D.A.’s Got to Hand It to Challenger

Some days it just doesn’t pay to be the boss.

Take Friday. There was Dist. Atty. Gil Garcetti, presiding over a ceremony in his 18th-floor conference room that would ordinarily be what managers like to call a win-win situation: handing out an award for 25 years of meritorious service.

Except that this time, the recipient was Steve Cooley, who happens to be trying to oust Garcetti from office.

“It was really a cordial event,” a beaming Cooley said afterward, his 25-year crystal paperweight in hand. “He said, ‘Steve, do you have any questions?’ I said, ‘Yeah, when are you going to debate, Gil?’ He didn’t answer me.”

Cooley, who actually is nearing 27 years of service, was among 25 employees of the district attorney’s office honored for various terms of service. Garcetti called all of them to the podium, shook hands and gave them their awards. Cooley said there were a few chuckles from the audience after he received his, but that it was otherwise fairly routine.

“I would characterize it as a friendly exchange,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. David Newbarr, who began in the office the same day as Cooley and also was receiving a 25-year award.