COUNCILMAN FINED $3,000.Byline: Alexa Haussler Staff Writer The 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 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. unanimously agreed Monday to fine Los Angeles City Councilman Hal Bernson $3,000 for accepting free legal services legal services n. the work performed by a lawyer for a client. during an earlier ethics investigation. Bernson agreed to pay the fine, and the law firm of City Hall lobbyist Neil Papiano will pay $4,000, according to a stipulation accepted by the ethics panel. The councilman acknowledged in the stipulation that he accepted $5,700 in legal services from Papiano and his firm in 1996 and 1997, when the Ethics Commission found Bernson improperly used his 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 account to buy season tickets to the Hollywood Bowl. According to the stipulation, Papiano represented Bernson in the earlier ethics case but did not charge him. The Ethics Commission determined that constituted a political contribution, and at the time the limit for a political contribution was $1,000. |
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