Firm for Lobbyists Wrote L.A. Term Limits Measure

The text of a ballot measure that would ask voters to ease term limits in Los Angeles and impose restrictions on lobbyists was crafted by a prominent law firm that represents lobbyists in the city, raising a new round of controversy Thursday.

The measure was written by the Sutton Law Firm of San Francisco, which represents the Los Angeles Lobbyist and Public Affairs Assn. and has often represented lobbyists before the city Ethics Commission.

The City Council unanimously approved the measure for the Nov. 7 ballot Wednesday.

On Thursday, the two business and civic groups that had asked the council to put it on the ballot -- the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters -- said it was appropriate to hire the Sutton firm because relatively few firms in the state have such expertise.

Also, City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo again urged Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to veto the measure, saying it had not been vetted by the Ethics Commission, could invite legal challenges, combined two issues, and was crafted by a firm that works for lobbyists and therefore might be flawed.

Critics say the ethics provisions were added to make the term-limit part of the measure appear more palatable to voters, who in the past have rejected efforts to weaken the restrictions. Delgadillo’s call for a veto was joined Thursday by city Controller Laura Chick.

The measure’s provision to ease term limits would not extend to the three citywide offices of mayor, city attorney and controller.

Villaraigosa said Thursday that he wanted to read Delgadillo’s legal opinion before making a decision. The opinion was released last Friday, and the council deadline for putting measures on the ballot is today.

Delgadillo has “a right to make a recommendation; last time I looked, I have the right to make a decision,” Villaraigosa said. “I’ll take his recommendation if I agree with it.”

Gabe Camarillo, an attorney with Sutton, said his firm was retained by the Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters to help write the measure.

“We were hired to help the league and the chamber effectuate their goals, and our goal was to do something consistent with their goal,” Camarillo said. “I think everyone involved wanted to make sure that loopholes were closed and that people would comply with the law, and that was the goal of these reforms.”

Camarillo said he was frequently in contact with and received help from the city attorney’s office to draft the proper legal language.

“We would never compromise our efforts for one client on behalf of the other,” said Jim Sutton, the firm’s founder.

Sutton has appeared before the Ethics Commission while representing the Los Angeles Lobbyist and Public Affairs Assn. In June, he urged the board to ease a new requirement that lobbyists disclose contributions to charitable events that involve elected officials.

“The Sutton Law Firm in their job in representing lobbyists is to make sure that they comply with the law; that’s what they do,” said Ron Gastelum, a member of the chamber’s board.

“What we were able to get from the Sutton Law Firm is very clear direction on how to close loopholes.... I don’t think that there is any room for argument about the Sutton Law Firm creating special favors for lobbyists,” Gastelum said.

Valerie Flores, head of the city attorney’s public integrity division, said Thursday she thought one part of the ballot measure could weaken current law. The provision changes the basis for lobbyists’ reporting their activities to the Ethics Commission from the amount of money they receive to the number of hours they work -- something that Flores said is harder to track.

Sutton said that the provision was worthy and that time spent was a better measurement than money received because salaries fluctuate. He also said the provision would require more people acting as lobbyists -- such as union representatives -- to register as lobbyists.

Chick was the most outspoken about the ballot measure.

“I do not think in its current form it should go on the ballot, and if it does, it should not pass,” the controller said Thursday.

“I do support the extension of term limits, but the worst of it is the [measure’s] lack of transparency and clarity. This should have been a straightforward request to the voters on its merits, but to try to cover it and couch it and package it, to me, is exactly the wrong message.”

Council President Eric Garcetti, who pushed the ballot measure, was unavailable for comment Thursday.

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Times staff writer Ashley Surdin contributed to this report.