DA looks into mayor's free tickets

Hard to know where this might lead, but David Demerjian, head deputy of District Attorney Steve Cooley's Public Integrity Division, has contacted the city Ethics Commission in connection with Villaraigosa's practice of accepting free tickets to sports events, concerts and award shows - and not reporting them as gifts. From the LAT:

State and city laws require politicians to report gifts they receive -- and say who gave them. Those laws limit the value of the tickets from exceeding $420 from any one source in a year. Elected officials are exempt from those requirements, however, if they conduct official business or have a "ceremonial" role at an event. Villaraigosa contends he attended as many as 80 events free of charge - each was identified on his official calendar -- as part of his official duty to promote and represent Los Angeles. At some events, the mayor presented a decorative city proclamation to athletes, entertainers or organizers.

Making any inquiry more difficult is the apparent lack of documentation on who paid for the tickets, their financial value, and whether the mayor took guests. Some might call it "the dog ate my homework" defense.