Letters to the Editor: How hard is it to find out if Mohamed Hadid did his community service?

To the editor: Since the time of Aristotle, political philosophers have discussed the principle of governance with the consent of the governed. This involves acceptance of the rule of law and the perception of fairness in application of the law. (“Did this celebrity developer perform his community service? Neighbors aren’t so sure,” Aug. 24)

Since the public must see that the law is applied equally to rich and poor alike, why would the Los Angeles County Development Authority not make public a report showing that Mohamed Hadid, the developer who pleaded no contest to criminal charges over construction of a massive Bel-Air mansion, did in fact complete his “community service”?

Moreover, what constitutes community service? Who decides and what was the specific type of service required? Can the Cochran Avenue Baptist Church be held accountable for making sure Hadid did his work, or can it be bought off with a new refrigerator and vacuum? If so, is that considered fraud?

Hadid was sentenced to 200 hours of service, the equivalent of five weeks of full-time work. It would not be difficult to find out if he actually showed up. I hope the Los Angeles Times follows up on this case.

Joel Jaffe, Beverly Hills