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It's been a while since L.A.'s bumbling city attorney has found himself in hot water, but you just knew that sooner or later the big galoot would be back. He’ll be the guest of honor for the City Hall lobbyist who represented billboard company Clear Channel Outdoor. Call me crazy, but that seems just a tad inappropriate considering that the city attorney has represented the city in various billboard-related issues. The event, "An Evening in Honor of Rocky Delgadillo," will be at the Four Seasons and feature “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest. "Apparently, Mr. Seacrest heard some good things about Rocky and wanted to hold a 'meet and greet' to introduce him to some of his friends," Delgadillo's flak told the LAT. Sounds like fun - and yet those pesky billboard opponents have the nerve to be crying foul. Here's more:
The event is drawing fire from anti-billboard activists, who called the cocktail reception at the Four Seasons Hotel a fawning thank-you to Delgadillo -- and a symbol of the chummy relationships between city politicians, lobbyists and the billboard industry. "How can he be independent?" asked Dennis Hathaway, a spokesman for the Coalition to Ban Billboard Blight. "It calls into question (Delgadillo's) objectivity in acting on behalf of the city on all these lawsuits."Invitations were sent and RSVPs accepted by Ken Spiker and Associates, the firm that collected nearly $480,000 in city lobbying fees from Clear Channel Outdoor and its sister company, Clear Channel Airports, from 2003 through 2007, according to city documents. Still, Ken Spiker Jr. said the event has no connection to Clear Channel or the fight over outdoor advertising. Spiker said he severed his ties with Clear Channel in mid-December. And he insisted that Seacrest is showing up to the Delgadillo event because he is friends with two other clients, not Clear Channel.
Mark Lacter created the LA Biz Observed blog in 2006. He posted
until the day before his death on Nov. 13, 2013.