LaBonge Backers Agree to Pay Fines

Ten relatives and friends of Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge face a total of $11,500 in fines for violating city ethics rules regulating independent expenditures when they ran a radio ad campaign for LaBonge.

The city Ethics Commission released agreements Wednesday signed by LaBonge’s relatives and friends in which they admitted 23 violations and agreed to the fines. Commission Executive Director LeeAnn Pelham also signed the agreements, which is subject to approval by the panel at its Tuesday meeting.

“Though I am disappointed errors were made inadvertently by members of my family, I am proud of their immediate actions to rectify the situation,” the councilman said in a statement.

LaBonge noted that the Ethics Commission did not accuse his campaign of involvement in the effort.

“I am proud of my campaign and our strict adherence to all campaign rules and regulations,” he said. “I expect all candidates and their supporters to follow the rules. I hold my own campaign and our supporters to an even higher standard.”

The friends and relatives, including five of LaBonge’s brothers, financed a $10,000 radio advertising campaign by a committee they called Filmakers [sic] for New City Leadership, which was formed to support LaBonge’s run for the 4th District seat in the October 2001 election.

The 10 violated ethics rules before the election by making contributions to the committee of $1,000 each, which exceeded the limit of $500 on contributions to committees supporting candidates.

The committee also filed a campaign finance disclosure statement nearly six months late and failed to provide the Ethics Commission with a script of the radio ad 24 hours before it began running.

The late filing had the effect of “making it impossible for the public to determine in a timely way whom was financially supporting the independent expenditure,” an Ethics Commission summary of the case stated.

The LaBonge supporters could have been fined up to $115,000, but Pelham recommended the lower penalty.

She said that none of the individuals fined had previous violations and that they cooperated in the investigation.

Those fined “stated they are politically inexperienced, were unaware of the legal contribution limit, did not intentionally violate any rule or law, and have accepted responsibility for their conduct,” the commission summary stated.

Denis LaBonge, the councilman’s brother and treasurer for Filmakers for New City Leadership, agreed to pay the largest amount, $6,500.

Others fined included brothers Christopher LaBonge, Mark LaBonge, Matthew LaBonge and Robert LaBonge. Fines were also levied against the councilman’s sisters-in-law Lilly LaBonge and Robin LaBonge, cousin Lloyd Ahern and friends Doris Ollestad and Lata Ryan.