Mayor’s Office Focus of Subpoena

Federal prosecutors investigating contracting in the city of Los Angeles have subpoenaed all e-mail communications by former Deputy Mayor Troy Edwards in a move that takes the U.S. attorney’s search for documents directly into Mayor James K. Hahn’s office.

Julie Wong, Hahn’s deputy mayor for communications, said Wednesday that the mayor’s office was collecting those e-mails, adding that they would probably include Edwards’ communications with Hahn and others inside and outside city government.

Wong said Hahn’s office has not received any additional subpoenas from federal or local prosecutors investigating allegations of corrupt contracting at Los Angeles World Airports, the Port of Los Angeles and the Department of Water and Power. “We want to make sure that authorities have all the documents that they need to do a thorough investigation,” Wong said.

Edwards, a one-time fundraiser for Hahn, once oversaw all three departments. In January, he testified before a county grand jury convened by Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley’s office.

Last month, Edwards resigned amid growing criticism of his divisive role as one of the leading champions of the mayor’s controversial plan to modernize Los Angeles International Airport. Edwards could not be reached for comment Wednesday. He has steadfastly maintained that he has done nothing wrong, saying in an interview after he resigned that he was called to testify before the grand jury only as a witness.

For months, prosecutors have been collecting contracting documents from the airport, port and DWP.