Ethics Panel to Levy Fines for Election Violations

A billboard company has agreed to pay a $9,500 fine to the Los Angeles Ethics Commission for failing to disclose independent expenditure campaigns touting city candidates, including City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo and Councilwoman Wendy Greuel.

Clear Channel Outdoor, which promoted the candidates on billboards between 2001 and 2003, admitted to 19 counts of failing to provide the Ethics Commission with required notification. It also admitted to failing to indicate on the billboards that they were not paid for by the candidates.

The fine is one of 18 cases that the Ethics Commission is scheduled to consider Tuesday.

In a separate case, the panel will consider fining Seems Plumbing Co. and Cal Building Maintenance Industries $16,500 as part of an agreement in which the owner of the two firms admitted reimbursing two employees for political contributions made to the campaigns of Councilmen Jack Weiss, Bernard C. Parks, Tony Cardenas and Tom LaBonge, as well as former Councilman Nick Pacheco.

The case is one of several involving political money-laundering that have been settled in recent months.

In yet another case, the commission will vote Tuesday on whether to levy a $500 fine against Lisa Staub, who admitted to being reimbursed by developer Mark Abrams for a $500 political contribution she made in 2003 to a campaign committee controlled by Pacheco.