RULE WOULD CUT CONTRIBUTIONS TO COMMITTEES.Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News 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. 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. on Thursday called for a rule to limit campaign contributions to political committees formed to support a ballot measure when the committee is controlled by a candidate. The issue grew out of charges that Mayor Richard Riordan Richard J. Riordan (born May 1, 1930) is a Republican politician from California, U.S. who served as the California Secretary of Education from 2003–2005 and as Mayor of Los Angeles from 1993–2001. Riordan ran for Governor of California unsuccessfully in 2002. was benefiting from $25,000 and $50,000 contributions to his charter reform committee when contributions to the mayor himself are limited to $1,000. Riordan won re-election Tuesday in a landslide landslide, rapid slipping of a mass of earth or rock from a higher elevation to a lower level under the influence of gravity and water lubrication. More specifically, rockslides are the rapid downhill movement of large masses of rock with little or no hydraulic flow, over state Sen. Tom Hayden Thomas Emmett "Tom" Hayden (born December 11, 1939) is an American social and political activist and politician, most famous for his involvement in the anti-war and civil rights movements of the 1960s. , who filed a complaint with the commission two months ago alleging that Riordan benefited illegally from the committee contributions. While reserving final judgment, the commission voted 4-1 Thursday to direct its staff to prepare a rule extending the $1,000-a-person contribution limit. The commission staff said the limits ``arguably'' apply already but that the rules are subject to interpretation, so enforcement should not be done until the rule is clarified. Commission analysts recommended the rule. ``Your argument would be, if you adopted this, that there is no difference between a contribution that comes in to a candidate and a candidate's ballot measure committee,'' said Bob Stern, a commission consultant. ``It's the same appearance of corruption.'' Riordan disclosed that he legally controlled Citizens to Turn L.A. Around, which raised more than $790,000 to qualify Proposition 8, the charter reform initiative, for this week's ballot. The initiative won by more than 60 percent of the vote. Ethics Commission Chairwoman Raquelle de la Rocha said she sees an argument for the extension of limits. But she said she had reservations about the effect of the new rules on the First Amendment rights of people wanting to support ballot measures. ``The goal there is to end corruption, and the issue is: Is there a risk of corruption?'' de la Rocha said. ``I think we can all say there is a risk. How do we know, then, whether on balance the degree of risk is sufficient for First Amendment purposes to justify (new rules)?'' Stern said he believes the courts would uphold up·hold tr.v. up·held , up·hold·ing, up·holds 1. To hold aloft; raise: upheld the banner proudly. 2. To prevent from falling or sinking; support. 3. the new rule. He said such committees can benefit the candidate by sending out mailers featuring the candidate's name and picture as the prime supporter of the ballot measure. Commissioner Eve Fisher voted against having new rules drafted, saying the panel is getting into a complicated issue of balancing rights. ``I think we could come up with all these hypotheticals where it is unfair to someone,'' Fisher said. Hayden, D-Los Angeles, was not available for comment Thursday. Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas Mark Ridley-Thomas (born 1954) is currently a California State Senate where he chairs the Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee]]. He represents the 26th district which includes the communities of Vermont Knolls, Jefferson Park, Leimert Park, Hancock Park, Korean said it is long overdue OVERDUE. A bill, note, bond or other contract, for the payment of money at a particular day, when not paid upon the day, is overdue. 2. The indorsement of a note or bill overdue, is equivalent to drawing a new bill payable at sight. 2 Conn. 419; 18 Pick. for the panel to begin addressing what he said are several ``rich-man loopholes'' in the ethics laws. |
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