Palisades Preservation Association Urges 'NO' on Trutanich's ACE

Carmen 'the Clown' Trutanich got a slap in the face from the Palisades Preservation Association according to the Los Angeles Dragnet.

The Dragnet reported first major blow to Trutanich's ACE Program with the news that the PPA had filed a 20-page letter with the Los Angeles City Council's Budget and Finance Committee. The letter urges the Budget and Finance committee to vote against Trutanich's ACE, advising them that the PPA Board unanimously found that Trutanich's "ACE ordinance is not only unnecessary, but subject to abuse."

The PPA letter can be found using the City Clerk's Connect service, under Council File 10-0085. It is an 'on line' document entitled Communications from Public, and can be accessed using the link below:

http://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm?fa=ccfi.viewrecord&cfnumber=10-0085

The PPA letter is the third objection that the City Council has received to Trutanich's ACE, and it seems that finally people are waking up to the real threat presented by giving Trutanich more power.

The Dragnet also reports that Trutanich has been told to keep his mouth shut about the ACE Program lest he inadvertently reveals the true target of his money-making plan. It is highly likely that Trutanich has already prepared a list of "Target Rich" neighborhoods in Los Angeles where his ACE Program enforcers, the Building & Safety Department's Code Enforcement Officers, have figured out where to get the most bang for the buck - the Westside of Los Angeles.

Although East LA and South Central probably have the highest occurrences of minor code violations, it is the wealthy Westside that has the money to pay the fines that Truanich is most likely counting on.

Hopefully, more local associations will get the message and spread the word.

Trutanich'a ACE Program Hides Power-Grab and Cash Stash

Carmen Trutanich has a plan to save the City's budget problems, as well as his own. It's called the "ACE" Program, aka Administrative Citation Enforcement Program, aka Carmen's Revenge. Just like just about everything else from Carmen the Clown, it ain't what it seems, and it stinks.

Carmen Trutanich's "ACE" Program looks like another power-grab to give the
City Attorney more power, money and influence.

As previously reported, City Attorney Trutanich has a secret plan to gain more power, more money, and greater influence as a "judge-maker." It's all dressed up as an innocent administrative ordinance designed to make code enforcement more efficient. In reality, it gives Trutanich the power to fine city residents and create an alternative "TRU-Justice System" where pesky details like the constitution, separation of powers, due process, and basic notions of fairness won't get in his way.

Council File 10-0085 contains the thinly disguised details of Trutanich's revenge on the City Council for killing his previous power-grab; The TRU Grand Jury. 

After you read the unctuously worded introductory letter, check the text of the proposed ordinances for the following ways Trutanich is making his power-grab:

"I OWN THE STINKIN' JUDGES!" The ACE Program will work for Trutanich because he's designed it to give him the power to chose the judges and tell them what to do. Take a look at Section 11.2.09 "The City Attorney shall create an administrative hearing and appeals process..." and you won't find the word "Judge" mentioned anywhere. That's because Trutanich calls them "Administrative Hearing Officers," but they are judges and they will sit in Trutanich's Kangaroo Courts.

You also won't find any mention of where these "Administrative Hearing Officers" are supposed to come from either. That's because Trutanich already controls the Dispute Resolution Program and guess what? it already has Hearing Officers who currently hear minor disputes. But in order for Trutanich to "make it happen," he will probably use his existing Deputy City Attorneys to sit as Judges. "It's a great way of saving money." he will probably explain. But what he won't tell you is that not only does this give him the power to exert undue influence over his judges, but it also gives him real power; he can be a "judge-maker."

Just imagine the bargaining power Trutanich will have if he can "make" judges. It's probably everything he's ever dreamed of, and everyone else's nightmare.

"GIMME MY GRAND JURY POWERS!" One of the reasons Trutanich gave for wanting his own Grand Jury was the ability to issue subpoenas - legal commands to haul persons into court, and order the production of documents. Trutanich probably still believes he could have proven his crass 'criminal aspects' investigation into the Michael Jackson memorial if he had a Grand Jury that could have ordered the production of AEG CEO Tim Leiwecke's personal records.

Thankfully, our civil liberties were protected when the Council squashed Trutanich's plan. So it's Plan B for Trutanich, and that's why Section 11.2.09(B)(6) gives Trutanich's Judges the power to "... subpoena witnesses, documents and other evidence in accordance with the policies and procedures established by the City Attorney." Nice try, but if you want to be a modern day McCarthy, find a bunch of less well-informed people to empower you.


