Report: Adult industry donations higher than known in San Diego

SAN DIEGO (AP) A computer-aided analysis of campaign reports found Las Vegas donors and members of the adult-entertainment industry contributed more to San Diego politicians, including two under federal scrutiny, over the past few years than previously reported.

Donations to four council members and two unsuccessful candidates for council and mayor since 2000 totaled $22,025 $8,275 more than was previously reported, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune's analysis.

The contributions may play a role in a federal grand jury's investigation of public corruption involving members of the San Diego City Council and a Las Vegas-based adult entertainment business.

Mike Galardi, who owns Cheetah's Gentlemen's Clubs in Las Vegas and San Diego, is the target of the FBI investigation into dealings he had with politicians in both cities. The FBI raided the offices of three San Diego councilmembers and Galardi's strip clubs in San Diego and Las Vegas last month.

The Union-Tribune's analysis found people associated with the adult-entertainment industry often varied the way they reported their occupations, employers and home addresses on campaign contribution reports. For example, a person who described themselves as an entertainer or waitress on one report would be listed on another as a student or homemaker.

From 1999 to 2002, bundles of these personal checks were delivered at fund-raisers for candidates for office in San Diego by lobbyists for the California Cabaret Association, which represents strip clubs.

Councilmembers Jim Madaffer, Toni Atkins, Ralph Inzunza and Charles Lewis all accepted checks from the lobbyists, the Union-Tribune said.

On May 14, the FBI raided the City Hall offices of Inzunza, Lewis and a third councilman, Michael Zucchet. All three have denied wrongdoing.

Inzunza has accepted $8,000 in contributions and Lewis $5,750 from Las Vegas contributors and people associated with the strip club industry, the Union-Tribune found. No such contributions were found on Zucchet's reports.

Some of the Las Vegas donors had no obvious links to the adult industry, but they gave money to Inzunza and Lewis on the same day that associates of Galardi did.

Atkins collected $3,500 in contributions from Las Vegas contributors and those associated with the adult entertainment industry, twice as much as was initially apparent. Madaffer collected $3,000.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)