A screenshot of Newport Beach City Councilman Scott Peotter's campaign website. It was linked to Peotter's photograph on the Transportation Corridor Agency's web site until Aug. 14, 2018.
Immediately after Voice of OC called the TCA with questions, the hyperlink to Peotter's campaign website, which was on his photograph on the TCA board member biography page, was changed to his biography on the Newport Beach City Council webpage.
A screenshot of the Transportation Corridor Agencies board members with links to their profiles underneath the photographs. Taken Aug. 14, 2018.
The TCA manages south Orange County's toll roads. No other hyperlink under elected officials' names on the agency website took people to a campaign or personal website. Peotter's campaign web page, which Voice of OC captured in a screen shot before it was removed, had a large "donate" button on the right side.
Voice of OC open government consultant Terry Francke said if TCA allowed Peotter and other board members to put hyperlinks to campaign websites on the agency's web page, it could have been a legal liability for the toll road agency.
Peotter didn't return calls for comment.
A screenshot showing details of Newport Beach City Councilman Scott Peotter's link to his campaign website. Taken Aug. 14, 2018.
Stern said Peotter's hyperlink wasn't using a large sum of taxpayer funds, but it violates the principle of the law.
"We're talking about cents or a few dollars when we're talking about how much resources were used … it's the principle more than the amount," Stern said.