Ethics Panel Won’t Enter Moriarty Case

The Joint Legislative Ethics Committee, in a 90-minute closed-door meeting Wednesday, agreed to stay away from the political corruption scandal involving state lawmakers and Orange County businessman W. Patrick Moriarty.

Assemblyman William Lancaster (R-Covina), the committee chairman, said the panel decided unanimously that it would “not enter, under any circumstances, (any case) that is currently before any court or legally constituted body at this time.”

The committee is charged by law with investigating alleged conflicts of interest involving members of the Senate and Assembly. In its nearly two decades of existence, it has rarely met and never has recommended a substantive action against a lawmaker.

Moriarty, who was one of the country’s biggest manufacturers of fireworks and one of California’s most generous campaign contributors, pleaded guilty last week to federal corruption charges and agreed to be a government witness against politicians who allegedly took bribes from him ranging from money and prostitutes to vehicles and vacation housing.

Links to Moriarty

News reports have identified various state lawmakers and local officials as recipients of Moriarty’s generosity. Some were also involved in business dealings with him or his associates.

The committee, on its own motion, can vote to undertake an investigation of whether a lawmaker violated legal prohibitions against conflicts of interest. Historically, the panel has chosen to shy away from such matters and leave them to law enforcement agencies and the courts.

The committee of three members from the Assembly and three from the Senate met for what was called an “informational” session where members were briefed by an attorney on the Legislature’s code of ethics, the committee’s jurisdiction and procedures it must follow.

Later, reporters asked Lancaster whether the committee might take a look at any lawmaker who does not have a case before a court or is not being investigated by some law enforcement agency.

No Comment

“That circumstance I cannot comment on,” he replied.

Asked how the committee determined whether someone was being investigated, he said: “I cannot comment on that.”

Pressed on whether the Moriarty issue was discussed by the committee, he likewise refused to discuss the matter. He said that what went on behind closed doors was “not open for public discussion.”

Even as the committee met, Senate Republican Leader James W. Nielsen of Woodland told a press conference that the committee “should look at everything they possibly can to get to the bottom of whatever participation that legislators have had in this thing.”

“To maintain the integrity of the (legislative) institution, you can’t just sweep those thing aside and ignore them,” Nielsen said.

Lancaster said no more meetings of the committee are scheduled.

Committee Members

Members of the committee, in addition to Lancaster, are Assemblywoman Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), Assemblyman Phillip Isenberg (D-Sacramento) and Sens. Robert B. Presley (D-Riverside), John Doolittle (R-Citrus Heights) and William A. Craven (R-Oceanside).

Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) earlier this month assigned Waters and Isenberg to the committee to replace Assemblymen Mike Roos (D-Los Angeles) and Richard Mountjoy (R-Monrovia).

Roos has been named in connection with the Moriarty scandal, but Brown said the committee change “had nothing to do with” Moriarty.