First Campaign Finance Filings Follow the Money

• Supporter Alignment Shows Pattern

BY BILL KOENEKER

Malibu City Council candidates turned in their first financial campaign statements last week.
Council hopeful Kathy Wisnicki, who is currently a board member of the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District, received the highest total amount of contributions, raking in $19,526.
She was followed closely by candidate Jon Siebert, who is the city’s current planning commission member, who collected $18,920. The totals that are reported include all loans. Wisnicki reported none, while Sibert showed a $2000 loan.
Incumbent Pamela Conley Ulich reported receiving $10,750, including a $500 loan to her campaign.
Jefferson Wagner, also known as Zuma Jay, a business owner, indicated he garnered $6450 in contributions, including a $2000 loan.
Susan Tellem, who owns a public relations firm, reported taking in $6050, including a $2000 loan.
It could be said that both Tellem and Wagner “got” the Silna money—a reference by political insiders to Ozzie Silna, the multimillionaire, self-described environmentalist who has contributed heavily to past city council campaigns and other elections.
Both hopefuls received money from Silna and his wife, as well as other family members who live out of state, the maximum amount allowed by law—$250 each. Many of Tellem’s other contributors are or were members of the Silna-backed Malibu Coastal Land Conservancy.
Many of Wagner’s contributors are the same names, and also are or were members of the Malibu Coastal Land Conservancy.
Wisnicki, who has the advantage of having run for school district board, reported $250 contributions from Councilmembers Andy Stern, Ken Kearsley and Sharon Barovsky. Fellow school board member Jose Escarce and other school district colleagues contributed.
It is being said that many of the contributors whose names appear on Wisnicki’s filing statement are those that are often attributed to the Barovsky mailings or associated with her political camp, including Mona Loo, Lloyd Ahern, Marlene Matlow, Helene Eisenberg, Laureen Sills, Georgianna McBurney and Lynn Griffin.
Others are Paige Adler, who is the wife of record producer Lou Adler. Kelly Chapman Meyer, who is the wife of studio honcho Ron Meyer. Chris Prentiss, who operates a drug rehabilitation facility and planning commission chair Regan Schaar.
Conley Ulich got dollars from Councilmembers Ken Kearsley and Sharon Barovsky, planning commission members Les Moss and Regan Schaar, Ozzie Silna and his wife, former Councilmember Walt Keller, and some of the people considered Barovsky supporters. In addition, she received contributions from Cindy Crawford and her husband Rande Gerber and Kelly Chapman Meyer.
Sibert got money from many of the Barovsky mailing names, fellow Planning Commissioners Joan House, Regan Schaar and Les Moss; City Councilmembers Andy Stern, Ken Kearsley, Sharon Barovsky; residents, consultants, and professionals who appear before the planning commission and city council, such as Marny Randall, Tim McNamara, Ed Niles, Scott Halley and Mike Barsocchini.
Others who contributed include Burton Sperber, Joseph Sargent, Paul Almond, Judge Stephen Haberfeld and Al Ehringer.