Assembly Candidate Troy Edgar Accused of Failing to Disclose Donors

OC Weekly says Los Alamitos Mayor Troy Edgar failed to disclose the funding sources and cost of two sets of promotional materials used in his aborted congressional campaign.

In turn, Edgar accuses the weekly of being manipulated by a disgruntled former employee now working for his political opponent in the 72nd District Assembly race, Travis Allen.

According to writer R. Scott Moxley, records show Edgar failed to report who paid for 3,000 mailers to influential Republicans during his congressional campaign. OC Weekly also said Edgar didn't reveal who paid for promotional fans distributed at a Little Saigon event in Westminster celebrating the Tet New Year.

The brochures reportedly cost $5,668 and the fans cost $900. Under federal election law, candidates must disclose how much they receive in donations and labor during their run. OC Weekly accused Edgar of repeatedly lying about the brochure funding.

Brandon Powers, a former consultant for Edgar’s congressional campaign who was quoted by OC Weekly, accused Edgar of purposefully leaving the funding sources unreported because Edgar's company paid for them and the candidate didn’t want to look like a “self-funder."

However, Edgar's campaign finance statements filed with the federal government clearly showed he was the primary donor to his aborted congressional campaign at the time. According to his filings, he donated $405,000 to his own campaign -- $325,000 of which was eventually reimbursed by the campaign.

Reached by phone Wednesday night, Edgar said the brochure invoices were inadvertently directed to his company for payment. After OC Weekly’s Moxley alerted him to the problem, Edgar said the money was returned to his firm and the campaign finance statements were corrected.

“Why would I hide small items and pay for big ones? It’s clearly nonsense,” Edgar told Patch. “It’s a disgruntled consultant, who no longer works for me. ... This is a whole lot of nothing."

Dissatisfied with Powers’ work, Edgar said he let him go from his campaign only to see Powers go directly to his opponent with materials and research.

Edgar questioned whether Powers was providing consulting services for the Allen campaign that aren’t being reported in Allen’s campaign finance statements. Powers is not listed as a donor in Allen’s most recent campaign finance filings.

OC Weekly quotes Powers saying he chose to leave the Edgar campaign because he became disillusioned with it. Powers could not be reached for comment Wednesday night.

The 72 Assembly Seat, which Allen and Edgar are contending for, will represent Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach and Westminster.

Click here to read the full OC Weekly column.