Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez, a candidate for state Assembly in the 69th district, responded today after a California Watch journalist tweeted about things he overheard her say into a cell phone during a train journey.

Bob Salladay, a senior editor with the investigative news site, was on a train from Southern California to Oakland this morning when he overheard Martinez, who was sitting nearby, talking about her campaign, according to a report by LiberalOC.

“Assmbly candidate from OC talking loudly on her cell phone on train to Oakland, saying she’s ‘working with’ tribe that is doing an IE,” Salladay tweeted, referring to an independent expenditure, or spending on behalf of a candidate by an unaffiliated third-party.

“She says: ‘I’m working with chairman Robert Smith from Pala. Yeah, they are going to come in real big with some IEs.’,” he tweeted. Smith is chairman of the Pala Band of Mission Indians.

Martinez responded with an emailed statement:

“I don’t know what’s worse; someone secretly listening to a private conversation without consent or misrepresenting that conversation publicly. It’s disrespectful, dishonest and downright creepy. Now, I’m even more motivated to bring integrity, civility and honor back to public service in Sacramento.”

Candidates are not allowed to coordinate with third parties about independent expenditures on their behalf.

But knowing about a planned independent expenditure is not a violation, said Bob Stern, a former general counsel with the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission.

“The campaign doesn’t have to shut its eyes and ears,” Stern said. “The candidate can know about it….It’s just (third parties) can’t ask the candidate what you would like them to do.”

See this post in its original form, and read more on Total Buzz – The Orange County Register.