Political Corruption Investigated in Bell Gardens

Authorities launched a political corruption investigation Wednesday in Bell Gardens after officials expressed concern that public funds were being used for political purposes.

Several council members and City Clerk Ronald Hart were questioned at City Hall by investigators from the district attorney’s public integrity unit. Investigators also searched boxes of documents from the clerk’s office that are being held by the Bell Gardens Police Department. The district attorney’s office does not comment on pending investigations.

According to city officials, the investigation focuses on the city clerk’s purchase of customized lists of registered voters--lists often used by politicians for sending out campaign mailers.

The Political Reform Act prohibits the use of public funds for mass mailings from politicians.

Hart said Wednesday that he ordered the material upon a request from Councilman Salvador Franco. Hart said that he had done nothing wrong.

“I do what council tells me to, unless I think it’s illegal,” he said. “I didn’t think it was illegal, so I did it.”

Franco did not return telephone calls seeking comment.

Other city officials, including Mayor Ramiro Morales, said they think the purchase amounts to a misuse of public funds. They said they were also alarmed to see Hart carrying two boxes from his offices this week.

The boxes, along with two portable voting booths, were retrieved by the Police Department from Hart’s El Segundo home, according to Police Chief Manuel Ortega.

Hart acknowledged removing some items from his office, but declined to elaborate, saying it was unrelated to the investigation.

Wednesday’s actions by the district attorney’s office follow last year’s arrest of Councilwoman Maria Chacon on conflict-of-interest charges. Prosecutors allege that she pressured fellow members to vote for her appointment as city manager. That case has yet to go to trial.

In an effort to improve the city’s image, officials over the last year fired Chacon and bolstered the hiring standards for city manager. But this week’s revelations, the mayor and other officials say, suggest that problems persist at City Hall.

Officials noticed the purchase of the mailing lists during a routine review of check warrants. The $3,000 invoice went to a Downey-based company that performs computer processing work.

According to Hart, Franco wanted a list of registered voters sorted by birth date so that he could send birthday cards to residents.

Birthday card mailers are occasionally used by politicians as a way to build name recognition. Authorities took action in response to a report from Ortega, who is also the city’s acting city manager.