David Strong funded almost 20% of Beth Dillaha’s 2008 campaign for City Commission, offering $9,000 in contributions that were accepted on October 9, 2007, $8,000 from companies he controlled with the balance personally from he and his spouse.
In a City Commission workshop on ethics held November 19, 2007 David Strong said. “I think most of our problems arise in this area [ethics] from conflicts of interest and campaign finance.” Then went on to say, “I think… I think that… campaign finance is.. a.. is obviously a very open book and should be, and I think we need to find a way to make it, um, ….[long pause]…. what’s the right word? ….[long pause]…. I don’t know what the right word is. [pause] We need to make it…[pause]… ahhh fairer, maybe fairer.”
Wait a minute here poncho! The only conflict of interest and campaign finance abuse that has been documented is YOUR financing of Beth Dillaha’s campaign. If you did not notice YOU, David, are a sitting Mayor engaged in purchasing a seat on the City Commission for someone you support. Would this abuse of ethical standards have been any more repulsive if you had paid local developer Dan Bellows $9,000 to support his candidacy for City Commission? The answer is NO.
And then you have the gall to send a letter to the voters the day before the last election rationalizing your hypocrisy. This letter is from a fictitious organization with a fictitious address at the bottom. Ethics? No, self righteous hypocrisy.
Curiously, Beth Dillaha’s opponent in that election (Kit Pepper) is one of the strongest proponents of campaign finance reform in Orange County. Yet, you and Dillaha refused to reverse the campaign contributions when asked. Nothing like an unfair advantage against an idealist opponent, eh?
So David, tell the voters once more about “fairness.” Tell them how you and Beth Dillaha both compromised your principles to get control of city policy.
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