The Votes Are In!
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View Winners → Top Posts Dec 02, 2023
Los Angeles City Hall. | Photo courtesy of the Office of the Controller
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The City Council took a step in formally establishing an Office of Compliance that would proactively assist council members with identifying and avoiding potential conflicts of interest.
The council voted 13-0 in favor of a motion, requesting a detailed report that would guide council members in the creation of an Office of Compliance to ensure higher standards of ethics.
The report would incorporate a complete description of responsibilities, a system for conducting reviews by examining other cities and government agencies with a similar office. Additionally, the report is expected to list potential funding sources and necessary staff.
Council members Nithya Raman and Heather Hutt were absent during the vote.
Raman, alongside council members Katy Yaroslavsky, Paul Krekorian and Traci Park, introduced the motion on Oct. 4.
“To earn and maintain the trust of the public, it is crucial for elected officials to abide by rigorous ethics standards and avoid conflicts of interest, yet there have been a number of violations in recent years,” the motion reads.
Council members must follow ethics rules and laws such as those imposed by the City Charter, state and federal laws. According to the council members, those standards have increased and grown in complexity over the years, making compliance more difficult.
The City Attorney’s Office provides legal advice on conflicts of interest and other issues and the city’s Ethics Commission provides advice on ethical and other issues. But the motion states, “Council members need additional assistance identifying agenda items that might raise conflict of interest questions.”
The office would review financial disclosures and other forms, as well as council and committee agendas to identify any potential conflicts of interest.
According to the motion, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which enforces air quality regulations across Southern California, and LA Metro have staff that review agendas for conflicts of interest. Those staff members offer elected officials specialized guidance to avoid any issues.
Officials might look to these models as they consider best practices and compare other systems in major cities or other government agencies, they said.
The City Council has been rocked by a number of ethics scandals and accusations in recent years. Former Councilman José Huizar pleaded guilty in January to one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and one count of tax evasion, after a six-year probe of suspected corruption in City Hall politics.
In August, former Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas was sentenced to three years and six months in federal prison after he was found guilty of seven felony counts for participating in a scheme in which he received benefits from USC for himself and his son while he had a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
