CAMPAIGN ORDINANCE ORDERED : FUND-RAISING BAN EYED FOR APPOINTEES.Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer The Los Angeles City Council  The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States. agreed Wednesday to ask the city
attorney to draft an ordinance prohibiting city commissioners from
soliciting campaign contributions for city politicians.
The council action, taken by consensus without a formal vote, came amid concerns that the practice gives the appearance that appointments can be bought through fund raising. The council asked the City Attorney's Office to draft the prohibition into an ordinance after an Aug. 15 public hearing by the city Ethics Commission In the United States, an Ethics Commission is a commission established by State law to discourage dishonest practices by their public employees and elected officials. Almost all American states have such a commission. on the issue. ``I think there is a consensus on that so without objection that will be the order,'' said Councilman Joel Wachs Joel Wachs served for several terms as Los Angeles City Councilman for the 2nd district. He was first elected by defeating incumbent James B. Potter. While in office, Wachs chaired the Public Works Committee and vice-chair of the Environmental Quality & Waste Management , acting council president. Councilman Nate Holden Nathaniel "Nate" R. Holden (1929-) served on the Los Angeles City Council from 1987 to 2002. He previously served a term on the California State Senate and was Assistant Chief Deputy to then Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn. authored the motion, saying he was concerned that appointments to city commissions might appear to be for sale to those who can raise the most money for the appointing authority. ``We don't want inside trading at City Hall any more. We don't even want the perception of inside trading at City Hall,'' he said. The Ethics Commission recently reported that just those city commissioners who are lobbyists have raised tens of thousands of dollars for city officials in recent years. ``I don't think it was their intention nor should it be for those commissioners to be required to raise that kind of money,'' Holden said. Mayor Richard Riordan Richard J. Riordan (born May 1, 1930) is a Republican politician from California, U.S. who served as the California Secretary of Education from 2003–2005 and as Mayor of Los Angeles from 1993–2001. Riordan ran for Governor of California unsuccessfully in 2002. has denied that he requires his appointees to city commissions to raise campaign funds, but the Daily News reported recently that several commissioners had hosted large fund-raisers for the mayor's re-election. Holden did not specifically allege To state, recite, assert, or charge the existence of particular facts in a Pleading or an indictment; to make an allegation. allege v. that any Riordan appointees had been appointed based on fund-raising ability, but said commissioners from previous administrations have done extensive fund raising for mayors. Riordan and City Attorney James Hahn For the Iowa politician, see . James Kenneth "Jim" Hahn (born July 3, 1950) is an American politician from the Democratic Party. He was the Deputy City Attorney (1975-1979), City Controller (1981-1985), City Attorney (1985-2001) and Mayor of Los Angeles, California have endorsed the prohibition. Ethics Commission director Rebecca Avila asked the council to postpone a formal vote until after the Aug. 15 hearing, for which notice has been provided to city commissioners and others. ``Over 600 people have been noticed about the hearing,'' Avila said. Councilman Mike Hernandez said he had some questions about the proposal. |
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