SANTA ANA : Council Will Not Pay Acosta’s Legal Fees

The City Council on Monday voted not to reimburse Councilman John Acosta for legal fees incurred while defending himself against a criminal charge that stemmed from a political fight at City Hall.

Acosta, who was exonerated of charges that he used improper influence to block the hiring of a city administrator, submitted his legal bill of $16,760 to the city last month but said his request for reimbursement was ignored.

“There was a full-scale investigation, and I prevailed,” Acosta told the council before it voted down his request in a 5-2 vote. “I feel that my legal expenses should be covered.”

Acosta was accused of violating the City Charter in January, 1989, when he told City Manager David N. Ream that he opposed hiring a Laguna Beach administrator as Santa Ana’s new building and safety manager. The job offer was later withdrawn.

A Superior Court judge dismissed the misdemeanor charge filed by the district attorney’s office, and two subsequent attempts to appeal the decision were denied.

Acosta maintains that the city should have handled his defense since the allegations stemmed from his duties as a council member.

Acosta’s lawyer said the city attorney’s office did not defend his client because it had participated in referring the case to the Orange County district attorney’s office for prosecution.

City Atty. Edward J. Cooper said the matter is a policy question that can only be answered by members of the council and declined to say why the city did not represent Acosta during court proceedings.

The council majority rejected Acosta’s request with little comment. Only Councilman Richards L. Norton spoke in favor of Acosta, saying it was unfair to “saddle” Acosta with the legal fees.

“This really strikes me as being a bad deal for the city,” Norton said. “It’s embarrassing for Mr. Acosta, and it’s embarrassing for the council.”