Fire Commissioner’s Backers Unite in Criticism of Riordan

Hoping to influence the debate before an upcoming Los Angeles City Council vote, supporters of outspoken Fire Commissioner Leslie Song Winner on Tuesday accused the mayor of carrying out a “devastating attack” against the commission and being “anti-affirmative action” for requesting that she resign.

“I think it could be properly characterized as a calculated act of intimidation,” said Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, suggesting that Mayor Richard Riordan wants Winner off the commission because of her criticism of alleged discrimination in the Fire Department.

Ridley-Thomas was joined at a City Hall news conference by council members Rita Walters, Mike Hernandez and Jackie Goldberg, all of whom have vowed to vote to keep Winner on the panel. Also on hand were representatives from a number of employee organizations.

Winner is considered the Fire Commission’s top advocate for women and minorities and was the main critic of former Fire Chief Donald O. Manning, who retired amid accusations that fire officials tolerated racial and sexual discrimination. Riordan asked Winner to step down two days after Manning announced his departure, sparking criticism about the mayor’s motive and timing.

Winner has refused to leave the commission, setting up what council members say will be a rancorous showdown in the City Council, which must vote to remove her from the panel. A vote is likely within two weeks, council members said.

Both the mayor’s office and Winner’s supporters had hoped to avoid a council confrontation, but talks aimed at reaching a compromise broke down.

Riordan’s spokeswoman, Noelia Rodriguez, on Tuesday dismissed the criticism from Winner’s supporters. “We don’t even want to dignify the allegations,” Rodriguez said.

She said the mayor has appointed a diverse group of commissioners who mirror the city’s population.

Councilman Richard Alatorre, one of the mayor’s closest allies, predicted that the mayor would muster the votes needed to oust Winner and replace her with former Los Angeles Police Commissioner Michael Yamaki.

“He has unblemished credentials on civil rights,” Alatorre said of Yamaki. “The guy is awesome.”

But Hernandez said the mayor’s move to replace Winner amounts to censorship.