Law Firm’s Employee Faces Campaign Ethics Charges

The comptroller of former Los Angeles City Councilman Art Snyder’s law firm, along with her sister and brother-in-law, were formally accused Wednesday of laundering campaign contributions to more than a dozen state and local politicians.

In a 92-count accusation issued by the state Fair Political Practices Commission, Chi May (Marian) Chen of Los Angeles was charged with arranging 32 improper contributions in 1990 and 1991 totaling $20,500.

The accusation is the second to stem from an ongoing investigation involving Snyder, one of the city’s most prominent lobbyists and fund-raisers, and the first to link an employee of his firm to formal allegations of wrongdoing.

Three months ago, the Los Angeles Ethics Commission formally accused one of Snyder’s clients, the Bell Cab Co., of improperly funneling thousands of dollars in political contributions through company employees. Meanwhile, court records filed in a separate civil case have revealed that state and local agencies have been investigating a suspected money-laundering operation “emanating from the offices of . . . Snyder Law Corp.” for more than a year.

Among the allegations contained in those records are that Chen funneled thousands of dollars worth of campaign contributions through a series of front people, whom she reimbursed from bundles of $100 bills that she said came from her boss.

The accusations, however, do not allege wrongdoing by the candidates and do not name the colorful red-haired attorney and ex-politician, who has denied any improper activity. Snyder’s lawyer, James R. Sutton, repeated his assertion that the investigation is unfounded.

“This is non-news,” Sutton said. “They have no more evidence than they did before.”

Chen’s lawyer, Susan Strick, who is also representing Bell Cab Co., refused to comment.

Unless they file an appeal of the accusation within 15 days, Chen and her relatives must pay $78,000 in fines.

The accusation alleges that Chen recruited contributors to make political donations in their own names and then secretly reimbursed them.

The practice is prohibited by law because it conceals the true identity of political donors, and deprives the public of essential information about public officials and the people who support them.

Among the allegedly bogus contributors were Chen’s sister and brother-in-law, Chi Chun (Jean) Lee and Chung Mei (Jammy) Lee, who, according to the FPPC, made donations to the campaigns of Los Angeles City Council members Mike Hernandez, Hal Bernson, Rita Walters, Joan Milke Flores and Nate Holden and Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich, only to have their money refunded by Chen.

Council members Richard Alatorre, Ruth Galanter and Mark Ridley-Thomas, Supervisor Gloria Molina, state Sen. Charles M. Calderon (D-Whittier), U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and unsuccessful council candidate Rod Wright were also named in the accusation as beneficiaries of contributions that were allegedly laundered by Chen.