Sunday, January 15, 2012

City Attorney condemned for 'Jackboot' solution to medical marijuana laws

Los Angeles' favorite political clown, Carmen Trutanich, is taking Jackbooted goose-step in the wrong direction on medical marijuana, according to an op-ed piece published at the Los Angeles Dragnet.


The Dragnet's pseudonymous 'Joe Friday,' believed to be a former top adviser to Trutanich, all but calls the City Attorney a liar over his use of the term 'Gentle Ban,' pointing out that the proposal would take Los Angeles back to the state of law in 1996 when Prop 215 passed, and ignores the more permissive measures enacted in 2003 with the passage of SB420, the Medical Marijuana Program Act.

More on Carmen the Clown at the Los Angeles Dragnet.

(c) 2012

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen 'Nuch' Trutanich has Annus Horribilis

The Los Angeles Dragnet blog clearly considers itself as the 'source' when it comes to Carmen Trutanich; the Los Angeles City Attorney with a record of making dubious statements, or outright lies if you believe what the Dragnet says. The Dragnet's homage to 2011 contained a list of Trutanich's top ten political blunders, an 'Annus Horribilis,' to use their phraseology.

Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich
made a name for himself in 2011, according to the Los Angeles Dragnet
The list of Trutanich's top ten political blunders runs the gauntlet from alleged lies to allegations of campaign finance irregularities. It's quite a disturbing laundry list of misdeeds, however, it appears to be well researched and backed up with facts that are hard to dispute.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Los Angeles City Attorney Trutanich to face 'Extortion' claims

Court papers accuse Carmen Trutanich, aka 'Carmen the Clown,' LA's city attorney, of using 'extortion' to force litigants to pay up million dollar settlements in civil lawsuits prosecuted by him, rather than go to jail in criminal cases also prosecuted by him.

The Los Angeles Dragnet reported on the story that first appeared in the Met News - Century City law firm Salerno & Associates have accused Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Truttanich of 'extortion.'


In a 17-page motion, Salerno & Associates attorney Stephen Morgan (no relation) describes how Trutanich used the threat of jail to 'extort' multi million dollar settlements in violation of the 'Rules of Professional Conduct' and standards set by the Supreme Court.

The Los Angeles Dragnet described Trutanich's well documented history of using threats of jail in other cases, notably when Trutanich accused AEG of 'criminal aspects' to their handling of the Michael Jackson memorial at Staples Center, and when Trutanich threatened to arrest Councilmember Jan Perry over her decision to allow AEG to have billboards at their Regency Cinema complex at LA Live.

Trutanich recently received the Innovations in Criminal Justice award in Chicago, that bastion of ethical standards, raising the question whether they knew and/or would have approved of the 'innovative' way Trutanich appears to settle cases.

A full evidentiary hearing has been requested by Morgan on behalf of his client. According the the Dragnet, Trutanich has not implemented any protocols, procedures or policies to avoid the obvious conflict of interest where one agency pursues civil and criminal cases simultaneously. A finding that Trutanich has breached ethical standards by not separating civil cases and criminal prosecutions could result in the City Attorney's office being disqualified from those cases.

Morgan's motion to disqualify Trutanich for 'extortion' is set for hearing at 8:30AM on Thursday, October 20, 2011 in Department 72 of the Los Angeles Superior Court at 1945 South Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007. It is likely to be a crowded courtroom with many other groups complaining of Trutanich's 'innovative' tactics.

Full story at the Los Angeles Dragnet.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

City Attorney's Billboards Break Ban on Billboard Blight

LA's tough guy of billboards may have to arrest himself over allegedly illegal billboards - HIS OWN BILLBOARDS.

This from the Los Angeles Dragnet:

DRAGNET EXCLUSIVE: He's the hero of the anti-billboard movement in Los Angeles. He has threatened to arrest city workers over billboards. His million dollar bail for an Oscars billboard garnered him the national headlines he so desperately craves, and his scorched earth policy on billboards earned him a $2M settlement check that he "bizarrely" tried to use for a political payoff to a campaign supporter.

But when it comes to his own billboards, it seems that City Attorney Carmen Trutanich has a different set of rules.

Two double-sided billboards appear to violate LA City Atty Trutanich's
own ban on "off site" adverts. They are his own billboards!

