Big Fine, Late News

Los Angeles City Councilman Nate Holden has railed against the city Ethics Commission’s record $27,500 fine imposed on him for a host of 1995 campaign violations. Odd, since it can be argued that he worked the ethics system to avoid media disclosure of the accusations and fine until nine days after his reelection.

The commission’s audit findings on the 1995 municipal election have been a matter of public record since January. But the commission has restrictions and timetables that curb its ability to inform the public when it has made accusations against elected officials. There are also rigid rules on release of information about a settlement, the point at which an official agrees to pay a fine.

Simply put, by initially saying that he would not settle and would fight the accusations, Holden avoided any public release of the Ethics Commission’s actions against him until after the April primary. By agreeing to settle just days before the June election, he ensured that the matter would not become public until the Ethics Commission meeting Wednesday.

Holden acknowledged 48 violations of election laws, mainly accepting individual campaign contributions over the $500 limit. Rather than focus on the commission bias that Holden sees, it’s time to consider changing regulations to allow the commission to inform the public more quickly. The panel found the Holden violations “breathtaking in scope.” Voters deserved to have that information before the election, not after.