ETHICS GROUP MEMBERS TOLD TO WATCH WORDS.Byline: KERRY CAVANAUGH Staff Writer Excluded from the race to put a term-limits/ethics reform package on the ballot, the 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. found itself silenced Tuesday when members finally got a chance to discuss the proposal to change lobbying rules and give the City Council a third term. Vice President Bill Boyarsky kicked off the discussion by asking how the ethics reform measure on the Nov. 7 ballot would affect the city's existing rules. ``So instead of strengthening the lobby control laws as the proponents of this measure have claimed, could it be said that it actually weakens it?'' Boyarsky asked after staffers advised him that some lobbyists might be exempted from registering under the new rules. But Deputy City Attorney Renee Stadel interrupted in·ter·rupt v. in·ter·rupt·ed, in·ter·rupt·ing, in·ter·rupts v.tr. 1. To break the continuity or uniformity of: Rain interrupted our baseball game. 2. him to warn that, because the ethics package has already been placed on the ballot, city employees or public resources cannot be used to support or oppose it. And that includes using ``valuative adjectives'' during an Ethics Commission hearing. ``I am concerned that by using words such as `strengthen' or `weaken,' it becomes an advocacy on either side of the issue,'' Stadel said. Chastened chas·ten tr.v. chas·tened, chas·ten·ing, chas·tens 1. To correct by punishment or reproof; take to task. 2. To restrain; subdue: chasten a proud spirit. 3. , Boyarsky continued his technical questions on the measure, choosing his words carefully. He later said the council's decision to put the measure on the ballot before seeking Ethics Commission input ``took us out of the ballgame.'' Critics of the ballot measure complain that the proposals were never vetted or voted on by the Ethics Commission. The commission was supposed to consider it July 31, just days before it went to the council. But the session was canceled when President Gil Garcetti Gilbert "Gil" Garcetti (b. August 5, 1941) served as Los Angeles County's 39th District Attorney for two terms, from 1992 until November 7, 2000. Background Gil Garcetti received a bachelor's degree in Management from the University of Southern California and a Juris couldn't make it and there weren't enough members present to legally hold the meeting. While Boyarsky previously has said he opposed the ethics/term-limits package, Tuesday marked the first time the commission was able to review the proposed legislation with staffers. Tied to the term-limit extension is a series of proposals to toughen the city's ethics laws, limiting the role of lobbyists in raising campaign contributions and serving on city boards and commissions. It also would extend from one year to two the length of time for which a former official would be prohibited pro·hib·it tr.v. pro·hib·it·ed, pro·hib·it·ing, pro·hib·its 1. To forbid by authority: Smoking is prohibited in most theaters. See Synonyms at forbid. 2. from lobbying a city agency. Also Tuesday, the commission issued $48,200 in fines for various campaign-contribution violations, including those to former Mayor 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 Councilman Tony Cardenas Tony Cardenas served in the California State Assembly. In the Assembly, he had the powerful position of chair of the Budget Committee. He is now a Los Angeles City Councilman, representing the 6th district, which includes parts of the San Fernando Valley. . Secretary Dolores Dolores (or Delores) was a common given name (until the 1960s in the USA); it is cognate with the English word "dolorous" (meaning sorrowful) and equivalent in meaning. Valdez was fined $41,000 for aiding attorney Pierce Pierce may refer to: Places
O'Donnell admitted making $26,500 in contributions under various names and was fined $147,000 by the commission March 14. Since May, 21 people who agreed to be reimbursed by O'Donnell for making contributions to the Hahn campaign have been fined $500 to $2,000 each. City laws allow a person to make a $1,000 maximum contribution per candidate in each election cycle. Valdez was the last person to face fines from the commission regarding the matter. On Feb. 2, O'Donnell pleaded no contest to five misdemeanor misdemeanor, in law, a minor crime, in contrast to a felony. At common law a misdemeanor was a crime other than treason or a felony. Although it might be a grave offense, it did not affect the feudal bond or take away the offender's property. By the 19th cent. charges of improper identification of campaign donors. O'Donnell was sentenced to three years' probation and ordered to pay $155,200 in fines and penalties. City News Service contributed to this story. kerry.cavanaugh(at)dailynews.com (213) 978-0390 |
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