This just came “over the transom” from our contributor Sam Myovich:
Good news this morning! Superior Court Judge H. Shaina Colover found that Orange County Board of Education Trustee Marilyn “Mari” Barke recklessly failed to comply with the income-disclosure requirements of California’s Political Reform Act, which are designed to reveal potential conflicts of interest.
Barke, a close friend of Trustee Leandra Blades, failed to disclose approximately $14 million in required income and other assets over five years. The court imposed a total penalty of $81,800: $5,000 for each of sixteen previously admitted Form 700 violations, an additional $5,000 for failing to amend her assuming-office statement, and credit for the $3,200 she had already paid to the FPPC. Barke is also liable for plaintiff Lynne Riddle’s attorney fees, which may substantially exceed the penalty. [The victorious attorney being Lee Fink, natch.]
The ruling underscores the importance of financial transparency, conflict-of-interest disclosure, and accountability by elected education officials. Many thanks to Judge Riddle for ensuring that the public interest has been served.
Vern here. Pretty short for a Myovich piece right? That’s because Sam already wrote pretty much all there is to say about this case, HERE, in March – and that link is well worth your reading if you care about education AND fiscal responsibility in the OC!
I just called Judge Riddle as well (who has also contributed to this blog) and she and Lee will have a press release out this afternoon – you’ll see it here first unless I get it during tonight’s Anaheim Democrats meeting!
This Mari Barke, one of the most active and fanatical anti-public-education members of the OCBOE, has four and a half years left on the Board (if the Board lasts that long.) She ran without an opponent this past June which means she wasn’t even on the ballot in the HB/west county district she represents. I guess nobody thought they could beat her – like her four colleagues she gets HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS in campaign support from the Charter School industry (about half of her take), PLUS the fact this board has its elections in June narrows down the electorate, vastly increasing the power of the right-wing culture war lunatic voting bloc, armed with their OC GOP-provided instruction cards.
So this court victory won’t have any immediate policy consequences, BUT it is a big black eye, in anticipation of another expected one when the state audit of that Board and its waste and extremism comes out. And then – who knows? Here is a crazy idea: perhaps the OC Board of Supervisors could take away this Board’s keys and responsibility – after all there’s not really much work they do besides launch losing lawsuits and go on Fox News to shake their fists. Just a crazy idea. Nobody listens to me anyway.
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