Ethics Panel Proving Its Worth

Los Angeles’ city Ethics Commission is reminding voters again why its approval by voters in 1990 was so critical. Last week, Commission President and federal prosecutor Miriam Krinsky quickly promised to look into a disclosure by Times staff writer Patrick McGreevy that lobbyists are acting as political consultants to the very City Council members who vote on the issues the lobbyists are paid to represent. Over the last several months, the five-member ethics panel has also pushed for tough financial disclosure requirements for those involved in secession drives to break up the city. It forced City Councilman Hal Bernson to pay a $3,000 fine for improperly accepting an excessive amount of free legal services from a lobbyist law firm, which also agreed to pay $4,000 in fines. The commission fined cable giant MediaOne $3,250 for excessive contributions to City Council members and for late disclosure of its lobbyist activity.

The Ethics Commission can continue to do its job without fear because, unlike the Police Commission, for example, it has strong protections against political interference. Its members are appointed by five different city officials, from the mayor on down, so no single official can undermine it. Commissioners can be removed only for cause.

Now the ethics panel will wade into its biggest political swamp yet--the ties between lobbyists and some council members. The Ethics Commission is flexing its muscles again; we hope to see those muscles get bigger from frequent use.