Four billboards on Ventura Blvd. currently advertise Carmen Trutanich City Attorney. Located at the Allen Realty Plaza (12522 to 12528 Ventura Blvd.), the billboards appear to be a carryover from the time during 2008-2009 when Trutanich leased his campaign headquarters at 12524 Ventura Blvd.

Two of the billboards (double sided shown above) are fairly prominent, the other double sided billboards (below) simply promote Trutanich's former campaign website: www.TRU09.com.


During the time Trutanich occupied 12524 Ventura Blvd., the billboards were "On Site" advertisements. In the lingo of billboard law, they advertised goods, services or activities available at the location. The billboards stated "Carmen Trutanich FOR City Attorney," the activity taking place at 12524 Ventura Blvd.

However, when Trutanich vacated his HQ in July 2009, Trutanich's billboards became "Off Site" advertisements, meaning that they advertised something taking place away from the location of the billboard.

After Trutanich quit the location, the billboards remained. It appears, however, that they were not simply forgotten. In fact they were changed - the word "FOR" was covered up to convey the new message "Carmen Trutanich City Attorney."

Under Trutanich's own law, all billboards in Los Angeles require permits. No doubt Allen Realty Plaza had, and has, valid permits for "On Site" billboards, in other words, billboards advertising the activities of current tenants. However, there is also no doubt that no valid permit exists for any of Trutanich's "Off Site" billboards.

The reason for that is because one of Trutanich's first scorched earth policies was to ban the issuance of any new "Off Site" billboard permits. That was why he threatened to arrest Councilmember Jan Perry, AEG's Tim Leiweke, and several Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety workers if they issued permits for AEG's Regency Cinema at LA Live.

According to information provided by Dennis Hathaway's Ban Billboard Blight organization, illegal off site billboards violate Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) section 91.6201.


Hathaway has links to all relevant billboard laws, and LAMC section 91.6202.2 describes the penalties for violators. If Trutanich's un-permitted off site billboards are in violation of the LAMC, the penalties are extreme, punishable by "a fine of not more than $1,000.00 or by imprisonment in the county jail for a period of not more than six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment." 

Furthermore, "Each violation of the provisions of this division and each day during which such violation is committed or continues is a separate offense." Thus, each of Trutanich's four billboards could result in fines of $1,000 a day for the two years since Trutanich quit his Ventura Blvd. headquarters and moved into City Hall. That amounts to a staggering $2.92M in fines, as well as the possibility of 24 months in jail for each of the 730 days since Trutanich became City Attorney.

Of course that's a disproportionate amount of punishment for what Trutanich probably considers to be be a minor violation of his law, if a violation at all. But then again, Trutanich pursued billboard violators mercilessly regardless of the magnitude of the violation.

Regardless of whether Trutanich's billboards constitute a major or minor violation of his own law, he could nevertheless try to claim that his billboards are exempt from his law. Under LAMC section 91.6201.4 "an ideological, political or other noncommercial message" is not covered by his law.

The problem for Trutanich is that his billboards likely would not qualify for the "political" exception because they fail to display the disclosure statements required by the Fair Political Practices Commission and the City Ethics Commission, both of which require clear identification of who has paid for the "political message."

So if Trutanich's billboards are not exempt because they are not "political," could they be exempt as "ideological or noncommercial?" The problem here is that Trutanich himself considers ideological or noncommercial signs to be subject to his law.

Furthermore, Trutanich's billboards advertising his old campaign website clearly are commercial. The TRU09.com website now appears to be an online retailer of electronic goods, clearly a commercial enterprise.

Whichever way you look at it, Trutanich does seem to be displaying a double standard when it comes to the enforcement of billboard laws. He, above all in Los Angeles, should not be engaged in questionable billboard activity and should be setting an example of how to follow his law, not flout it.


Of course the interesting question that arises is "Who will investigate Trutanich's seemingly illegal billboards?" Clearly Trutanich's City Attorney's Office cannot investigate or prosecute Trutanich, the conflict of interest would be so obvious that even Trutanich could see it. Interestingly, for the same reason, the City Attorney's Office cannot defend Trutanich either; he would have to hire his own defense attorney just as Rocky Delgadillo did when he hired Trutanich.

