The U-T editorial page and local Republican Party have made fools of themselves once again by claiming that City Attorney Mike Aguirre broke city laws by permitting 6 employees in his office to donate all of $1,640 to his election campaigns. As it turned out, the Ethics Commission has no problem with such a practice, as long as the money isn't solicited. Campaign law experts agree the law originally cited by the U-T does not apply to campaigns. Other local politicians, including councilmembers Donna Frye, Jim Madaffer (a Republican) and Tony Young, received contributions from employees. Will the U-T and Republicans anathematize that princess of piety, Leslie Devaney, who ran against Aguirre in 2004? When she ran, she was manager of the city attorney's office, supervising 340 people. She took $500 from Gael B. Strack, an assistant city attorney. She got another $500 from her boss, Aguirre's predecessor Casey Gwinn. Ralph Inzunza, then on the council, chipped in $250. Twenty-one other city employees donated to Devaney's campaign.
The U-T editorial page and local Republican Party have made fools of themselves once again by claiming that City Attorney Mike Aguirre broke city laws by permitting 6 employees in his office to donate all of $1,640 to his election campaigns. As it turned out, the Ethics Commission has no problem with such a practice, as long as the money isn't solicited. Campaign law experts agree the law originally cited by the U-T does not apply to campaigns. Other local politicians, including councilmembers Donna Frye, Jim Madaffer (a Republican) and Tony Young, received contributions from employees. Will the U-T and Republicans anathematize that princess of piety, Leslie Devaney, who ran against Aguirre in 2004? When she ran, she was manager of the city attorney's office, supervising 340 people. She took $500 from Gael B. Strack, an assistant city attorney. She got another $500 from her boss, Aguirre's predecessor Casey Gwinn. Ralph Inzunza, then on the council, chipped in $250. Twenty-one other city employees donated to Devaney's campaign.