Bernson Accused of Campaign Violation

City Council candidate Julie Korenstein has charged that incumbent Hal Bernson violated the city’s new campaign reform law by including a plug for himself in absentee-ballot applications he mailed to potential voters.

Bernson campaign manager Hal Dash replied that the mailers were “100% legal.”

One version of the disputed Bernson brochure contains two tear-off absentee voter applications attached to a list of local politicians and community leaders endorsing the councilman who has represented the northwestern San Fernando Valley for 12 years.

Under the city’s new campaign law, absentee voter applications cannot contain “advertising for, or any reference to” a candidate.

Korenstein manager Parke Skelton said Monday the application mentioned Bernson’s reelection committee in small print at the bottom of the application. “That’s precisely the kind of language the city ordinance was attempting to eliminate,” he said.

Dash said the brochure was proper because the absentee application--after it is torn off the brochure--includes no Bernson advertising. He said he consulted with the city clerk’s office and “they knew what we were doing and had no problem.” The reference to Bernson’s campaign committee as the source of the mailer was required under state law, he said.

Joe Giles, assistant chief of the city clerk’s elections division, said he had not seen the brochures and could not comment on their legality. He said any questionable brochures would be referred to the city attorney’s office for review.