Angry Supervisor Wants to Outlaw Meeting Leaks

Angry over leaks of confidential information, Orange County Supervisor Jim Silva said Thursday that he will propose a new ordinance making it illegal to disclose details from closed board meetings or private communications to supervisors.

Silva will ask his colleagues at Tuesday’s board meeting to approve the ordinance, which would make any violation a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum of up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Silva and other supervisors were upset last week that details of a confidential legal opinion by County Counsel Laurence M. Watson was disclosed in newspapers and made available over the Internet. The opinion justified the county’s use of John Wayne Airport funds to help plan a new international airport at the El Toro Marine base.

Supervisors had voted 3 to 2 against making the opinion public, over the objections of Supervisors Todd Spitzer and Thomas W. Wilson.

Silva said Thursday he wasn’t accusing anyone directly of leaking sensitive information. But he said leaks were happening often enough that the county needed a clear penalty.

In November, Silva lashed out at Spitzer, accusing him of leaking details from closed-door sessions. He threatened to boycott any closed session that Spitzer attended.

Spitzer declined to respond to Silva’s allegations at the time. He also declined comment Thursday.

The fireworks between the two erupted at the first board meeting after the November general election, and the quarrel has simmered just below the surface ever since.

Silva, part of the board majority supporting the airport, was reelected over an airport foe. Spitzer, who opposes the airport, withdrew his endorsement of Silva shortly before the election.

Silva said that his proposal wasn’t an “anti-Spitzer” ordinance. He said he patterned it on an existing Irvine city ordinance.