The Right Billing

Los Angeles City Controller Rick Tuttle is correctly refusing to reimburse managers at the city’s Department of Water and Power for a luncheon held at the downtown Jonathan Club. The private club, which has recently begun admitting previously excluded women and minorities, is the subject of a lawsuit by the city for prohibiting women from one area, the bar and grill on the second floor.

Los Angeles bans discrimination against women and minorities at large private clubs with 400 or more members that provide regular meal service and regularly accept payment from or on behalf of nonmembers for business purposes.

Although the suit was filed by the office of City Atty. James K. Hahn, three deputy city attorneys attended the DWP luncheon. While the legal action was pending, the lawyers should have insisted on a different location or skipped the celebration. They have been instructed by Hahn to pay for the meal, which amounted to more than $40 per person.

City Controller Tuttle may appear to be making a big deal over a small matter. After all, the city’s lawsuit alleges that only a fraction of the Jonathan Club is segregated. But discrimination is discrimination, and the controller is right to avoid even the appearance of a public subsidy of it.