Democratic Fund Injects Money into Measure H Special Election
By Stephen C. Smith
Irvine Tattler Publisher
Posted May 26, 2008
New Committee May Have Laundered Money to Pay for Krom “Lobbyist” Mailing
An attack letter sent by Beth Krom may have been financed in part by an Orange County Democratic Party fund.
(Photo Source: City of Irvine)
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A new committee formed by an attorney with ties to allegedly radical international groups took over $3,800 from an
Orange County Democratic Party fund, then paid it all to a printer used by Mayor Beth Krom to send
a letter falsely accusing Councilwoman Christina Shea of being a lobbyist.
On May 13, The Orange County Victory Fund donated $3,813.74 to
Yes on Measure H, a committee formed that day by Irvine attorney Todd Gallinger, who
then paid the full amount to Kenny the Printer for campaign
literature.
The Friends of Beth Krom committee that day paid $4,558.51 to Kenny the Printer for
the letter, which was sent citywide falsely accusing Shea.
The letter was a rehash of a 2006 election scheme to smear Shea's reputation. The scheme involved
a northern California slush fund called Planning 2020, which used money collected from Great Park contractors and local
developers to pay Kenny the Printer for slate mailers promoting political allies of councilman Larry Agran while attacking his opponents. The slush fund
payments were laundered through Hometown Voter Guide, a slate mailer operation
once controlled by Agran ally Ed Dornan. HVG continued operating after Dornan's death, supposedly run by his wife Doree, but
in November 2007 Agran's treasurer Kinde Durkee reported Doree Dornan was still running HVG although
Doree had died a month before.
“Victory Fund” Started by Young Democrats
According to an article on the
California Young Democrats web site, the Orange County Victory Fund was formed in 2004 by Orange County Young
Democrats to serve "as the county wide coordinated campaign for dozens of Democratic candidates
... and many Democrats running for local office."
Krom, Agran and Kang are all registered Democrats.
According to the web site CampaignMoney.com, Great Park Conservancy chairman Michael Ray donated $5,000 in
October 2006 and
January 2007
to the fund. Ray is the brother of Orange County Great Park Corporation board member Walkie Ray.
The fund's treasurer is Burbank political consultant Kinde Durkee. The Irvine Tattler reported
on March 10 that Durkee had reported the late Doree Dornan as the principal officer for Hometown Voter
Guide. Durkee replaced Renita Lloyd-Smith last fall as the treasurer for HVG, Krom, Agran and Kang.
Ms. Smith disappeared around the same time while facing a potential $4 million fine from the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission.
Durkee's signature appears on the documents filed by the Orange County Victory Fund and Friends of Beth Krom.
Measure H, unanimously placed by the Irvine City Council on the June 3rd ballot, asks voters to ratify an ordinance that
has been on the books for two years. The special election is budgeted to cost Irvine taxpayers $200,000. Pass or fail,
it will still be on the books the next day.
This author wrote the Measure H opposition ballot statement. I predicted on February 25:
The June special election may be no more than an attempt to smear Shea with $200,000 of Irvine taxpayer money,
setting the stage for the November mayoral election and more smears.
The Krom letter, apparently funded in part by money from a Democratic Party fund, would seem to affirm that prediction.
Gallinger's Ties to Allegedly Radical Groups
According to a listing on
the Muslims Online Directory*, Gallinger has worked with the
International Islamic Relief Organization (IIRO), the
Muslim World League (MWL), and the
World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY).
The U.S. Treasury Department in August 2006 issued a statement
that the IIRO's branch offices in the Phillipines and Indonesia were "facilitating fundraising for al Qaida and affiliated terrorist groups."
The New York Times reported in March 2002 that IIRO and MWL offices were "suspected by the Treasury Department of
laundering money for Al Qaeda or other terrorist groups." Their offices were raided "by the Treasury Department's counterterrorism
task force responsible for stopping the flow of money to terrorist organizations in the United States and abroad."
A 2001 BBC News broadcast
described WAMY as "a suspected terrorist organisation." In June 2004,
the Washington Post reported
that Federal agents raided the WAMY office in Virginia. "Sources said the raid was part of an investigation into whether the
group's operations around the world have financial and other ties to terrorists, but the scope of the probe could not be learned
because the case is under court seal."
Gallinger also works as a
legal counsel for the Council for American Islamic Relations.
CAIR's web site states its mission is "to enhance understanding of Islam,
encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual
understanding." Among other activities, its Civil Rights Department "counsels, mediates and advocates on behalf of Muslims
and others who have experienced religious discrimination, defamation or hate crimes. The department works to protect and
defend the constitutional rights of American Muslims, thereby supporting the rights of all Americans."
CAIR has been accused of having ties to radical international groups.
The New York Times reported in March 2007 that "A small band of critics have made a determined but unsuccessful effort to link it to Hamas and Hezbollah."
The article noted, "Government officials in Washington said they were not aware of any criminal investigation of the group. More than one described the standards used by critics to link CAIR to terrorism as
akin to McCarthyism, essentially guilt by association."
Krom, Agran and Kang, have supported CAIR's Southern California chapter located in Anaheim, and have been active in promoting
peaceful relations with Irvine's Muslim community.
The CAIR web site quotes
Krom and Kang as saying, "CAIR is to be commended for their dedication and commitment to providing the resources necessary
to succeed in today’s fast paced and ethnically dynamic environment."
Agran attended a 2004 CAIR fundraising banquet,
along with other dignitaries such as then-state attorney general (and now state treasurer) Bill Lockyer, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas,
then-Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona and Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca.
* During the research for this article, the Muslims Online
Directory was taken off-line. The home page now reads, "We are currently updating our site with advanced features. Please check
back in a few days. Thank you." If the above
link does not work,
this Google search will confirm that this page existed with the information as described above in the article. The
Google description reads, "He has years of experience working with Muslims in the US and abroad, including groups
such as: CAIR, MWL, IIRO, WAMY."
UPDATE May 27, 2008 — Gallinger Claims Measure H Article was “False and Libelous”
PREVIOUS ARTICLES:
Krom's Lobbyist Connections
"City Council Schedules $200,000 Redundant Election for June"
"Preparation for 'H' Begins"
"Krom's Rebuttal: 'Defame, Distort and Distract'"
"Krom Defends Measure H Ballot Statement"
"Krom's Unethical Ethics Letter"
