D.A. Launches Probe of O.C. Planners’ Role

The Orange County district attorney has launched a formal investigation to determine whether two county planning commissioners who reportedly solicited campaign contributions from developers who have projects pending before them violated state conflict-of-interest laws.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Wallace J. Wade said Monday that investigators have begun questioning guests at a dinner May 15 at the Trabuco Oaks Steak House, a restaurant owned by Planning Commission Chairman Stephen A. Nordeck. Nordeck and Commissioner Roger D. Slates were present at the dinner, and both reportedly encouraged guests to contribute to Peter von Elten, who since lost his bid for the Republican nomination for the 58th Assembly District.

“Obviously we’re going to interview some of the folks who were at the party . . . , “ said Wade, head of the political corruption unit. “It’s just a matter of finding out who was at the party and what went on.”

One section of the state law prohibits appointed board members from soliciting campaign contributions of $250 or more from individuals who have matters pending before them. Wade said, however, that the district attorney’s investigation will not be limited to determining whether the commissioners solicited $250 or more.

“In the general area there are a number of statutes we could be looking at,” Wade said. He declined to elaborate, saying that he did not want to disclose any element of the investigation to “people who might be witnesses” in the case.

Asked to comment Monday, Nordeck replied: “I’m not saying anything. I guess you better talk to the district attorney.”

In the past, Nordeck, 48, has strongly denied soliciting campaign funds, saying he was present only intermittently at the dinner in his capacity as owner of the restaurant.

Slates, 60, also declined to comment Monday. In a written statement last week to Supervisor Harriett M. Wieder, who appointed him to the commission, Slates denied soliciting campaign funds but acknowledged that he attended the dinner and expressed support for the candidate.

Wieder, who has publicly scolded Slates for having any part in the dinner, could not be reached for comment Monday.

Supervisors Gaddi H. Vasquez, who appointed Nordeck, said he is confident that Nordeck will be cleared of any wrongdoing. Vasquez said Nordeck has assured him in several conversations that he did not participate in any fund-raising effort for Von Elten.

“To date, I’ve never had a reason to doubt his word,” Vasquez said.

Supervisor Thomas F. Riley said he hopes that the investigation will clear up the questions surrounding the dinner.

“If I were one of those two men and I was proclaiming: ‘I’m innocent’ and all, I think I would be cheering for the investigation,” Riley said. “I don’t think it’s going to go away.”

Among the roughly 15 guests at the dinner were representatives of at least two South County development firms. Among them was the Arvida Corp., which has one phase of its multimillion-dollar Coto de Caza project pending before the Planning Commission.

A Huntington Beach civic activist wrote prosecutors to request a formal investigation shortly after a report of the dinner appeared in The Times Orange County Edition.

Huntington Beach City Councilman John Erskine, a longtime friend of Slates who was among the dinner guests, said Monday that he welcomes the investigation. Erskine said he believes that both men will be cleared of any wrongdoing, although he expects that both might be having “second thoughts” about participating in any similar affair.

“If the D.A. does call me, I will be happy to talk to him,” Erskine said. “I think in general they will have learned a lesson that they should not be present in that kind of situation. . . . But in terms of any kind of enforcement action, I don’t think there will be any.”

Erskine said he does not believe that the commissioners violated any law because although both men encouraged guests at the dinner to support the candidate, “there was never any dollars discussed.”

Dave Ellis, Von Elten’s former campaign manager, said investigators have not contacted him.

“Now that the D.A. is going to investigate, we will have no comment about the matter; we are going to play by the rules,” Ellis said. “I am sure he will find nothing wrong.”