Federal and county prosecutors looking into the Hahn administration have recently asked for detailed information about the mayor's trip to Asia in 2002 with then-commissioner Leland Wong, members of the city council and select supporters, the Times reports Tuesday. The news suggests that, at the least, the coordinated investigations into city contracting practices are becoming more interested in Wong and his influence. But the investigators also specifically demanded info on travel expenses incurred by Jim Hahn, his deputies and others on the ten-day trip.

"It's the last thing he needs," said Republican strategist Allan Hoffenblum. "It's the corruption issue that has put Hahn in the position he is in … and it is the single issue that could cost him the race."

[fast forward]

The Times reported last year that Wong, while serving on the Airport Commission in 2002, was also working as a consultant for Evergreen Marine.

Shortly after he informed the Ethics Commission about that job in an October 2002 report, Wong accompanied Hahn to Asia, where city officials signed agreements between Evergreen Marine and the Port of Los Angeles, and between EVA Airways and the airports department.

Port contracting was harshly criticized in a 2003 audit by City Controller Laura Chick, and auditors' notes obtained by The Times indicated that Wong played a role on both deals.

Also: Bernard Parks will endorse Antonio Villaraigosa this morning, the Times reports (apparently alone among the papers. * Update: The Breeze had it too, via the Copley bureau's David Zahniser.) "I don't expect we're going to agree on 100% of the issues," Parks told the Times, "but I believe we'll be able to work on 100% of the issues — although everyone may not get everything they want." It's another big African American endorsement going against the mayor, but Hahn strategist Kam Kuwata said, "Antonio Villaraigosa has had four or five different positions on Bernard Parks." [** P.M. Update: Hahn responds a few hours after the Parks announcement with a photo op starring council members who have previously endorsed him.]

Campaign three-dots: Hahn got the endorsement of Walter Moore, who finished sixth in the March primary...Villaraigosa got the Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley...Bob Hertzberg's website has come back to life, with a revived daily news digest by campaign staffer Brian Hay.

More: Politics
© 2003-2009   •  About LA Observed  •  Email the editor
LA Biz Observed
4:03 PM Fri | CBS and ABC have far bigger fish to fry - namely whether their stations can get back the auto and retail advertising that fell off a cliff in 2009.
Native Intelligence
Jenny Price | Recycling!
Veronique de Turenne | And there's still time to take part!
Phil Wallace | Searching for answers after a third loss this year.
Deanne Stillman | Jihad and cash offers meet American soldiers during the Gulf War, and beyond.
Iris Schneider | After a tough year financially, the Museum of Contemporary Art put on a gala party to celebrate with 1,000 of its closest friends.
Jenny Burman
Thinking more about buying less.
Here in Malibu
Seriously -- turn out the lights.
Sponsors
Jewish Journal logo
The California Wellness Foundation
Playa Vista ad
Blogads

Blogads Los Angeles network

Get RSS Feeds
of LA Observed
LA Observed publishes several Real Simple Syndication feeds for easy scanning of headlines. If you wish to subscribe to a feed, most popular RSS readers will do it for you. You can also enter the web address from the XML button below or click on a specific feed. For more help with RSS, try here or here.




Add to Google