Billboard company given fines
The Los Angeles Ethics Commission on Tuesday levied $38,695 in fines against Regency Outdoor Advertising for disclosure-rule violations involving billboards it provided in the 2001 municipal elections. The amount was more than five times what an administrative law judge had recommended.
Regency had exercised its right to have the commission staff’s initial finding of violations heard by a judge. He proposed $7,000 in fines for violating reporting rules when the firm provided 188 billboards supporting City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo, then-Mayor James K. Hahn and City Council candidates Tony Cardenas and Jan Perry in the election five years ago.
“It doesn’t rise to the level of fraud but, without disclosure, you don’t have a campaign finance system and without a campaign finance system you have the potential of harm to democracy,” Commissioner Sean Treglia said in explaining why he joined the 4-1 vote to impose the higher fines.
Commissioner Bill Boyarsky voted no, arguing that the judge had set the correct fines, based on evidence that most of the violations were inadvertent.
The panel could have levied fines of up to $970,000, or $5,000 for each alleged violation, but the panel agreed with the judge that that amount would have been excessive.
The fines came a day after the mayor signed a settlement with the firm, giving it permission to get permits for dozens of billboards.
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