Holden: Council Had to Move Quickly on Suit

Your Aug. 6 editorial, “Holden’s Dubious Legacy,” calls the actions taken to provide me with legal representation “stealth.” The city was served with the suit July 17 and my office was served July 19. Thirteen days later the city attorney informed me his office had a conflict of interest and my case would be referred to an attorney from the conflict panel, who would contact me immediately. What I wasn’t told was that a response was due by Aug. 6. When I mentioned the case to a friend who practices law, he told me that if there was no response by Aug. 6, the plaintiff’s attorney could file a default judgment that would cost the city hundreds of thousands of dollars. Time was running out and the attorney from the conflict panel did not return my calls.

I recognized this was an emergency and so did my City Council colleagues. We were left with no choice but to introduce an emergency motion (Rule 23) on Aug. 3. The next council meeting was Aug. 6. In taking this “stealth” approach, as you call it, the city was saved from a default judgment.

Your editorial listed a number of items that could be purchased, such as library books, if it were not for lawsuits. We celebrated the grand opening of the Pio Pico/Koreatown Branch Library in the 10th District last week. It’s the largest branch library in the city. This was a newsworthy event--instead of the details of one of hundreds of lawsuits that are brought against the city every year.

Nate Holden

L.A. City Council