LOS ANGELES : Panel Ratifies Fine for Hard Rock Cafe Owner
The city Ethics Commission ratified a settlement Wednesday for the owner of the Hard Rock Cafe chain to pay a $12,000 fine for breaking campaign contribution limits.
As part of the deal, Peter Morton and Hard Rock Cafe America admitted their wrongdoing. He attributed the violations to accounting errors.
In 1991 and 1992, Morton, Hard Rock and an affiliated company gave a total of $6,000 in illegal contributions to former City Councilman Mike Woo, who ran for mayor in 1993 and lost in the runoff.
Morton was reimbursed by Hard Rock Cafe Investors Ltd. for a $5,000 contribution he made to Woo in 1991. His wife, Tarlton, was reimbursed by another business, Melrose Corp., for $1,000 she gave to Woo in 1992.
Morton and Hard Rock also violated a rule that limited total contributions in the April, 1993, primary to $7,000. He contributed a total of $9,250 to Woo, council candidate Daniel Pritkin and Councilman Nate Holden, who also was running for mayor.
The candidates are not accused of any wrongdoing.
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