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E-mail StoryWeir discloses his clients
Councilman has yet to officially file economic forms, as ordered to
| Thursday, Mar 22 2007 11:05 PM
Last Updated: Thursday, Mar 22 2007 11:36 PM
Councilman Ken Weir appeared on KGET-TV Thursday. He told an anchorman he had the 12 names of his most lucrative clients.
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Weir had been ordered to produce them after the Fair Political Practices Commission told him to reveal the accounting clients he left unnamed in two previous economic interest forms.
On KGET-TV's Web site after the interview, it was reported: "Weir filed his completed economic interest forms Thursday morning with the city clerk of Bakersfield ..."
But at the close of business Thursday, City Clerk Pamela McCarthy said Weir had not filed those names with her office that day, or any day.
Thursday evening, Weir sent an e-mail to The Californian: "I was with a client this evening when the story ran on KGET so I don't know what was said. If they said that I 'had filed the twelve names of his most lucrative clients with the city clerk's office that morning' I will call (KGET) tomorrow and ask for a correction."
The Fair Political Practices Commission required Weir to report all clients from whom he made $10,000 or more last year.
Thursday, Kern County Supervisor Mike Maggard, of Maggard & Co., said Weir had called and asked him if he minded being named. Maggard replied that he didn't mind.
"Obviously he wanted to be transparent," Maggard said. "I don't think he's hiding anything."
Weir is a certified public accountant. He was elected to the council's Ward 3 seat in November.
Every year, public officials must disclose certain information about income, investment, property and gifts in economic interest statements.
Specifically required are names of $10,000-plus clients.
After initially not listing any clients who paid him more than $10,000, Weir filed a revised statement that still did not disclose names of a dozen $10,000-plus customers of his business, Weir and Associates Accountancy Corp.
The revised statement called those customers clients A through L. He said accountant-client privilege allowed them to remain anonymous.
But commission rules, buttressed by case law, show that officials' large clients can stay secret only in rare circumstances. Even doctors and lawyers must disclose names except in special circumstances that require commission approval on a case-by-case basis, rules state.
-- Staff writer James Burger contributed to this story.
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THE CLIENT LIST
• Ace Hydraulic Sales & Services Inc.
• Brittan Industries
• Cisneros Restaurants Inc., Los Hermanos Restaurants, Que Pasa Mexican Cafe, The Catering Shop
• Europro Inc. (tanning salons)
• Maggard & Co. CPA’s
• Prather Drywall & Plastering Inc.
• Wexford Capital, LLC
• Spicer Wireline Inc.
• St. John Missionary Baptist Church
• Technical Wireline Service Inc. (oil field service)
• Tri-Steel Corporation
• Western Service Inc.