Lyle A Overby

Over the past decade, Lyle A. Overby has quietly become one of Orange County's most influential and respected political operatives. He holds no elected office. Candidates don't seek his endorsement, he is not a developer, and you hardly ever see his name in the newspaper. What makes Overby special is his skill as a lobbyist--by all accounts he's one of the best.

Over the past decade, Lyle A. Overby has quietly become one of Orange County's most influential and respected political operatives. He holds no elected office. Candidates don't seek his endorsement, he is not a developer, and you hardly ever see his name in the newspaper. What makes Overby special is his skill as a lobbyist--by all accounts he's one of the best.

Two Orange County supervisors expressed outrage Friday over the actions of two planning commissioners who reportedly solicited funds for an Assembly candidate by hosting a dinner with representatives of South County developers who have projects before the commission. "I would have grave views about my planning or airport commissioner using their county titles to solicit campaign funds on behalf of an Assembly candidate or any candidate," Supervisor Roger R. Stanton said.

Local campaign reform advocates are urging Board of Supervisors Chairman Roger R. Stanton to impose new requirements on companies that receive county business, forcing them to disclose whether they have hired lobbyists and say how much they have paid them. "I think the public should know who's involved in these contract awards," said former Orange County Planning Commission member Shirley L. Grindle, who added that she discussed the idea with Stanton last week.

The official roll call of the dozen Orange County "influence brokers" turns up a surprising bunch of names: On the April list, for instance, there are a couple of architects, a land-planning expert or two, a few civil engineers and a public relations firm. They hardly seem like the kind of folks who would have extraordinary influence over county officials or who could make much of a living by peddling it to clients.

Even aside from the central roles he allegedly played in two recent campaign escapades, Assembly staffer Mark Denny might have wanted a little time off, it being the holidays and all. But two weeks off, unpaid and previously unscheduled? Those holiday bills must be mounting about now for Denny, an aide to GOP Assembly Leader Curt Pringle of Garden Grove. Jeff Flint, Pringle's chief of staff, declined to comment on Denny's sudden leave without pay, scheduled to run from Dec. 21 to Jan. 4.

The June Republican primary was only weeks away when Assembly candidate Peter von Elten's quest for campaign funds hit what he described as "a stone wall." Contributors he had counted on in Huntington Beach, where he lives, were suddenly reluctant to buck his chief opponent, Mayor Thomas F. Mays. So Von Elten turned to a longtime friend: Orange County Planning Commissioner Roger D. Slates. "I said, Jesus, you know . . .

Two members of the Orange County Planning Commission helped host a private dinner Tuesday where they solicited campaign donations on behalf of an Assembly candidate from Huntington Beach, according to some of those present. Among those attending were several representatives of South County developers, including at least one who has a project pending before the Planning Commission.

For years, a number of Wall Street's biggest firms and Orange County politicians engaged in a lucrative courtship, with campaign contributions flowing in one direction and multimillion-dollar bond deals being awarded in their wake.

It was just before dawn when Orange County's leaders, frazzled and frightened, turned on one another. In hours, one of America's wealthiest counties would declare bankruptcy. But in the cold, empty Hall of Administration that morning, years of deceit, incompetence and arrogance were about to catch up with the county. Supervisor Roger R.

For the past 12 years, powerful special interests have taken advantage of a gaping loophole in Orange County's campaign reform ordinance to pour hundreds of thousands of dollars into the political war chests of county supervisors. By passing the money through unregulated political action committees, the groups have found ways to avoid registration requirements and sidestep a local conflict-of-interest ordinance known as TINCUP.