Mayor Sam Exclusive: An Examination of Political Consultant John Shallman Campaign Billings for the 2013 Municipal Elections

In a Mayor Sam Exclusive, we review the billing records of "Private Citizen/ Political Consultant" John Shallman's four candidates clients in the upcoming 2013 March Municipal Elections, as Shallman is the subject of an Ethics Complaint regarding unreported/ gift of campaign services to City Attorney Mike Feuer. 

What is the root motive of "Private Citizen/ Campaign Consultant" John Shallman's irregular billing practices?

Can we draw comparisons from the billing practice of Shallman and the nefarious fiscal shell games of his former bookkeeper Kinde Durkee?

** Blogger's note: In a Mayor Sam Exclusive, we examine the irregular billing practices of the candidate clients of "Private Citizen / Campaign Consultant" John Shallman. The results of our tabulations of costs and billing practices, show an irregular billing process that favors accommodations for candidates on the top end of the local political pyramid.This process favors Mayoral Candidate Wendy "The Villar Greuel" ($75,000) and especially City Attorney Candidate Mike Feuer, who has been charged the paltry sum of ($7,871.43). Meanwhile, CD 11 Candidate Mike Bonin ($274,870) and CD 1 Candidate Gill Cedillo ($261,761), have provided most of Shallman's latest consulting fees (** we should also state that Shallman is doing IE work for UTLA). The Feuer billing, has provided fiscal fodder for the Carmen Trutanich Campaign, as they filed an Ethics Complaint against Feuer and Shallman, citing an alleged illegal scheme to donate consulting services, beyond the maximum $1,300 donation. One observer in conversation, upon learning of the numbers, could not help but draw comparisons to convicted campaign finance swindler and former Shallman book keeper Kinde Durkee, who move money from one account, to cover fiscal malfeasance's in another account, on numerous occasions. We invite Mr Shallman and his Attorney Andrew Cowan to comment on our findings---Scott Johnson.

** BREAKING NEWS: The mother of City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, Easter Trutanich passed away this afternoon in San Pedro. The Trutanich Campaign has indefinitely suspended campaign activities to deal with family matters. Our prayers go out to the Trutanich Family.

 City Attorney Candidate Mike Feuer ($7,871). The questionable $30,000+ in donations from officials and associates of Bet Tzedek, are way above the current billing receipts by the Feuer Campaign to Shallman.

 The Mayoral Campaign of City Controller Wendy "The Villar Greuel" has currently listed this one billing from John Shallman Communications. A paltry sum in comparison to $4 Million + in campaign expenditures.

02/17/13*

Shallman Communications, Inc.   Encino, CA 91436

Wendy Greuel  Mayor 1337185 - Wendy Greuel for Mayor 2013

E - Payment  (CNS - Campaign Consultant)  [Period: 02/17/13 to 02/27/13]

$75,000.00 [Election: 03/05/13]

CD 1 City Council Candidate Gil Cedillo has Shallman-related expenditures totaling $261,761 dollars, with $140,000 +of that total listed as debt.

The recent replacement candidate for CD 11 City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, Mike Bonin has in his short time running for office, accumulated $274,870 in billings from Shallman, including this cost for postage.

02/17/13*

Shallman Communications   Encino, CA 91436

Mike Bonin  Council Member - District 11 1352608 - Mike Bonin for City Council 2013

E - Payment  (POS - Postage)  [Period: 02/17/13 to 02/27/13]

$73,985.27 [Election: 03/05/13]

In conclusion, we recommend that Bonin and Cedillo, request the services of "The Villar Greuel" (when she is not engaging her campaign "Boss D"Arcy associate, in dinner table discussions) and ask her to find possible "Waste, Fraud and Abuse" in their respective campaign billings.

Your thoughts ..............
Scott Johnson in CD 14

LA Times: "Nonprofit group names key strategist (Shallman) for Greuel, Feuer in lawsuit".

A Non-profit group alleges that "Private Citizen/ Villar Greuel and Feuer Political Consultant" John Shallman, was "unjustly enriched" via the Durkee Scandal.

How will the "Private Citizen/ Political Consultant" explain this latest "Waste, Fraud and Abuse" Lawsuit?

