Prosecutor Clears Serles of Criminal Wrongdoing

The city prosecutor Wednesday cleared Planning Commissioner Jim Serles of any criminal wrongdoing stemming from allegations that he accepted campaign contributions from several businessmen and then voted on their projects in violation of state ethics laws.

“This office has concluded its investigation and will not be filing any criminal charges,” city prosecutor John Vander Lans said. “I don’t find a criminal violation. I just don’t think the charges are sufficient to raise (a criminal complaint).”

Vander Lans said he forwarded his findings--and those of an independent investigator appointed to assist the city--to the Fair Political Practices Commission in Sacramento.

A spokesperson there confirmed that a complaint is under review but said policy prohibits discussion of such matters until they are resolved.

The ethics allegations were raised in late February by Doug Drummond, a retired police commander who is running against Serles for the 3rd District council seat.

Drummond accused Serles of violating the state Political Reform Act by accepting hundreds of dollars in campaign contributions from four developers and businessmen, then voting in favor of projects they brought before the Planning Commission. A fifth charge accused Serles of misrepresenting the fair market value of office space donated for use as his campaign headquarters in violation of the state’s $1,000 campaign contribution limit.

Drummond sent the allegations to several investigative agencies. The Los Angeles County district attorney determined there were no felony crimes and forwarded the matter to the city prosecutor.

Vander Lans reviewed four of the charges and the city appointed retired Los Angeles County Police Lt. B.A. Fitzgerald to investigate the office space allegation for any criminal wrongdoing.

The city attorney, who reviews civil matters, disqualified himself in the investigation because he had already given Serles advice on the allegations. Any allegation of civil wrongdoing would have to be determined by the FPPC, officials said.

“I think this proves absolutely that there was no basis to my opponent’s false allegations, innuendo and mistruths,” Serles said. “I have stated from the very beginning when Mr. Drummond started with his falsehoods that the truth would prevail. “

“I happen to disagree,” Drummond said after learning of the prosecutors’ decision. “I think he is in error. It still has not been investigated, in my opinion.”

In an interview last week, Serles said two of the allegations were clerical errors. He acknowledged voting improperly in two other instances, but said his actions were oversights rather than intentional acts of corruption, as Drummond had charged.