What about the District Attorney's Office? Could Steve Cooley's Public Integrity Division be tasked with the investigation, or would the current open hostility between Trutanich and his former supporter Cooley, create a conflict of interest there? That would leave either the Attorney General's Office or the US Attorney's Office with jurisdiction to investigate and if necessary prosecute any violation they find. We do hope they follow Trutanich's guidelines on setting bail...

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Election Hangover II Parodies Trutanich's Record of Failure and Failed Promises

District Attorney candidate Alan Jackson is not pulling any punches when it comes to outing City Attorney Carmen Trutanich's woeful record of failures and failed promises. The following from the Alan Jackson campaign was first released at The LA Dragnet and Politics Without Mercy:




NEW JACKSON AD HIGHLIGHTS TRUTANICH’S 

BROKEN PROMISES, RECORD OF FAILURE AS CITY ATTORNEY


Video Ad Entitled “Election Hangover Part II”

Los Angeles, July 19th – Today the Alan Jackson campaign released a web ad response to Carmen Trutanich’s candidacy for District Attorney. Since his decision to run, it is clear that Trutanich will be turning his attention away from his job as City Attorney to launch a campaign for higher office. Using a parody of the Hangover Part II movie trailer, the ad highlights Trutanich’s broken promises and failed record since he was elected City Attorney. The spot is called “Election Hangover Part II.”

Not only has Carmen Trutanich broken his promise not to run for higher office, he has been an unsuccessful City Attorney. Under his watch, the City of Los Angeles is undergoing a widespread corruption probe by the FBI. Meanwhile, Trutanich has stifled first amendment rights, choosing to cut vital programs and staff salaries while refusing to cut his own. With all this mayhem, Trutanich is now looking for higher office.

To view the advertisement, please visit www.electionhangover2.com.

“Not only is Trutanich breaking his sworn promise to the voters, but he’s been a huge disappointment as City Attorney. Now he wants a promotion and a pay raise?” asked Jackson’s strategist John S. Thomas.

“Apparently Mr. Trutanich is as serious about fighting corruption in the city as he is about completing his term as City Attorney,” said Thomas.

Thomas continued, “With the early release of prisoners from California State prisons looming large, we need a District Attorney who takes his job seriously and will put the people of LA County before his own political career.”

Trutanich’s “Pledge to Serve” stipulates that if Trutanich breaks his promise to serve two terms as City Attorney and not seek higher office, he must pay $100,000 of personal funds to the Best Afterschool Program for Kids and place a full-page ad in every major daily paper with a picture of himself and text stating ‘I AM A LIAR’.

Click below to view Carmen Trutanich’s original “Pledge to Serve.”

http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25678-trutanich-pledge.html

See below for several news articles explaining in more detail how Trutanich has performed as a City Attorney.


Second L.A. building inspector pleads guilty in federal bribery probe (LATimes)

Businessman held on $1-million bail in supergraphic case (LATimes)

Is Carmen Trutanich L.A.'s Mubarak? (LATimes)

L.A. leaders reject pay cuts for themselves (Daily News)

L.A.'s latest budget victim (Daily Breeze)

More at: http://www.electionhangover2.com/

Friday, July 1, 2011

Trutanich Tells Tales To Tout ACE Program

Reports that City Attorney Carmen Trutanich lied about his ACE Program have raised questions as to whether  the man the LA Daily News once called "The People's Lawyer" should be re-named "The People's Liar."

Reports accuse Trutanich of plagiarism, noting that his statement on the Kevin James Show that the ACE Program was something that he came up with when he became City Attorney was false, because it was actually based on a plan that Rocky Delgadillo's former Chief Deputy, Richard Llewellyn had initiated.  Furthermore, Trutanich lied when he said that he had shared his ACE Program with the cities of San Diego and Santa Monica; both already had their versions of the ACE Program before Trutanich became City Attorney. The following was published on Monday, June 27, 2011:

Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich has been selling his "ACE" program to pretty much anyone and everyone who will listen.

Usually Trutanich has a captive audience to pitch his ideas, right wingers who won't ask too many questions of LA's 'Tough Guy,' as long as he's their 'Tough Guy.'
Trutanich has been doing the rounds of the Neighborhood Councils and Rotary Clubs selling his ACE Program (an acronym for Administrative Citation Program) like snake oil, and of course giving them the fast-sell on how he is being besieged to run for District Attorney.

