HOLDEN ACCEPTS REBUKE; COUNCILMAN'S VIEWS ON RAIDERS HIS OWN.

Byline: Rick Orlov Daily News Staff Writer

Los Angeles City Councilman Nate Holden joined his council colleagues Tuesday in rebuking himself for talking about the possible return of the Oakland Raiders to Los Angeles.

Even as he defended his right to free speech, Holden joined the council in unanimously approving a motion that states the councilman has been speaking independently and not on behalf of the city.

``I've said over and over again to any person willing to listen that I did not speak on behalf of the council or the city,'' Holden said. ``When the question was asked, I said I spoke for Nate Holden and Nate Holden alone.''

Holden said although he supported the motion, he has no intention of being muzzled.

``If someone is saying I should not speak on the issue, I would say you are out of order,'' Holden said.

Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, who has been working for months to try to win a professional football team for the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, however, said he was concerned Holden was leaving the city open to a lawsuit.

``Anything that could expose the city to legal action because of the behavior of any member of the council ought to be dealt with the greatest degree of care,'' Ridley-Thomas said.

``Each member has the right to express his or her views on any matter, but . . . all of us have to do the right thing and protect taxpayer money.''

Under questioning from Ridley-Thomas, officials in the City Attorney's Office said the city could be held liable if it was determined Holden was acting in his official capacity as a councilman.

Oakland city officials have written Holden, cautioning him that his remarks could be considered interference in their efforts to hold the Raiders to a 13-year contract.

Holden was in Oakland on Monday, meeting with city officials, saying he offered assurances that he was supporting their effort to have Davis live up to his contract.

However, Holden again repeated that Davis holds the key to having a professional football team in Los Angeles because of his lawsuit against the NFL claiming territorial rights for the area.

``The only thing I've been discussing is the lawsuit between the NFL and Al Davis,'' Holden said. ``The only thing I'm saying is Al Davis holds the key to us getting professional football.

``It might not be the team that everyone wants. I've heard from some of my colleagues that we don't want this team, we don't want that team. Well, we should be careful of making someone angry and seeing them move to Inglewood or Pasadena,'' he said.

``Then all we'll have is a white elephant of a Coliseum where no one will play because of us.''

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Photo: Nate Holden

Will continue to push for team