Election Inquiry Clears City Officials
Ventura city officials did not violate laws and pressure the political arm of the Chamber of Commerce to endorse Mayor Jim Friedman in the Nov. 2 election, Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury announced Tuesday.
The inquiry was launched in September in response to allegations that City Council members pressured the chamber’s political action committee to endorse Friedman’s reelection bid. Investigators interviewed Ventura city officials, members of the Chamber of Commerce and its political action committee and the employers of those individuals, but concluded no violation of the state’s election laws had occurred.
“We didn’t see any evidence of a sufficient nature to conclude any laws were violated,” said Gregory D. Totten, chief assistant district attorney. “We determined there was no misconduct on the part of city officials that would warrant criminal prosecution or other consequences under the California Political Reform Act.”
Although Friedman did not win an endorsement from the chamber, which he once served as its president, he was reelected with 7,549 votes.
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