He gets the applause and adulation he so desperately craves from audiences who don't know how to question the fast talking former plaintiff's attorney. But when Trutanich's claims are examined in the detail that he dodges, his claims about his ACE are coming apart faster than the king's new clothes. 

On Sunday, June 5, 2011, Trutanich spent an hour as the guest of KRLA 870AM's talk show host Kevin James. Trutanich launched into a series of serious misstatements and omissions regarding the ACE Program. Misstatements so egregious that 'lie' is the only word that fairly characterizes much of what Trutanich said. Here is a short segment from the Kevin James Show (you can listen to the whole program at the KRLA 870AM website), but pay attention to what Trutanich says about his ACE:





When Kevin James asked Trutanich to explain his ACE Program, virtually the first words out the City Attorney's mouth were false.

"This is an idea that I came up with, uhm, early, er, er, when I became, er, City Attorney." Trutanich said.

Really? That would be news to Richard Llewellyn, Chief of Staff to Los Angeles Councilmember Paul Koretz. Not only was the idea for the program based on a January 15, 2010 motion by CM Koretz, but sources at the City Attorney's Office insist that the origins of the program came from Llewellyn himself, when he was Chief Deputy City Attorney under Rocky Delgadillo, long before Trutanich "... became, er, City Attorney."



The history of the ACE Program can be traced back through the City Clerk's website, under file number 10-0085, where CM Kortz's motion can be downloaded.




Perhaps Trutanich simply misspoke? But no. There was no mistake. Scarcely had he stumbled through his plagiaristic opening lie, than he repeated the lie, and of course, embellished it a little more.

"This is, er, er, er, a program that when I came up with it, I shared it with other cities, and now San Diego has it, and it's working just fine, Santa Monica has it and it's working just fine, and there are other cities up north, up in northern California that have employed the same administrative code enforcement program." Trutanich said.

How extremely generous of Trutanich to share his idea with other cities. Unfortunately, the truth is somewhat different. San Diego already had it's program in place, in force, up and running, long before Trutanich became City Attorney. In fact, early in 2010, Trutanich sent three of his senior Assistant City Attorneys to San Diego to meet with representatives from the San Diego City Attorney's Office to find out how the program worked.

Trutanich also left out a few inconvenient truths about his program, such as the identity of the so-called "administrative law judges" who will impose fines and penalties on the homeowners and small business owners who will likely top the list of ACE citations. The judges will be chosen by him.

They will also very likely be Deputy City Attorneys who Trutanich will select to act as his judges. That's certainly not part of San Diego's program, in fact the jaws of the San Diego City Attorneys dropped in astonishment when they heard of how Trutanich is planning on giving his version of Due Process to the unlucky recipients of ACE citations.

Trutanich did let a couple of truths slip past his lips when he was selling ACE.  One was that his ACE Program is really all about raising money on the backs of residents. The other is that the ACE Program will work "just like a traffic ticket." Yes, we all know how easy it is to fight a traffic ticket and how much money is raised that way.

The last lie Trutanich was questioned over concerned the claims made that he had "busted" the 38th St. Gang. Sheriff Baca explained that Trutanich was a member of an anti-gang task force, and that gave the lie credibility.

So far as we are aware, Sheriff Baca is not involved with the ACE Program, so it will be interesting to see if anyone would care to offer some equally lame excuse for more shameful grandstanding, lies and half-truths from Trutanich.

Interestingly, Trutanich's lies about his ACE Program were made on the very same broadcast where Trutanich stated that one of the reasons for his hesitancy over deciding whether or not to run for District Attorney, was that his son had just come back from Iraq, injured:






It appears that, again, Trutanich was being economical with the truth. It certainly is a fact that his son was in Iraq, but not as a military combatant; he is an Assistant US Attorney. It is also rumored that the injury was a sports injury, although Trutanich has been silent as to that.


Trutanich's ACE Program looks like it really should be given a big thumbs down when it finally comes before the City Council. After all, if you cannot trust the City Attorney to be truthful about where it came from, how can you trust him when he tells you where it's going?


&tc.