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The world of San Diego politics and its well-heeled corporate lobbying corps has long been a clubby sort of place, where tickets, dinners, drinks, and entertainment tabs for elected officials and their staffs are covered by obliging influence peddlers, eager for a quick vote to approve a new subdivision or, in the case of UT San Diego publisher Douglas Manchester, a deal to fix years-old permit violations at his Grand del Mar resort.
Now, according to recently filed financial disclosure reports, fine dining intimacy has been taken to an even higher level by two of the county’s biggest Republican political players, San Diego county supervisor Ron Roberts and super lobbyist Paul Robinson, a director of the GOP's Lincoln Club.
The filings show that, as of December 2012, the end of the latest reporting period, the two Republicans had six and seven-figure interests in Brooklyn Girl Eatery, the ballyhooed Mission Hills restaurant run by Victoria and Michael McGeath, former proprietors of the late Trattoria Acqua in La Jolla.
Lobbyist Robinson, who has worked for both Manchester as well as Las Vegas developer Irwin Molasky, the one-time business associate of the late mobster Moe Dalitz, is a member of the board of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority.
In his personal financial disclosure with that agency, filed March 7 of this year, Robinson valued his limited partnership interest in Brooklyn Girl at greater than $1 million, the highest disclosure category.
In his own disclosure report for last year, also filed last month, Roberts set his holding in the partnership as worth between $10,000 and $100,000.
A May 26, 2011 Form D filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lists both McGreaths as promoters of an offering of limited partnership interests in Brooklyn Girl Eatery, L.P.
Michael was said to be president of the venture, and his wife vice president. The total amount of the offering was listed as $1.2 million, with minimum investments from outside investors set at $10,000 each.
Campaign contribution data made available online by the San Diego city clerk's office shows that Michael McGeath has been a player in local politics, giving $470 to the campaigns of GOP ex-mayor Jerry Sanders; $160 to Republican city attorney Jan Goldsmith; and $100 each to Democrats Marti Emerald and Todd Gloria.
We have a call into Roberts's office for more information about the partnership.
Update: An aide to Roberts says the supervisor was pitched on the deal by McGeath, who knew Roberts as a regular customer at his eateries.
The world of San Diego politics and its well-heeled corporate lobbying corps has long been a clubby sort of place, where tickets, dinners, drinks, and entertainment tabs for elected officials and their staffs are covered by obliging influence peddlers, eager for a quick vote to approve a new subdivision or, in the case of UT San Diego publisher Douglas Manchester, a deal to fix years-old permit violations at his Grand del Mar resort.
Now, according to recently filed financial disclosure reports, fine dining intimacy has been taken to an even higher level by two of the county’s biggest Republican political players, San Diego county supervisor Ron Roberts and super lobbyist Paul Robinson, a director of the GOP's Lincoln Club.
The filings show that, as of December 2012, the end of the latest reporting period, the two Republicans had six and seven-figure interests in Brooklyn Girl Eatery, the ballyhooed Mission Hills restaurant run by Victoria and Michael McGeath, former proprietors of the late Trattoria Acqua in La Jolla.
Lobbyist Robinson, who has worked for both Manchester as well as Las Vegas developer Irwin Molasky, the one-time business associate of the late mobster Moe Dalitz, is a member of the board of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority.
In his personal financial disclosure with that agency, filed March 7 of this year, Robinson valued his limited partnership interest in Brooklyn Girl at greater than $1 million, the highest disclosure category.
In his own disclosure report for last year, also filed last month, Roberts set his holding in the partnership as worth between $10,000 and $100,000.
A May 26, 2011 Form D filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lists both McGreaths as promoters of an offering of limited partnership interests in Brooklyn Girl Eatery, L.P.
Michael was said to be president of the venture, and his wife vice president. The total amount of the offering was listed as $1.2 million, with minimum investments from outside investors set at $10,000 each.
Campaign contribution data made available online by the San Diego city clerk's office shows that Michael McGeath has been a player in local politics, giving $470 to the campaigns of GOP ex-mayor Jerry Sanders; $160 to Republican city attorney Jan Goldsmith; and $100 each to Democrats Marti Emerald and Todd Gloria.
We have a call into Roberts's office for more information about the partnership.
Update: An aide to Roberts says the supervisor was pitched on the deal by McGeath, who knew Roberts as a regular customer at his eateries.