An Unlikely Alliance

It’s no wonder that, in more than 30 years of politicking in Orange County, Shirley Grindle and Randy Smith have never agreed on much.

After all, he’s a lobbyist and she’s a watchdog who has made it her life’s work to make sure people like Smith can’t influence the political process.

So when Grindle and Smith recently paired up to soften the outright ban on gifts to county officials that she had drawn up years ago, few could believe it.

Supervisor Jim Silva even pulled out his camera and snapped a picture of the two when they appeared at his office last week with a proposal to allow county officials to accept gifts of food and drink so long as they are worth less than $5.

Grindle and Smith got together because both believe the ban as originally drafted is too strict.

Grindle said it was meant to put an end to lavish meals and expensive gifts that companies doing business with the county gave to county officials--a practice Grindle thought amounted to bribery.

It was never supposed to limit anyone’s ability to extend basic social graces--such as offering somebody a cup of coffee during a business meeting.

That is precisely what happened. In the five years since the ban was passed by the county Board of Supervisors, county workers have complained about not being able to accept so much as a soda from a lobbyist or county contractor.

Likewise, business owners who invited county officials to their offices were often embarrassed when their visitors left dollar bills on the table because they were given refreshments.

“I am tired of being blamed for this. If a guy goes to a business meeting, I do think he should be able to have a couple of cups of coffee,” Grindle said.

True to form, Grindle offered a quick warning to any who might misinterpret her stance on the gift ban: “This is not an invitation for the board to weaken the gift ban. It was a significant step in cleaning up government, but it was never intended that cups of coffee and cookies be covered.”

Supervisor William G. Steiner, who described himself as “the cheapest date in town,” said he plans to support the change.

“This is not a rollback to the old days where supervisors were wined and dined,” he said.

But not everyone likes the idea of a liberalized rule.

Supervisor Todd Spitzer said that altering the ordinance will only make it easier for people to get in trouble.

“I like leaving a quarter or a dollar,” he said. “It reminds companies that we can’t be bought.”

Grindle says she is as suspicious of politicians and lobbyists as she ever has been. She remembers well the way county politics functioned before the ban was instituted: Officials accepted gifts, meals and vacations from lobbyists and business owners who were seeking county contracts.

That is why, even though she has wanted to revise the ban since it was passed, it took her five years to do so.

“I still have a hard time trusting these guys,” she said, acknowledging that she has been mulling changes to the ordinance since it was passed. “It has been a big fear of mine that even to make minor changes will lead to more major ones.”

Smith has agreed to side with Grindle on her revisions to the gift ban ordinance, but he says there is a limit to their newfound alliance. He describes her as a “cynic” because she thinks people can buy votes.

“I don’t think those dinners ever affected people’s decisions,” Smith said. “If I were king of the county, I would allow for lunches and dinners, and I don’t think that would be abusive.”