COUNCIL BEGRUDGINGLY ADOPTS CENSURE RULES.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

Despite continued misgivings over the potential of political embarrassment, the Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday faced the inevitability of a new City Charter and adopted rules allowing members to censure themselves.

In its 12-2 vote, the council agreed to rules and procedures allowing for committee hearings to have a censure vote for misdeeds by any of its members after being told a censure plan would go into effect in any case when the new charter takes effect July 1.

Under the rules, a council member could be censured for conduct embarrassing to the council with 10 votes. That is a tougher standard that now exists, under which a member could be censured by a simple majority of eight members for any reason. There would be no penalty involved.

``You mean the council could censure me today if they didn't like my tie?'' Councilman Rudy Svorinich Jr. asked. He was told it could.

Councilmen Hal Bernson and Nate Holden were the two dissenting votes.

``This is not going to be productive for this council or those in the future,'' Bernson said. ``It demeans the members of this council. If someone does something egregious, it won't be necessary for the council to do anything. The press and the public will do that.''

Holden said it can be used as a way to improperly punish an official.

``You will hold hearings after hearings and it will be like dropping water on someone's head,'' Holden said. ``It is a clear example of how politics can be played to embarrass someone when you don't have the facts.''

Councilman Joel Wachs, who had opposed the proposal two weeks ago, said he changed his view.

``I had misgivings because I thought it could be abused,'' Wachs said. ``It will come down to how the public views it. If a council abuses this, it could become a badge of honor if the public is with you. We are deluding ourselves to think this is the litmus test of how good or bad we are.''

Even though the council has had the power to censure members, the last time it was used was in the 1970s against former Councilman Art Snyder, which prompted two unsuccessful recall drives, Holden said.

Councilman Mike Hernandez, who was arrested more than three years ago on cocaine charges and has since undergone rehabilitation, said he supported the censure proposal that was developed during the period of controversy after his arrest.

Hernandez was never censured by the council, although several criticized him individually.

``They had the right to express their views,'' Hernandez said. ``Clearly, what I did was not right. But, I ask the question, if this will stop us from censuring the mayor? Will this stop us from censuring the city attorney or the governor? No. This is about rules for our own conduct.''