COMMISSION TO WEIGH BERNSON'S OFFER.Byline: - Alexa Haussler 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. is scheduled to decide Monday whether to accept Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. City Councilman Hal Bernson's offer to pay a $3,000 fine for receiving free legal services legal services n. the work performed by a lawyer for a client. during an earlier ethics investigation. Bernson acknowledges accepting $5,700 in legal services from the law firm of City Hall lobbyist Neil Papiano in 1996 and 1997, according to a proposed settlement agreement, known as a stipulation, between the councilman and the commission. At that time, Bernson was under investigation for using his City Hall officeholder's account to buy Hollywood Bowl concert tickets. In April 1997, the Ethics Commission ruled that Bernson had violated city law and ordered him to pay a $1,500 fine. Bernson, who did not return calls seeking comment Tuesday, represents the northwest 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. . According to the stipulation, Bernson did not pay for Papiano's legal services, which the Ethics Commission determined constituted a political contribution. At the time, state law limited officeholder of·fice·hold·er n. One who holds public office. Noun 1. officeholder - someone who is appointed or elected to an office and who holds a position of trust; "he is an officer of the court"; "the club elected its officers for contributions to $1,000. Bernson denied deliberate wrongdoing wrong·do·er n. One who does wrong, especially morally or ethically. wrong  do , as did the law firm, according to the document. ``The firm has indicated that it merely intended to provide volunteer legal services to the councilman, and the councilman has indicated that he thought he was receiving volunteer legal services from the firm,'' the stipulation states. ``The city Ethics Commission did not find any evidence that the firm or the councilman intended to violate Los Angeles Municipal Code.'' |
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