Hahn Urges Fast Action on Ethics

Warning that Los Angeles residents are losing confidence in the integrity of their municipal government, Mayor James K. Hahn urged the city Ethics Commission on Tuesday to approve his proposal for sweeping ethics reforms, including a ban on contributions and political fundraising by lobbyists and contractors.

Commissioners grilled Hahn about the contracting and fundraising practices of his own administration, and some voiced skepticism about the merits of Hahn’s suggestions.

The board then put off consideration of the ideas until a future meeting.

Still, commission President Gil Garcetti and his colleagues offered to work with the mayor to determine whether his reform plan should be pursued.

“You have five commissioners who want to help you make this city the model city in how we should regulate, control [and] oversee the influence of money in municipal elections,” Garcetti told Hahn.

In arguing for the swift adoption of his ideas, the mayor cited the negative public view of government sparked by current investigations by county and federal grand juries into whether contracting at City Hall is tied to political contributions.

The allegations have created a public perception that decisions are based on influence and campaign contributions, Hahn said.

“I think there is a mandate for all of us to take aggressive action now,” Hahn told the commission. “The pay-to-play issue will remain unless we enact comprehensive reforms.”

Some City Council members have called the mayor’s reform proposals an attempt to deflect criticism from his administration over its contracting and fundraising practices a year before Hahn must stand for reelection.

Garcetti asked Hahn what caused him to support a ban on political fundraising and contributions by lobbyists and city contractors after the mayor argued for years that disclosing the activity was the answer.

“Why now?” Garcetti asked the mayor.

Hahn said he concluded recently that allegations of wrongdoing, even if unfounded, would always be possible against city officials unless certain activity was banned outright.

“It has become clear to me that as this has progressed, with the constant drumbeat of people saying ‘pay to play,’ ‘pay to play,’ that the allegations themselves have now created a perception of a problem: that city decisions are based on influence and campaign contributions and not on the merits,” Hahn said.

Commissioners Dale Bonner and Bill Boyarsky voiced reluctance to approve new laws based on public perceptions rather than reality.

“I don’t mind legislating, having the toughest laws in America, but I’d like to know why I am doing it,” Boyarsky said during the hearing at City Hall. “The word ‘perception’ really puts me off.”

Bonner told Hahn: “I don’t necessarily share your view that what we need is a series of new rules. I am not yet convinced of that either.”

Boyarsky asked Hahn whether the awarding of contracts to the public relations firm Fleishman-Hillard specifically was “on the up and up,” given that the firm has been a major political fundraiser for Hahn and its records have been subpoenaed by federal prosecutors.

“Absolutely,” Hahn responded. “There is no connection between Jim Hahn and my political life and how this firm gets their business.”

But, Hahn added, “Maybe we need to say if Fleishman-Hillard or any other firm is vying for a contract, that is not the time that they ought to be making campaign contributions.”

Garcetti voiced concern about the impact of a broad ban on fundraising and contributions on the ability of candidates to raise money. One political reform advocate estimated that Hahn’s proposal would exclude 65% of the current political contributions from being made in the future.

“Where are the people who run for office going to get their money?” Garcetti asked.

But, Hahn said the broad ban would have a positive impact.

“That goes to the heart of pay to play,” he said.