LOS ANGELES COUNTY : Watson Asks Burke to Disclose Clients’ Names

State Sen. Diane Watson said Monday that her leading opponent in Los Angeles County’s 2nd District supervisorial race, attorney Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, should disclose the names of the clients she has represented.

“Now that Ms. Burke is seeking to return to the public sector, she has the obligation to tell the public who her clients have been and how much she has been paid by special interests she has represented for the past 14 years,” Watson said at a news conference.

In a telephone interview, Burke said she will disclose the names of the clients she handles as a member of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue, the second largest law firm in the country.

“I have no problem with that,” Burke said. “ . . . I do not represent anyone who could possibly cause a conflict of interest with my duties as supervisor. I represent for the most part public entities and cities.”

Watson said she has made full disclosure of her economic interests in state-required documents. Burke, as a private citizen, is under no obligation to make financial disclosures beyond those directly related to campaign contributions.