Guest Column/Xandra Kayden
A Campaign Watch Commission has been created as an independent body of seven members to be the arbiters of ethics charges in the April 13 city election. The commission will not judge questions of law, but rather will act in a timely manner on issues of ethics: the right or wrong of statements made; the willingness of candidates and others to express their views without personal character attack; or prejudice based on race, gender, religion, national origin, age, or sexual orientation. If complaints cannot be resolved by the city’s ethics coordinator, they will be presented to the commission, with the opportunity for the other side to present a rebuttal. Based on the material presented to it, the commission will announce its decision through a press release, and post it on the Web site for the election that can be found at the city’s site: www.ci.malibu.ca.us. Click on Election Information, and then Election Monitor.
The commission may decide not to take action, ask for more evidence, or issue a warning to one or more sides. One goal of creating such a commission is that it will act as a deterrent to those who might feel there is no downside to saying what ever it takes to win in a campaign.
The “power” of the commission is the power of an independent voice of a group of respected individuals. Campaigns exist in an uncertain environment. What motivates a voter to choose one candidate over another is the subject of considerable debate and study, but when voters have an independent, disinterested guide about issues or candidates, they are apt to pay attention. The members of this commission are not involved in Malibu politics. Only one lives in the city, but they know how local campaigns function-some because they have run for office themselves-and most because they have been active participants in our larger community and worked in campaigns at all levels of government. It is our hope the commission will be tested only a few times.
Members of the Commission are:
Marvin Braude: Former member of the Los Angeles City Council, has been a Senior Fellow at the UCLA School of Public Policy and Social Research and a member of the faculty of the USC School of Policy, Planning and Development.
Edmund Edelman: Former member of the Los Angeles City Council and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and is a professional mediator.
Evon Gotlieb: Former president of the Los Angeles League of Women Voters, and, until 2003, served as coordinator of the League’s Campaign Watch Commission. She has been active in the community for many years as a public affairs professional and as a board member of numerous not-for-profits.
Ed Guthman: Senior lecturer, USC School of Journalism; editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer, national editor for the Los Angeles Times, Atty. Gen. Robert F. Kennedy’s press secretary, 1961-65, president of the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission 1997-98, member Sept. 1990-July 1998
Judge Alan Haber: Just retired Supervising Judge of the West District of the Los Angeles Superior Court, earlier serving in the same capacity for the Northwest District. As an attorney he handled criminal defense, business transactions, real estate and civil litigation.
Barbara Inatsugu: Longtime advocate for good government who currently serves on the following boards: the California First Amendment Coalition, the League of Women Voters of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica-Malibu PTA Council. She is the immediate past president of the League of Women Voters of California.
James Q. Wilson: Emeritus professor at UCLA and now teaches at Pepperdine University. He is the author of a major textbook on American government. In 2003 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
William Winokur dropped out of the race last week saying it was taking much more time than he expected. Local politics is probably more time consuming than any other level of government because everyone is at home. It is particularly difficult in a city with sharply divided politics. Hopefully, the Campaign Watch Commission will contribute toward encouraging the remaining five candidates to campaign in a civil and ethical manner.