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CITY ATTORNEY HOPEFULS PRESENT ARGUMENTS : HAHN, STEIN CLASH AT CSUN DEBATE.


Byline: Rick Orlov Orlov (Орлóв) is the name of a Russian noble family which produced several distinguished statesmen, diplomatists and soldiers. The family first gained distinction in the person of four Orlov brothers, of whom the senior was Catherine the Great's  Daily News Staff Writer

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
 and challenger Ted Stein Stein , William Howard 1911-1980.

American biochemist. He shared a 1972 Nobel Prize for pioneering studies of ribonuclease.
 traded accusations in a heated debate in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley

Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills.
 on Monday as the pair met in the final of two debates a month before the April 8 election.

In a one-hour debate at Cal State Northridge sponsored by the university and the Daily News, Hahn questioned whether Stein has the legal background necessary for the job or the integrity to perform it well.

``He is no longer an attorney, he's a real estate developer,'' Hahn said. ``My opponent is simply not qualified. The job of city attorney is being a prosecuting attorney.''

For his part, Stein accused Hahn of being too closely tied to the City Hall establishment and failing to be aggressive enough in defending the city and going after crime.

``He's Mr. Fix-it,'' Stein said of Hahn to the audience of about 100 people. ``He makes sure no one in government gets in trouble. If you think you are safer today (than) you were when Mr. Hahn took office, then you should vote for him.''

Hahn said he has proven he has the experience necessary for the job and has been proactive in creating programs dealing with gang crimes and domestic violence.

He tried to paint Stein as a wealthy outsider Outsider often refers to one identified as on the periphery of social norms, one living or working apart from mainstream society, or one observing a group from the outside, as used in:
  • Outsider Art, created by artists working outside the mainstream art world
 trying to buy his way into the City Attorney's CERTIFICATE, ATTORNEY'S, Practice, English law. By statute 37 Geo. III., c. 90, s. 26, 28, attorneys are required to deliver to the commissioners of stamp duties, a paper or note in writing, containing the name and usual place of residence of such person, and thereupon, on paying certain  Office.

``I am not a wealthy man,'' Hahn said. ``I can't afford to put $200,000 in my own campaign like Mr. Stein did last Friday. I can't try to buy this office.''

Stein, who has raised more than $1 million for his campaign, filed notice last week he would use some of his own money in preparation for the final campaign effort to get his message out to voters.

For the most part in the debate, it was Hahn who attempted to put Stein on the defensive, raising questions over back taxes owed by Stein on rental property as well as his decision to hire Whitewater Whitewater, city, United States
Whitewater, city (1990 pop. 12,636), Jefferson and Walworth counties, SE Wis., in a dairy and farm area; inc. 1885.
 figure Webster Hubbell Webster Lee Hubbell (born 1949), known as Webster L. Hubbell and Webb Hubbell, was an Arkansas lawyer and politician. He was a lawyer in Pulaski County before serving as Mayor of Little Rock from 1979 until he resigned in 1981.  to work for the Department of Airports.

``Will you agree to pay all the back taxes you owe on that property by the end of this week?'' Hahn demanded in his opening statement.

Stein did not respond until his closing statement, when he said Hahn had misrepresented what had happened and that the taxes were being paid out on a schedule reached with the Assessor's Office that was available to any taxpayer.

Also, he said, the building was owned by a partnership of which he was only one partner.

As for the hiring of Hubbell, the former No. 3 man in the Justice Department who resigned and was convicted in connection with overcharging clients while at the Rose Law Firm in Littlerock, Ark., Stein said the City Attorney's Office should have been aware of any problems.

``It was your former campaign manager, Alan Arkatov, who recommended him,'' Stein said. ``It was your office that signed off not once, but twice on hiring him.''

Hahn said a deputy in his office merely signed off to the legality le·gal·i·ty  
n. pl. le·gal·i·ties
1. The state or quality of being legal; lawfulness.

2. Adherence to or observance of the law.

3. A requirement enjoined by law. Often used in the plural.
 of a contract with Hubbell and not as to his hiring.

Hubbell was hired by the Department of Airports when Stein was president of the Airport Commission and was paid $25,000 to lobby the Clinton administration Noun 1. Clinton administration - the executive under President Clinton
executive - persons who administer the law
 to allow a transfer of $58 million from airport funds to the city general fund. The transfer was approved. But Hubbell's contract was canceled when he was convicted.

Stein countered that Hahn had his own conflicts in accepting campaign contributions from deputy city attorneys who report to him, as well as from private law firms This list of the world's largest law firms by revenue is taken from The Lawyer and The American Lawyer and is ordered by 2006 revenue:[1]
  1. Clifford Chance, £1,030.2m – International law firm (headquartered in the UK);
  2. Linklaters, £935.
 that have received city contracts.

In addition, Stein complained about the growth of the city's liability payouts since Hahn became city attorney, saying they have grown from $17 million to more than $70 million a year.

Hahn said the city is particularly vulnerable in major cases, but that his office has worked to try to reduce the liability payouts and has been appealing large awards. However, he said, in general he takes the recommendations of his deputies on whether to settle cases.

``That's where we differ,'' Stein said. ``I would be more aggressive in reviewing all the cases and not just pay out. Suing the city of Los Angeles
For the city, see Los Angeles, California.
The City of Los Angeles was a streamlined passenger train jointly operated by the Chicago and North Western Railway and the Union Pacific Railroad.
 is (like) winning the Lotto, only you don't have to wait 20 years to be paid.''

CAPTION(S):

Photo

PHOTO City Attorney James Hahn, left, and rival Ted Stein speak Monday at Cal State Northridge in a one-hour debate sponsored by the campus and the Daily News.

David Sprague/Daily News
COPYRIGHT 1997 Daily News
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 1997, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Date:Mar 11, 1997
Words:767
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