Greens Clear Feinsietin in Funding Controversy

By Jorge Casuso

June 28 -- Putting behind a five-year funding controversy, the Green Party of California (GPCA) this week cleared former mayor Michael Feinstein of misappropriating funds -- including a $10,000 donation -- to the local party.

The decision came after State party leaders reviewed documents and records involving funds raised and spent between January 2000 and August 2001 and concluded the money was legitimately used to operate a Green Party office on Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica.

Feinstein, party officials concluded, was authorized to raise and spend funds for the office and used the money “for expenses related to Green Party purposes,” according to a statement released by the State party Monday. “With this review complete, the GPCA considers this matter closed and looks forward to moving ahead in a productive manner,” the State party coordinating committee concluded.

The decision comes after after investigations by the California Fair Political Practices Commission, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office and the Santa Monica Police Department failed to result in any actions taken against the former mayor.

Feinstein, who was hounded by the controversy during his unsuccessful bid to retain his City Council seat two years ago, welcomed the decision.

“This is a happy and welcome moment for myself and the Green Party,” Feinstein, a co-founder of the State party, wrote in a statement Tuesday. “I applaud the current Green Party state leadership for making the effort to clear up and clarify the record.

“Of course, none of inaccurate and negative things said in the press in past years were true,” Feinstein said. “I want to thank all the numerous Santa Monicans (and Greens) who said they knew that all along.”

The necessary two-thirds vote to clear Feinstein of any alleged misappropriation of funds was cast on June 23 after the State party underwent a gradual change of leadership, according to party officials.

Feinstein said he agreed to turn over copies of bank documents, including checks and statements, to the new party treasurer, who verified that the funds went for Green party purposes.

Unlike the former party leaders, the current coordinating committee acknowledged that Feinstein had the authority to open and raise funds for the office, where a press conference was held in 2001 to announce formation of Green Party of the United States and the 2nd Conference of Green Officeholders in US was held in 2003.

“It really boiled down to different people being in control, both on the county level and the state level,” Feinstein said.

Feinstein attributed the brewing controversy to the young party’s growing pains.

“This matter was never more than an internal administrative issue, that in an ideal world, would have been handled much better by our young and growing, volunteer-based political party,” Feinstein wrote.

“I sought not to make more of it than it really deserved, believing it would be resolved internally sooner than later, and putting inaccurate and sometimes outlandish speculations to rest,” he wrote.

In their statement, party leaders acknowledged that “misunderstandings” may have delayed resolution of the matter.

“Owing to the incomplete nature of records kept at the time, it is understandable how different understandings occurred,” party leaders wrote. “Now that this matter has been resolved, all parties look forward to doing productive work on behalf of the Green Party.”

For a full account of the funding controversy, see special report below:

SHADES OF GREEN
PART I: The Sacrificial Gift
PART II: Growing Pains
PART III: Green Candidate
PART IV: Tempest in a Teapot?
PART V: Party of One?