D.A.’s Office Investigating Shove Complaint

The Orange County district attorney’s office said Thursday it is investigating allegations that Councilman Ted R. Moreno shoved Councilman Brett Franklin during a contentious meeting earlier this week.

Franklin has accused Moreno of “hockey-checking” him during a break at Tuesday’s meeting by throwing his right arm and hip into Franklin’s side.

Moreno has said the two had an innocent shoulder bump in the hallway. Moreno often differs over policy issues with other council members, including Franklin, and said the allegation is politically motivated.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Guy Ormes said an investigator was expected to start conducting interviews regarding the alleged incident Thursday.

“We’ve never had an inquiry like this, that I’m aware of. The only hockey we should be talking about is the U.S. women’s Olympic hockey team,” Ormes said jokingly.

That team won a gold medal in the Winter Olympics this week.

Two people have said they saw Moreno throw himself into Franklin.

“I was standing in the kitchen when Ted plowed into Brett,” Councilman Robert L. Richardson said Thursday in a telephone call from the Philippines, where he was visiting. He later added: “The guy is a time bomb, and he’s unraveling. I just hope the gentleman gets the help that he needs.”

Moreno said he doubts Richardson saw the exchange.

The Rev. Chuck Mabry, pastor at First United Methodist Church of Santa Ana, who has differed with Moreno over city issues, said earlier this week he saw Moreno throw his hip into Franklin. Mabry said he received a call from the district attorney’s office Thursday.

Moreno is 5-feet-8 and 190 pounds, according to state Department of Motor Vehicle records. Franklin is listed as 5-feet-11 and 180 pounds.

Franklin made his complaint to Santa Ana Police Chief Paul M. Walters on Wednesday. Walters said he passed the information to the district attorney’s special assignment section, which handles high-profile cases.

Walters said he wanted to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest that might come by having Santa Ana police investigate their own council members.

Moreno said an investigator from the district attorney’s office contacted him Thursday. Moreno said he agreed to speak with the investigator at 9 a.m. today, but canceled the appointment after speaking with an attorney.

Moreno said he did not want to respond to the allegations if Franklin refused to put them in writing.

The incident came after a heated discussion over the K. Lee Gifts store in the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center.

Moreno opposed canceling the store’s month-to-month tenancy, but a majority of council members voted to replace the business with a jobs center.

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Jeff Kass can be reached at (714) 564-1036. His e-mail address is jeff.kass@latimes.com.