We have our pre-Election Day Thursday Campaign Breaking News. From the LA Times.

A group that lost $1.5 million in the statewide political embezzlement scandal filed a lawsuit against a high-level strategist for mayoral candidate Wendy Greuel last week, alleging the campaign consultant was “unjustly enriched” even as other victims failed to recoup their money.The Mountain View, Calif.-based National Popular Vote Institute, which wants to end the presidential electoral college system, went to court demanding reimbursement from Greuel campaign consultant John Shallman, Durkee and First California Bank, which handled Durkee's funds. The suit does not allege wrongdoing by Shallman.

 Shallman Defense Attorney Andrew Cowan

Our corresponding legal friend Andrew Cowan, had these comments in regards to the past actions of his client.

Shallman's lawyer, Andrew Cowan, sharply disputed the lawsuit's portrayal of his client, saying Shallman was a victim of Durkee who lost out on $1 million. Since the lawsuit was filed, Cowan offered to provide the National Popular Vote Institute with information showing that Shallman did not benefit financially from Durkee's actions."We have agreed to hold off on serving [Shallman] with the complaint to allow time for review of that information," Berger said in an email. Berger said he had done so to as a "professional courtesy." "It doesn't mean that we're not moving forward with any part of the lawsuit," he said.

Shallman speaks through Cowan.

Shallman Communications represents Greuel and a handful of other candidates in the March 5 election, including city attorney candidate Mike Feuer and council hopefuls Mike Bonin and Gil Cedillo.Shallman said through his lawyer that he "deeply sympathizes" with the National Popular Vote Institute, saying he too is owed restitution. Durkee misfiled Shallman's tax returns from 2001 to 2009, Cowan said. 

........ makes us wonder what the California version of Sing Sing is?

Your thoughts ................
Scott Johnson in CD 14

Has "Private Citizen/ Political Consultant" John Shallman retain a White Collar Criminal Defense Attorney?

A Mayor Sam Exclusive regarding the speculation on the possibility that "Private Citizen/ Politcal Consultant" John Shallman, has retain White Collar Legal Defense Counsel for future litigation. 

We speculate on what supposed future litigation is taxing the mind of "Private Citizen/ Political Consultant John Shallman?

Attorney Andrew S. Cowan of Gallo LLP

** Blogger's note: Mayor Sam was the recipient of the following email which we will label as unverified. But in conversations with other city attorney and mayoral campaign staffs, we can state that the speculation behind the email has not been dismissed or disputed---Scott Johnson. 

It can be confirmed (** not by Mayor Sam for the record) that "Public Citizen/ Campaign Consultant: John Shallman has retained White Collar Criminal Defense Attorney Andrew Cowan to represent him.  In Los Angeles Superior Court case #BC492835, Criminal Defense Attorney Andrew Cowan with the downtown Los Angeles firm Gallo, LLP has bee retained to represent John Shallman.  Why would Shallman need a Criminal Defense Attorney? Maybe it has something to do with the Kindee Durkee matter?  When Ms. Durkee was sentenced to eight years in Federal Prison on November 28, 2012 , the United States Attorney in Sacramento, Benjamin Wagner commented to the Orange County Register after the hearing "The investigation is not over. More charges could be filed."

 

http://www.ocregister.com/ news/durkee-379026-campaign- million.html

 

http://www.gallo-law.com/ attorneys/cowan.html 

We invite City Attorney Candidate Assemblyman Mike Feuer, Mayoral Candidate City Controller Wendy Greuel and their Campaign Consultant John Shallman, to verify or deny the content of the email.

Your thoughts ..............

Scott Johnson in CD 14 

Client List of Democratic Campaign Treasurer Kinde Durkee

Democratic Campaign Treasurer Kinde Durkee.

Many prominent democrats and a small amount of RINO republicans are awaiting the arraignment of longtime democratic campaign treasurer Kinde Durkee on mail fraud in the AM.

The Sacramento Bee online service Capital Alert has the definitive list of Durkee's clients who are all surely checking their financial records to gauge whether they were victims of Durkee. More to come in the upcoming days for sure.

Your thoughts..............

Scott Johnson in CD 14