Public speakers accuse Newport Beach council of blocking initiative process, question legal fees

Several members of the public used the special meeting's public comment period to press the council on recent litigation and the handling of a citizen initiative. Walter Star urged the council to ask legal counsel about the likelihood of success on the city's appeal to the state supreme court and questioned discounted billing by the law firm Rutan & Tucker, calling the appeal likely to fail and the spending a "waste." "I think it's about 100 hours, maybe 125," he said of the time the law firm devoted to the brief.

Susan Skinner directly accused the council of attempting to "sabotage democracy" by rejecting an initiative notice published in the OC Reporter; she said a court rebuked the city and ordered the process to move forward and said she is preparing a California Bar complaint against a council member. Jim Mosier also raised transparency concerns about meeting notices and litigation costs and reminded the council of the city charter provision creating the city attorney position and the Brown Act's requirements for disclosure when council directs legal action.