harvey liss - Irvine Community News and Views

State Launches Investigation of Tammy Kim After Kim Takes $300,000 From Firefighters (Union) She’s Supposed to Regulate

The state’s campaign finance watchdog has confirmed a formal investigation has been opened into Irvine Councilmember Tammy Kim’s fundraising and spending in her mayoral campaign.

Under the City’s campaign finance ordinance, candidates for City Council or Mayor can receive a maximum of $620 per person, business or organization for a given election.

Yet, Kim accepted a $150,000 political contribution from the Orange County Professional Firefighters Association, which represents firefighters of the OC Fire Authority.

Just as the state opened its official investigation into that contribution, the firefighters union contributed an additional $143,281 to Kim’s mayoral campaign.

Tammy Kim Feeling the Heat for Taking $150,000 from Public Employees She’s Paid to Oversee

As community members began circulating recall petitions in response to Councilmember Tammy Kim’s efforts to stifle public comments with which she disagrees, Kim set up an anti-recall fundraising committee. (The recall is a political impossibility since Kim ends her Council term in December, and there is no recall on the November ballot.)

Ignoring the City’s $620 campaign contribution limit, the union representing Orange County firefighters endorsed Kim in her mayoral bid and then turned on the “fire hose,” pouring $150,000 into the anti-recall committee’s coffers. (Kim is the City’s paid representative on the OC Fire Authority Board.)

At the August 13th Council meeting, it was reported that Irvine taxpayers are sending about $140 million annually to the OC Fire Authority but only receiving about $60 million in services.

Kim argued forcefully against any discussion regarding Irvine establishing its own Fire Department. Her strong opposition resulted in Irvine residents questioning Kim’s conflict of interest.