First Campaign Finance Filings Follow the
Money
• Supporter Alignment Shows Pattern
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.
