City Finds Staples Gates Closed

Los Angeles police and city officials have been told they will not be allowed to hold daily press briefings with the Democratic National Convention Committee , and are scrambling to find an adequate place to meet with reporters.

City officials had hoped to hold news conferences inside the convention center--a virtual media village--where the Democratic National Convention Committee will hold its daily briefings.

The LAPD, according to one of its officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, will be compelled to hold news conferences if violent protests occur. In that event, the official said, the LAPD will brief reporters wherever department commanders think it is necessary.

“We are the Los Angeles Police Department,” he said.

To other city officials, it appears the convention committee simply doesn’t want press attention to stray from the convention proceedings inside Staples Center.

Committee officials say their briefings will be focused solely on convention proceedings and aimed at “the convention press corps” whose questions, they say, typically focus on candidates’ speeches and schedules rather than on local arrest tallies, for example.

But Peter Ragone, a spokesman for the committee, said that city officials would be “on hand” at the daily briefings and that reporters could “call them if they have follow-up questions.”

The city will not, however, hold separate briefings in the same briefing room, he said, adding that this is standard operating procedure for political conventions.

Frank Martinez, who heads convention planning for Mayor Richard Riordan’s office, said discussions are underway to locate the most appropriate site for press conferences.

“We’re looking for the best place, one that makes sense for the press, for us,” Martinez said. “We just want to facilitate everybody.”

“We’re not trying to be the lead story here,” Martinez said. Rather, he said, the city wants to provide reporters with accurate, timely information, particularly if there is trouble in the streets--as the police department is anticipating.

The Democratic National Convention is expected to draw about 15,000 members of the media to the city.

While Martinez said he did not believe there was any conflict between city officials and the committee over the briefing site, other city officials said they were less than pleased to have to find a place for news conferences that might be less convenient for reporters.

City officials, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said they believe the national campaign committee is attempting to spin the convention story even before the weeklong event opens Aug. 14.

“They want to make sure nothing detracts from their event,” said one.

Ben Austin, a spokesman for the city’s host committee, which serves as a liaison between the city and the Democratic National Committee, said that negotiations over press briefings have been going on for several months and that he believes the city eventually will find an appropriate location where police and other officials can meet with reporters.

“There are always going to be small bumps along the road, but the important thing is that everybody is working together on the same page toward the same goal,” Austin said. “Everybody, all the convention planners, is working together to make sure that Angelenos are informed about what’s going on in their community.”