Cunliffe’s Leave Extended as City Inquiry Continues

Sylvia Cunliffe’s forced leave of absence from Los Angeles’ troubled General Services Department was extended Friday by Mayor Tom Bradley so an investigation of alleged mismanagement and favoritism can be completed.

In a letter to Cunliffe, who is the target of criminal and administrative investigations of possible misconduct, Bradley wrote that he was extending Cunliffe’s paid leave through Sept. 9. The mayor, after a series of press disclosures of alleged nepotism and management failures in the department, had placed Cunliffe on a 45-day administrative leave in June.

Inquiry Delayed

A Bradley aide said the mayor extended Cunliffe’s leave after a three-member panel probing her activities told the mayor Friday they would not complete their work until about Aug. 17. “There’s just a lot of information” to review, said Ali Webb, Bradley’s spokeswoman.

Bradley established the investigating panel to “get to the truth” of the charges against Cunliffe, which include giving favorable rents to friends and relatives at city properties and mismanaging fuel contracts at added cost to the city.

“Once I receive the report, I shall need to review it thoroughly before deciding upon a course of action,” Bradley wrote in his letter to Cunliffe on Friday. “I believe you should not return to your post at City Hall until I have acted on this matter.”

Others Join Probe

In addition to Bradley’s panel, investigators from the city attorney’s office and the city administrative office have been investigating Cunliffe’s actions.

Cunliffe has denied wrongdoing and her attorney, Godfrey Isaac, expressed concern Friday about the extension of his client’s forced leave. “She should never have been on administrative leave,” Isaac said. “She should be back at her post.”

Isaac said the panel appointed by Bradley has refused to provide him “with any information on what’s going on. . . . I believe she is being denied her due process rights.”