"SHOW ME THE MONEY!" Section 5.121.11 creates the "Code Compliance Fund." This is where all the money collected by Trutanich's Kangaroo Courts will go. And guess who is in charge of the fund? That's right, according to Section 5.121.11(a) "The fund shall be administered by the City Attorney's Office." Of course, the money collected by Trutanich's Judges will be passed on to the responsible departments and any surplus goes to the General Fund. But, course, Trutanich gets to take his piece of the action; the vig, such as the costs of running the program, his judges' salaries, and any other costs he can tack-on to free himself from the budget control the Mayor and City Council has placed on Trutanich.

This is another one of Trutanich's Secret Weapons that needs to be nixed. Quickly.

The full text of Trutanich's plan is available for download from the City Clerk's file management system which can be accessed using this link:

http://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm?fa=ccfi.viewrecord&cfnumber=10-0085

The text of Trutanich's ACE Program can be found by using the link above to
take you to this screen. Then click the .pdf icon to download the entire file.

Why should anyone care if Trutanich gets these new powers? You might think that the ACE program is  sensible solution to an age-old problem of finding more efficient ways to enforce minor violations of the code. You would be right. Other cities have come up with similar programs, but there are two major differences between what other cities have done, and what Trutanich wants to do.

First, other cities don't give their City Attorney as much power as Trutanich's ACE plan.

Second, other cities don't have a City Attorney who has already demonstrated ample reasons to believe that he cannot be trusted with any more power that he already, regrettably, has.

Trutanich Accussed of Bluffing - Makes A Change from Bullying, Bragging &c.

Carmen Trutanich appears to be gazing longingly
at a pair of handcuffs ...
(Photo Credit: LA Times / LA Dragnet)

Carmen "The Clown" Trutanich appears to have shot himself in the foot with his latest threat. This time he's not threatening to arrest anyone, or investigate anyone - except perhaps the author of a 2-page plan to take away his power to prosecute.

The Los Angeles Dragnet, a long time supporter of Trutanich, has recently changed direction and today published the 2-page plan penned by the pseudonymous 'Perry Mason.'

In essence 'Mason' proposes that the City of Los Angeles uses the City Controller to investigate the actual cost of running Trutanich's criminal division, as it appears the cost of prosecuting minor city crimes could be more economically achieved using the District Attorney's Office.

Trutanich, last week, closed down two offices causing LAPD to have to drive to downtown Los Angeles to file these minor crimes. Clearly 'Mason' believes Trutanich is bluffing and has asked the Mayor, Controller and the City Council to call Trutanich's bluff.

The City Hall Insider also published links to the 'Mason' plan, and quoted a line that perhaps sums up the Clown better than any other we've recently heard: "... this would not be the first time Trutanich has gone to a gunfight at sundown with a revolver full of blanks."

'Mason's' plan, if taken seriously, could cause a major showdown between Carmen the Clown and City Hall, as even if the Dragnet's analysis is correct; that a City Charter amendment would be required, it would be interesting to watch the Clown explain why he should not be audited, and why it makes more sense to pay such a high price just so that the City Attorney can prosecute minor crimes.

Carmen The Clown Trutanich - The "Criminal Aspects" Bombshell.... Bombs

He had not been in office a week before Carmen 'the Clown' Trutanich started bellyaching about the costs of the Micheal Jackson memorial. The idea that his city should honor the memory of Michael Jackson, who unquestionably led a controversial life, but had directly and indirectly contributed millions, if not billions to the the city's music and entertainment industry, was seemingly disgusting to Trutanich.

So incensed was LA's new City Attorney, the so-called "People's Lawyer," that you can almost imagine him seething with anger, screaming "Honoring a child molesting pedophile drug adict! Not on my watch!" to his bewildered staff.

Nobody else in City Hall seemed to have any doubts that the memorial an appropriate if expensive civic event, but Trutanich could talk of little else, and did so publicly through a media always willing to get a sound bite from the equally willing new City Attorney.

As the days rolled by Trutanich apparently became increasingly convinced that some laws must have been broken to allow the memorial to take place at AEG's Downtown Los Angeles Staples Center and LA Live, and he made no secret that he was going to throw all the weight and might of his new Bureau of Investigations behind his suspicions.

On July 21, 2009, just three weeks into his tenure, Trutanich made it known that he was going to personally address the assembled councilmembers, and in a statement broadcast all over the world, Trutanich dropped the bombshell ...




Trutanich kept a solemn, stern face as he addressed the crowded City Hall Chamber with a carefully prepared statement:
"The City Attorney's Office Bureau of Investigations is continuing to actively review the events leading up to the events held at the Staples Center and at LA Live venues downtown. My investigators have already interviewed numerous witnesses and gathered significant evidence. We are still collecting information and developing a timeline of events and we are identifying the key players involved. To that extent I invite other, others to also come forward and to provide additional information and documents relating to this matter, by contacting our office."

