EX-MAYOR WATCH : Decent Interval

It is absolutely and entirely possible that not a single one of the telephone calls former Mayor Tom Bradley made recently to city officials is remotely illegal or even unethical. And it is entirely possible that his interventions have been on the side of the angels--and in fact represent a good cause.

But, as Times staff writer James Rainey reported, the former mayor recently phoned city officials about a Downtown hotel’s city tax situation. Bradley, the article noted, is subject to an L.A. ethics law that bars former city officials from paid lobbying at City Hall for one year after leaving office. In keeping with the spirit of the ban, the ex-mayor should avoid any activity on behalf of firms or people who have business with the city, even if he is not being paid and even if he is not technically lobbying.

Is this asking a lot?

Yes it is, but it’s the best way to go: the decent-interval approach. Why? The mayor surely is concerned about his legacy--how history will close the book on his extraordinary career. And the people of Los Angeles are concerned about Mayor Richard Riordan--concerned that he have a clean shot at succeeding, concerned that the stage be clear and left to him.

From both perspectives, then--the city’s and the mayor’s--Bradley needs to stay out of everything and anything related to city business, no matter how pure his motive, nonexistent his compensation or trivial the matter.