The whole truth will shine through soon

Revelations have begat revelations have begat revelations in the unfolding story of Advanced Development and Investment Inc., the affordable housing company accused of defrauding Glendale and other cities out of millions in inflating construction costs.

Three months ago, a receiver appointed by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge to oversee the company’s holdings during a contentious divorce between two main principals issued a report stating that ADI inflated construction invoices submitted to Glendale. Revelation No. 1.

And then a Times analysis showed that nearly one in four campaign dollars received by the top four Glendale City Council candidates in 2009 — more than $100,000 in total — came from ADI subcontractors, their employees and their employees’ relatives. Revelation No. 2.

Then came Revelation No. 3: that Glendale’s own housing officials had issued memos that contained strong misgivings about the rising costs of the most recent ADI project, Vassar City Lights — especially given its lackluster quality. No matter, the City Council voted to approve the project, and the multimillion-dollar subsidy.

When confronted with the information, the response might be called Revelation No. 4: an accountability vacuum at City Hall where one faction is saying one thing, one faction is refusing to heed, and another is pretending to do both while caught in the middle.

At the end of it all is a convenient mess in which the city can point to smoke and mirrors at just about every stage.

But in the weeks to come, the smoke will clear and the mirrors will fall. And the statements and excuses given in recent days will be stacked against the next uncovered revelations. Then it will be up to the public to decide who was really fooling who, who knew what when, and how this was all allowed to go on for so long .