Los Angeles City Attorney, Carmen The Clown Trutanich smiles as he drops
the bombshell - There are "criminal aspects" to the Michael Jackson memorial.

 Despite his calm staccato delivery, Trutanich couldn't suppress a wry smile and a look of glee as he paused for effect, and then said "Our investigation has taken an unanticipated turn that raises both civil and criminal aspects." 

You could have heard a pin drop as he delivered those words. The new sheriff in town had cracked the case in less than three weeks, and he had found "criminal aspects" to the Micheal Jackson memorial.

Although Trutanich never directly stated that AEG, the owners of the Staples Center and LA Live, were the prime suspects in his criminal and civil investigation, most people could not think of any other suspect.

It was a suspicion quickly confirmed when Trutanich stated that his investigators had been in contact with attorneys for AEG to request papers.

But that was all Trutanich was prepared to say, at least publicly. To add to the solemnity and seriousness of his investigation, Trutanich stated "Ethical considerations and the need to protect the integrity of the investigation prevent me from discussing anything related to the criminal investigation." In other words, this is so important, so serious, he can no longer talk about it. It must be a huge crime, a conspiracy of gigantic proportions, and the City Attorney has the evidence and will not "publicly discus any matters that could potentially jeopardize the effectiveness of our ongoing investigation."

And so, on July 21, 2009, Trutanich left little doubt that he had the dirt, the evidence, the proof he needed to criminally prosecute those who dared hold a "criminal aspect" memorial for Michael Jackson in "his City."

Despite the weight of evidence that Trutanich must have had as a result of unleashing the awesome might and investigative power of his Bureau of Investigations on AEG, and the interviews with "numerous witnesses"  and the gathering of "significant evidence" against those responsible for the memorial, nothing more was ever heard about Trutanich's "criminal aspects."

For almost a year, as the world waited for news, no case was ever filed, no arrests were ever made.

Not even a civil case, the one that Trutanich had said "... rest assured that before I file any lawsuit to recoup taxpayers costs, I will confer with you in closed session, to brief you and obtain your concurrence on any decision that is made."

It was almost a year later, on June 18, 2010 that the LA Times that dropped the next bombshell:

LA Times reports a 'deal's been done.' AEG will pay $1.3M of the
$5M or $6M that Trutanich said had been used for the memorial.

"Last year, AEG President and CEO Tim Leiweke accused City Atty. Carmen Trutanich of demanding $6 million to pay for the cost of the event. Trutanich said he asked for $2 million to $3 million at the time." according to a report filed by David Zahniser at the LA Times.

There was no statement from Trutanich about what looked like a payoff. It seems incredulous that for a man sworn to uphold the laws of the State of Californina, to enforce the laws of the City, to guard the coffers of the City Treasury, who had a case so strong that he could publicly claim had "criminal aspects" could simply 'go away' without a public statement from the "People's Lawyer." It's not as if Trutanich is camera or media shy, so why no explanation? Where's all that "transparency' that Trutanich promised to bring? Gone in flash of cash?

Perhaps justice has a price when placed in the hands of the "People's Lawyer?" A token payment of less than one fifth of what  Trutanich claimed was expended with "criminal aspects" and the whole thing never happened. It stinks. If there was crime, there should have been a criminal case. If there was a civil wrong, then file a civil case. But there was no case filed either criminal or civil, and no comment from Trutanich, so who can blame the public for thinking something very, very wrong had happened?

Interestingly, around this time, Illinois Governor, Rod Blagojevich, was being castigated for an alleged attempted shakedown to sell President Obama's US Senate seat, yet not a word about Trutanich's apparently abandoned "Criminal Aspects" investigation?

One thing did surface on August 12, 2010, after the dust died down. Thanks to a degree of transparency provided by the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission; a report of an interesting  campaign contribution to Trutanich's Officeholder Committee.

Trutanich's Officeholder Committee received a non-monetary contribution
from AEG, according to a reported contribution on the City Ethics Commission website.

If there's anything one can be sure of regarding Trutanich's "criminal aspects" investigation, it is that Trutanich should not be allowed to become District Attorney, an ambition is widely believed to be next on the "People's Lawyer's" wish list.

Either Trutanich was grandstanding and had no case against AEG, or he abandoned a case with "both civil and criminal aspects" for a $1.3M payoff. Whichever it was, it looks like the worst kind of ethics, and Los Angelenos must demand more from their top cop.