While much of the focus has been on Melahat Rafiei’s work in Irvine when she attempted to bribe two council members in 2018, Rafiei had influence all over the county.
Tag: Beth Krom
Reiff: Krom Defends Great Park Legacy, Raps Project’s “Commercialization”
Former Irvine Mayor Beth Krom looks back at her career with Rick Reiff talking about the battle against a regional airport in Irvine along with the challenges of the Great Park and life beyond public office.
Krom: Justifying Jeff Lalloway as a Public Policy Advisor is a Stretch
Supervisor Todd Spitzer wants to hire Orange County Divorce Lawyer Jeff Lalloway as a public policy advisor for the County of Orange for $190,000 a year next Tuesday. Irvine City Councilwoman Beth Krom calls it cronyism.
State Levels Heavy Criticism on Irvine’s Great Park Audit
The city’s high-profile and controversial forensic audit of the Great Park was plagued by poor governance, a lack of auditing standards, and a compromised bidding process, according to a scathing report released by the State Auditor’s office Tuesday.
End of an Elmahrek
After more than six years of holding the powerful accountable in Orange County, Adam Elmahrek is leaving for the Los Angeles Times.
Irvine Council Decides to Hold Off on Short-Term Rental Regulations
As websites like Airbnb have created a boom in short-term rentals, council members want to update the city’s rules on when and how private homes can be rented out. But they want to study the issue first.
The Drama Continues Over Irvine Councilwoman’s Consulting Work
Council members battled over whether they should release the city attorney’s legal opinion on Councilwoman Christina Shea’s controversial, and perhaps illegal, consulting work for KIA Motors America. The council ultimately chose not to release the opinion.
Bad Feng Shui Doesn’t Sway Irvine Council on Vets Cemetery
A proposed land swap would have resolved concerns from Chinese home buyers that living next to a cemetery is bad feng shui. But A majority of council members said changing course might derail the cemetery altogether.
Irvine Council Adopts ‘In God We Trust’ for Council Chambers
Councilmembers also voted to have the phrase e pluribus unum – Latin for “out of many, one” — emblazoned in the meeting chambers. The gesture is a reminder of an ongoing effort by the council’s Republican majority to cast the city in a more conservative light.
Could The Great Park Be Built ‘Ahead of Schedule’?
Given the years-long controversy over stalled construction, it might seem like a specious claim. But a representative from developer FivePoint Communities says they are going to start building substantial portions of the park “over a year early.”










