Higher Standard for Censure of Members OKd by Council

Despite some misgivings, the Los Angeles City Council adopted new voter-approved rules Tuesday that set higher standards that the council must meet before it can censure its members.

Currently, the 15-member council can censure a member for any reason as long as there are eight votes.

The new rules, which would mirror a city charter amendment approved last year by voters, would allow censure when there are at least 10 votes to conclude that a colleague is guilty of a “gross failure to meet the highest standards of personal and professional conduct.”

“There has to be a higher burden of proof to censure under what is before us than what is currently in law,” Councilman Rudy Svorinich Jr. said.

Councilmen Hal Bernson and Nate Holden voted against the rule change. Bernson said it was unnecessary because the new charter already includes the higher burden of proof and a two-thirds vote.

Holden said adopting the rules allowing censure might invite abuse.

“This is political,” Holden said. “You have a mechanism in place to really embarrass someone.”