U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) used his influence to open doors in Washington for a Hollywood producer pitching a television show after the producer paid him a $23,000 option on a screenplay, records and interviews show.
Before the option deal in late 2003, Rohrabacher's script, "Baja," had kicked around Hollywood for so many years that its conservative protagonist had morphed from a Vietnam veteran to a soldier who had served in the Persian Gulf War.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Wednesday November 30, 2005 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 2 inches; 88 words Type of Material: Correction
Producer access -- A Nov. 4 article in Section A about U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) helping a Hollywood producer gain access in Washington quoted Rohrabacher as saying that he might have made a technical error in not disclosing a contract with a producer for a screenplay through which Rohrabacher could have received additional payments. After reviewing instructions for completing the financial disclosure form required of all members of the House of Representatives, Rohrabacher now says he does not believe he was required to disclose the contract.
The action-adventure tale, penned by the conservative Orange County congressman almost 30 years ago, revolved around an archeological expedition to Mexico by the vet and his antagonist, a liberal graduate student.
Following the sale of the script to Joseph Medawar, a little-known producer, Rohrabacher helped introduce Medawar to at least five Republican congressmen and staff members at the House of Representatives' Homeland Security Committee in 2004. At the time, Medawar was pitching his latest Hollywood project -- a TV series about the Department of Homeland Security.
One of those congressmen was former Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach), then chair of the Homeland Security Committee. Rohrabacher said he also made calls that helped Medawar and his crew gain access to officials in federal law enforcement agencies who briefed them on the inner workings of the federal government.
Records and interviews show Medawar repeatedly trumpeted his access to Washington big-shots when discussing his project with journalists and selling it to potential investors in his company, Steeple Enterprises.
Spokesmen at two nonpartisan watchdog groups in Washington said Rohrabacher may have crossed an ethical line when he helped the producer set up meetings with congressmen and government officials after accepting money for the screenplay.
Federal authorities now allege that Medawar's television project was at the heart of an elaborate swindle in which Medawar defrauded dozens of people -- many of them Orange County and South Los Angeles churchgoers -- by selling $5.5 million of stock in Steeple.
Medawar, arrested last month, has pleaded not guilty to a 23-count indictment. He faces the possibility of life in prison if convicted.
Rohrabacher said Thursday in an interview that he had done nothing improper by accepting the option payment from Medawar before introducing him to congressmen and Homeland Security officials.
