Countywide : Steiner Accused of Hiding Fund Source

In yet another salvo in an increasingly hostile special election for the 67th Assembly District seat, Republican candidate William G. Steiner was accused Thursday of concealing the source of nearly $25,000 in campaign funds.

Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach), who supports GOP candidate Mickey Conroy in Tuesday’s special election, charged that Steiner illegally transferred the money to his Assembly campaign from accounts for two other campaign committees.

“We want to get the word out that this guy is a fraud,” said Ferguson, who arranged a press conference at Steiner’s campaign headquarters in Orange. “He’s thumbing his nose at the law.”

Steiner was not present at the press conference, but his aides later denied any improprieties. “There has been no violation,” said Alex Carassi, treasurer for Steiner’s campaign.

The allegations, anonymously filed Thursday with the state Fair Political Practices Commission, involve transfers of money from two committees that Steiner controlled to his campaign for the Assembly.

One transfer from his City Council campaign committee on June 25 totaled $15,000. Another transfer in May totaled $9,400, and came from a committee that Steiner established to explore a candidacy for the state Legislature.

The problem, Ferguson contends, is that Steiner’s financial reports do not identify the source of the $24,400 that was transferred, making it difficult to determine whether any contributors gave to more than one committee, possibly in excess of the $1,000 limit on donations.

Also, Ferguson charges that Steiner could be hiding controversial sources for the money.

But Carassi, Steiner’s treasurer, said that none of the contributors to the candidate’s Assembly race has given to either of the other two committees. He also said the $15,000 that came from the City Council campaign committee represented a personal loan from Steiner, not outside contributions.

Carla Wardlow, a spokeswoman for the FPPC, said Thursday that the commission is reviewing the complaint.