LOS ANGELES : Braude Calls for Changes in Lobbyists’ Fee System

Los Angeles City Councilman Marvin Braude has proposed a law that would ban lobbyists from linking their fees to the size of contracts their clients win at City Hall. He said such a prohibition would be modeled on a state ethics law that is designed to prevent lobbyists from becoming too personally entangled in the companies or issues they advocate.

The proposal stems from a Times story about a businesswoman who said she objected when a city official suggested that she needed a lobbyist to win a city contract. The businesswoman said that two lobbyists offered to take her case if they got a share of the contract, fees that would have totaled more than $100,000.

The company involved in the dispute, Plastopan, submitted the low bid to supply plastic trash cans to the city and planned to build a local manufacturing plant. The company resisted hiring a lobbyist and its bid was disqualified for procedural oversights spotted by a rival’s lobbyist.

The original bids for the garbage can contract were later thrown out because of disputes that arose. New bids were recently accepted and Plastopan is still in the running for the contract.