Consultant Admits to Misuse of Funds

SAN DIEGO — In a plea bargain, a political consultant Monday pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor criminal count stemming from alleged misuse of public money in exchange for six felony counts being dropped.

Larry Remer, 55, agreed to pay restitution to Southwestern Community College in Chula Vista and a fine of $5,000, and to perform 100 hours of community service.

Serafin Zasueta, 63, the former college president, pleaded guilty to the same count and accepted the same conditions. At a hearing July 21, U.S. District Judge John Houston could sentence each to a year in custody. Their lack of criminal history, however, makes that unlikely.

On April 7, a jury deadlocked 10 to 2 in favor of convicting Remer of six counts stemming from $5,890.47 spent by the college for outtakes from a TV commercial favoring an $89-million bond issue for improvements at the college on the 2000 ballot.

Zasueta was awaiting trial.

Prosecutors alleged that Remer and Zasueta improperly spent public money for political purposes by arranging purchase of the outtakes.

A probation report will be done before prosecutors make a sentencing recommendation to the judge. A possible recommendation could range from probation to six months in custody, said Assistant U.S. Atty. John J. Rice.