527s coming out of the sky?

Josh Kleinbaum

With two big businesses interested in Glendale’s City Council

election and a slate of candidates wary about taking their money,

don’t be surprised if something like the Swift Boat Veterans for a

Better City Council comes to Glendale.

Council candidates and election experts believe that Glendale’s

City Council elections could mimic the presidential race in one

aspect -- independent committees modeled after Moveon.org and Swift

Boat Veterans for Truth could play a role.

Over the summer, developer Caruso Affiliated Holdings and Glendale

Galleria owner General Growth Properties spent more than $4 million

fighting over a proposed shopping development. Voters narrowly

approved the project Sept. 14, and both companies said they will be

involved in April’s City Council elections, when at least three seats

will be up for grabs.

“I anticipate that there will be spending by Caruso and General

Growth,” said Councilman Frank Quintero, who is running for

reelection. “Those types of things have taken place in the past, but

I’m not sure they’ve made any impact.”

Four of the six declared candidates have said they would refuse

donations from either company. Challenger Garry Sinanian said he has

not decided if he would accept such contributions. Incumbent Dave

Weaver said he would accept a donation from anybody, “but I tell

anybody that gives me money, you’re not buying my vote.”

That could set the stage for Glendale’s version of a so-called 527

committee, named after the section of the federal tax code for

independent political organizations.

“It’s very possible that if candidates are not accepting the

contributions, they’ll use independent expenditure committees or

527s,” said Bob Stern, president of the Center for Governmental

Studies. “An independent expenditure would say, ‘Vote for Bob Stern,

he’s a great guy.’ A 527 would say that Bob Stern buys a Japanese car

and can’t be trusted.”

Independent expenditure committees allow individuals or businesses

to support a candidate without the candidate’s permission. The

committees cannot seek donations or give money to the candidate.

The 527 committees can provide information on a candidate or a

ballot measure but cannot specifically call for victory or defeat.

The 527 committees have no limits on contributions.

Both types of committees are prohibited from coordinating their

activities with the candidate’s official campaign.

In the campaigns leading up to the Nov. 2 presidential election,

such committees have emerged as loopholes to federal campaign finance

restrictions. MoveOn.org and the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth have

played key roles in the presidential campaign.

Mayor Bob Yousefian said he has told both developer Rick Caruso

and General Growth that he did not want donations, and he did not

want either to form independent committees.

“If they decide to form a committee and they want to do something,

I have no control over it,” Yousefian said. “I would hope that they

respect my wishes and stay out, but I can’t force them not to do it.

I can ask them, plead with them, but I can’t force them.”

General Growth officials say they will remain active in politics

but would not elaborate. Caruso said he will support candidates only

if they want the support.

“Historically, I’ve always been active at local, state and

national levels,” Caruso said.