candidate

Two Orange County supervisors expressed outrage Friday over the actions of two planning commissioners who reportedly solicited funds for an Assembly candidate by hosting a dinner with representatives of South County developers who have projects before the commission.

“I would have grave views about my planning or airport commissioner using their county titles to solicit campaign funds on behalf of an Assembly candidate or any candidate,” Supervisor Roger R. Stanton said. “I don’t think they would do it, but if they did we would sit down and have a very stern talk about it.”

On Friday, The Times quoted several people who attended the dinner as saying that Planning Commission Chairman Stephen Nordeck and fellow Commissioner Roger Slates encouraged the developers to contribute to 58th Assembly District candidate Peter von Elten. The dinner took place at Nordeck’s Trabuco Oaks Steak House and was attended by about 15 people.

Nordeck, who strongly denied that he solicited any contributions or had any role in the dinner, was appointed to the commission last year by Supervisor Gaddi H. Vasquez.

Slates, who has declined to comment, served on the commission from 1972 to 1975 and was appointed last year by Supervisor Harriett M. Wieder.

In his first public comment on the dinner, von Elten confirmed that he was introduced to guests at the affair as a friend of Nordeck and Slates, and that he went to the dinner in hopes of raising campaign contributions.

“I needed to get some people to contribute,” von Elten said. “Roger said, ‘Do you mind if we put a little dinner together?’ He said he had no idea how much money we were looking at. He said he would make the introductions and I could take it from there.”

Wieder reacted on Friday, saying, “This is the ‘90s; this isn’t the 70s anymore. . . . It was one of the things I cautioned (Slates) about. . . . They’ve really tightened up on laws having to do with avoiding the appearance of any wrongdoing or anything illegal in trying to take advantage of a public office.”

Wieder said she questioned Slates about the dinner when contacted earlier this week by the Times and was disturbed by discrepancies between his account and those of others quoted in the newspaper.

“He gave me a completely different story from what’s in the newspaper,” Wieder said. “I’m going to talk to Roger and get to the bottom of this.”

Vasquez said he spoke by phone on Friday with Nordeck, who is out of town, and that Nordeck maintained that he spent the evening working at the restaurant and did not participate in the dinner.

“I’m going to chat with Steve when he gets back to get more perspective,” Vasquez said. “I would reserve judgment until then.”

Both von Elten and his campaign manager Dave Ellis said they do not remember the names of all who attended the dinner.

Von Elten also said no per-plate price had been set, and that neither he nor Ellis know for certain who paid for the affair, which he described as modest.

“I assumed someone paid for it,” von Elten said. “It was steak and French fries, not veal and caviar.”

State law bars members of public commissions or boards from soliciting campaign contributions of $250 or more from individuals who have matters pending before them, according to a spokeswoman for the California Fair Political Practices Commission.

Among the guests at the dinner, according to interviews with several of those present, were Kevin A. Canning and Irwin R. Schatzman, both representatives of Arvida Corp. In addition to the Coto de Caza subdivision near Trabuco Canyon, Arvida is planning the Rolling Hills residential development near San Clemente. Expansion plans for Coto de Caza are pending before the commission.

Also at the dinner, according to others present, was Lyle A. Overby, a prominent lobbyist who represents the Santa Margarita Co. The firm is proposing the Las Flores residential development, east of Mission Viejo. The project is expected to go before the planning commission in the coming months.

Overby has declined to comment on the dinner or to confirm his presence there. Schatzman and Canning acknowledged that they attended.

Earl Wooden, a 15-year planning commissioner most recently appointed by Stanton, said reports of the dinner at Nordeck’s restaurant raise serious questions.

“I would never have a fund-raiser,” Wooden said. “Even if I had a friend who wanted a fund-raiser I would have to turn him down.”