Justices to Review Lobbyist Snyder’s Ethics Conviction

The California Supreme Court decided Wednesday to review the conviction of former Los Angeles City Councilman Arthur K. Snyder for conspiracy and money laundering in connection with campaign contributions.

The state’s high court agreed to review a lower court ruling that found Snyder should have been punished only administratively for making improper campaign contributions after he left the City Council and became a lobbyist.

In that ruling, a Court of Appeal held that Snyder’s offense was an administrative violation, not a criminal act, and said Snyder should have been subject to fines by the Fair Political Practices Commission instead of prosecution by the district attorney’s office.

Snyder left the City Council in 1985 and became an influential lobbyist. In 1996, he pleaded guilty to eight misdemeanor counts of conspiracy and money laundering after being accused of funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars to candidates through associates and his law firm. Six of the seven members of the California Supreme Court voted to review Snyder’s case. A decision is expected within a year.