Mike Eggers

Smollar chides Erin Kutnick for ignoring the district's illegal hiring of Mike Eggers as a political consultant

David Smollar, The Capistrano Dispatch "Or maybe Kutnick might want to ask Fleming and Draper about their lies to Dispatch editor Jonathan Volzke in fall 2005 when he had clear evidence that Mike Eggers, a longtime Draper friend and the paid political gun for the trustees, was writing Fleming’s monthly column for the community newspapers. They said it was just a “favor” by Eggers. Hah! The truth is that Draper had forced Fleming to give Eggers final say over both his weekly electronic newsletter and his monthly column. Fleming only exploded over this unusual yoke and forced Draper to back off when Eggers got too big for his britches and approached deputy superintendents Crawford, Dave Doomey and Marge LaRoe, behind Fleming’s back, saying that Draper wanted them to work with Eggers on a strategic plan for the district. Unfortunately for Eggers, Crawford and Doomey went to Fleming, who said he then had a “Come to Jesus” meeting with Draper and forced her to scale back Egger’s interference in district operations."

Kutnick is a columnist for The Capistrano Dispatch. Smollar is the former Director of Communications at Capistrano Unified School District.

Smollar testifies that Fleming lied about consultant Mike Eggers and the funding sources for the new administration building

Deposition of David J. Smollar, Lackey vs. CUSD, p. 137 "Q There's a sentence, and I'll read it to you, "I no longer believe myself capable of communicating a true picture of CUSD." Why did you write that? A Because of what had occurred both with the lying on Eggers, the lying about his voucher, and the fact that the superintendent was still writing in his -- or dictating in his documents that the funding was redevelopment money, it could only be used for, you know, limited purposes, I mean, we were still trying to pedal that line."

Former CUSD Communications Director Smollar testifies that the district lied to cover up illegal express advocacy in its hiring of political consultant Mike Eggers at taxpayer expense, and to cover up the truth about the financing of the new administration building with its "redevelopment funds" lies.