Aide’s Security Memo Confuses Hearing Plans

An aide to Supervisor Todd Spitzer has drafted a private security plan for former U.S. Rep. Robert K. Dornan and his legal team, calling for armed, off-duty county marshals to assist sheriff’s deputies for today’s congressional hearing in Santa Ana.

Spitzer immediately disavowed the memo, saying it had been drafted and sent without his knowledge. He said he apologized Friday to Assistant Sheriff Dennis LaDucer, who received the memo from Spitzer’s office on Thursday afternoon.

“I wouldn’t have authorized it,” Spitzer said. “I don’t have any business telling any law enforcement agency how to do security for this building. It was obviously a very innocent intent but I’m not happy about it.”

The hearing, which is expected to draw hundreds of spectators, will consider testimony on Dornan’s challenge to his Nov. 5 election loss to U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove). The hearing begins at 8:30 a.m.

LaDucer said the memo “threw a monkey wrench” into security planning by the Sheriff’s Department, which handles law enforcement for the Hall of Administration. Santa Ana police patrol the area outside the building. Capitol Police will protect the members of Congress, including Sanchez.

“It had the potential to be very troublesome for us for a lot of reasons,” he said.

The memo said armed off-duty marshals in plainclothes were to be stationed near Dornan’s legal team during the hearing. LaDucer said similar security plans usually call for anyone armed to be cleared in advance and identifiable to regular security officers.

Board Chairman William G. Steiner said his office was equally surprised to hear of independent security arrangements for Dornan’s legal team. County policy is clear that all security in the Hall of Administration is provided by deputy sheriffs.

“We were completely unaware that Supervisor Spitzer’s office was making independent arrangements that frankly were in violation of county policy,” Steiner said. “This is just another example where everyone is blindsided.”

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The two-page memo detailed security arrangements for Dornan, his attorney Michael Schroeder--the chairman of the California Republican Party--and the rest of Dornan’s 12-member legal team. It provided contingencies for getting Dornan’s entourage in and out of the building without confrontations with the public.

It was dated Thursday and signed by aide Stephen Spernak “for Michael Schroeder.” Spernak is a former Cypress police officer handling law enforcement issues for Spitzer who met Schroeder 20 years ago while they attended Cal State Fullerton. Spernak was not available for comment.

Schroeder said Friday that he asked for Spernak’s help but hadn’t seen the memo. He said he wanted additional security arrangements made to assure Dornan and his entourage protection, especially since today is the two-year anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

“There are going to be a lot of people with a lot of strong opinions but we need to have an orderly hearing,” Schroeder said. “We’re concerned about everyone’s safety.”

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Dornan attorney William Hart said thousands of people angry at Dornan’s challenge have been solicited to attend by Hermandad Mexicana Nacional, a Latino rights group under investigation for registering immigrants to vote before they legally became citizens. Dornan alleges that the election was stolen from him by noncitizen voters.

“I have to ask what their agenda is,” Hart said. “It could get dicey if people on the other side get out of hand.”

Schroeder and LaDucer said that, after discussions Friday, off-duty marshals still would be used but that they wouldn’t be armed inside the building. Schroeder said the flap created by Spernak’s memo was a “misunderstanding that ran right into a political deal among the players.”

Schroeder, a longtime conservative activist, has endorsed Orange County Marshal Michael S. Carona to run for sheriff next year against six-term incumbent Brad Gates. Schroeder also endorsed Spitzer in his election win for supervisor last year over former Assemblyman Mickey Conroy.

Carona said Friday he was unaware of Spernak’s memo until he got a call from Gates’ office Thursday night. He said Schroeder and Spernak had talked to him weeks ago at a luncheon about whether off-duty marshals would be available to provide private protection at the hearing, and he said that they could.

“I said I was more than happy to participate, but that it was up to the [Sheriff’s Department] to make the call,” Carona said.

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As another security precaution, Schroeder asked for metal detectors to be used to screen out weapons possibly being smuggled inside. LaDucer said metal detectors would be available but declined further comment. He said no bags, backpacks or other bulky items will be allowed in the room, consistent with federal regulations for congressional hearings.

Community representatives called the request for metal detectors an insult.

“It’s just more way of creating more hype and exaggerating the situation,” said John Palacio, treasurer of the Santa Ana chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC.

Santa Ana activist Rueben Martinez said Dornan’s team “better come down to earth.”

“We’re all human beings and we’re people of peace,” he said. “We’re not using guns and knives, we’re using words--and sometimes words can hurt more than bullets.”

Dornan said Friday from his Garden Grove home that he was satisfied by the security arrangements.

“The sheriffs are really on their toes,” he said. “I trust everyone will do the right thing.”

Sanchez chief of staff Steve Jost said the congresswoman will arrive after the lunch break with her chief of staff, Nancy Ramirez, after a morning of events in the district.

“We’re not making any special arrangements,” Jost said. “She’s not asked for or will [she] be treated any differently than anyone else in the hearing.”

Also contributing to this report was Times staff writer Shelby Grad.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

House Hearing

The House Contested Elections Task Force will hear testimony today into former U.S. Rep. Robert K. Dornan’s allegations that he lost his congressional seat by 984 votes to Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove) because of voting irregularities. The public is invited but will not be given an opportunity to speak.

HEARING AGENDA

Opening Remarks

Task force chairman Rep. Vern Ehlers (R-Mich.) and colleagues Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) and Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) may make opening statements.

Government Officials

* Bill Jones, California secretary of state

* Michael R. Capizzi, Orange County district attorney

* Richard K. Rogers, district director of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service’s Los Angeles office

* Rosalyn Lever , Orange County registrar of voters

Lunch Break

Dornan-Sanchez Presentations

* Dornan team (45 minutes)

* Sanchez team (45 minutes)

* Dornan team response (30 minutes)

* Sanchez team response (30 minutes)

POTENTIAL WITNESSES FOR DORNAN INCLUDE:

* Dornan

* Jones, for follow-up questions

* Lever, for follow-up questions

* Capizzi, for follow-up questions

* James Humble-Sanchez, Immigration and Naturalization Service agent and INS whistle-blower who will speak about problems in federal Citizenship USA program

* Karen Saranita, executive director of the Fair Elections Group in Torrance, will speak about the group’s investigation of Nov. 5 election for Dornan

* Lance Powers, waiter from the White House restaurant in Anaheim, who signed a statement for Dornan saying he overheard Sanchez at a pre-election dinner party joking about people voting for her more than once. Sanchez denies making the statement.

* Lupe Moreno, resident of the 46th Congressional District, who may testify she and her family were bothered at her home on election day by Sanchez workers

POTENTIAL WITNESSES FOR SANCHEZ INCLUDE:

* Sanchez

* Lever, for follow-up questions

* Wylie Aitken, attorney for Sanchez

* Tony Miller, former acting secretary of state, who is familiar with voter-fraud issues in past elections

PUBLIC ACCESS

* Doors open to the public at 8 a.m.

* Hearing begins at 8:30 a.m.

* Hall of Administration hearing room seats 180 people; overflow room seats about 120

* Parking available at Hall of Administration for $12 per day

* Additional pay-for-parking lots available in Civic Center area

* Orange County Newschannel (OCN) will provide gavel-to-gavel coverage

Sources: Robert K. Dornan, Rep. Loretta Sanchez, House Contested Elections Task Force, Times reports