Bell 8: Six officials ordered to stand trial for looting city treasury [Updated]
Six current or former Bell City Council members were ordered Wednesday to stand trial on felony charges that they drew extraordinary salaries for serving on boards and commissions that met so rarely that one elected official testified that he wasn’t even sure what the agencies did.
In ordering a trial, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Henry J. Hall said it wasn't really a tough decision on his part. "This is not really a difficult case," he said.
[Updated at 5:26 p.m.: Hall order Mayor Oscar Hernandez and current and former council members Luis Artiga, Victor Bello, George Cole, Teresa Jacobo and George Mirabal to stay away from city hall and no longer participate in Bell's civic affairs.
The order essentially shuts down the City Council and makes it impossible for the council to meet until next month's election.
"These people may not be in the running of that city in any shape or form," Hall said. "The allegations are, in my opinion, appalling."]
The ruling sets the stage for a second preliminary hearing for two city hall figures in Bell who prosecutors describe as the architects of an effort to steal more than $5 million in public money from one of Los Angeles County’s poorest cities.
Former Chief Administrator Robert Rizzo and his assistant, Angela Spaccia, were among the highest paid city officials in California before they were forced to resign.
In laying out their case against the council members, prosecutors called witnesses who described efforts to keep the public from finding out how much the part-time politicians were earning.
When a resident asked for their salaries in 2008, two witnesses -– both city employees -– said they were ordered by Rizzo to distribute a document showing that council members made about $8,000 a year, rather than the $92,000 they were actually paid.
The witnesses, City Clerk Rebecca Valdez and financial administrator Lourdos Garcia, were offered limited immunity in exchange for their testimony.
Another witness testified that he wasn’t even aware of his colleagues' hefty salaries and drew a stipend of only $310 every two weeks.
Councilman Lorenzo Velez said when he pressed his colleagues for an explanation after The Times revealed the high salaries, he was told that he was paid less because he was appointed, not elected.
Defense lawyers in the case attacked the prosecution as being politically inspired and asked that the charges be dropped.
Ronald Kaye, attorney for former councilman George Cole, told the court that the case was "unfair, politically motivated and an unjust prosecution, and it should stop now."
Walking back and forth in the courtroom and leaning on a lectern, Kaye called the alleged wrongdoing in Bell "one of the most publicized municipal scandals in Los Angeles County, albeit in the United States."
Kaye said all six of the former and current city officials had become victims of the Bell salary scandal.
"All of a sudden they are dragged into the court, dragged into the media as being these pariahs," he said.
Kaye also dismissed the city clerk’s testimony as being "completely vacant."
Hall rejected Kaye's motion to dismiss the charges.
RELATED:
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Video: 'I'm not a pig,' ex-Bell administrator says
Bell corruption case should be dismissed, defense attorney says
-- Jeff Gottlieb and Corina Knoll from Superior Court
EDITOR'S PICKS:
CORINA AND JEFF: PLEASE LEARN TO SPELL AND TO PROOF YOUR WORK.
Posted by: thomas henry | February 16, 2011 at 05:12 PM
WHat A Judge!!! He definitely showed a blatant disregard for justice in his decision. Truly shows how bad the US justice System has become.
Posted by: Concerned Individual | February 16, 2011 at 05:12 PM
Wow, that defense attorney really is clueless.
Posted by: DG3 | February 16, 2011 at 05:19 PM
So what if it was heavily publicized. Their misdeeds were so egregious to democracy that they should be severely prosecuted. Our relatively uncorrupt system (at least compared to other countries) is one of the few things this country has going for it these days.
Posted by: True Patriot1 | February 16, 2011 at 05:21 PM
But why hasn't Chief Adams been charged with a crime?
Posted by: True Patriot1 | February 16, 2011 at 05:21 PM
The City of Los Angeles needs to annex both Bell and Vernon.
Posted by: phoenixandrew | February 16, 2011 at 05:30 PM
". . . one of the most publicized municipal scandals in Los Angeles County, ALBEIT in the United States?" Now there's the lawyer I'd want!
Posted by: Erik | February 16, 2011 at 05:44 PM
I wonder if that judge received a call from Cooley or perhaps the DA before he made his judgement.
Posted by: Concerned Individual | February 16, 2011 at 05:52 PM
About time. My only questions are, "What about the ex-police chief? When is he due in court?
Posted by: william | February 16, 2011 at 06:09 PM
There are reports that City of Bell Police officers in uniform and on duty are now, this week, campaigning for candidates in Bells current City Council race and against others. This is the same department that is alleged to have had members commit voter fraud in a previous Bell election. The LA Times needs to look into these activities by uniformed members of the Bell PD.
Posted by: skucount | February 16, 2011 at 07:32 PM
Every time a politician is called into court, their lawyer claims it's politically motivated. That defense is getting old.
Posted by: db | February 16, 2011 at 07:50 PM
Excellent!
Posted by: Age of Knowledge | February 16, 2011 at 08:52 PM
Burn Baby Burn!
Posted by: Dee Tee | February 16, 2011 at 09:30 PM
I saw somewhere that the legal advisor to the Los Angeles City College is refusing to make public a report on misuse of funds in the building program at the community college. Look what they were trying to cover up in the City of Bell by refusing to make documents public or making up excuses to withhold them from the public.
The question is: What is the community college hiding from us?
There's an election coming up and law enforcement officials are not demanding answers from college officials. History will repeat itself if we are not vigilant.
Posted by: Russ | February 16, 2011 at 09:40 PM
Here in Florida we feel your pain Bell. Here we have a republican governor just elected, Scott. He expended over $55 million dollars for this job that pays a few hundred thousand dollars a year??
Now he shots down a speed rail system that would provide over 25,000 jobs in a state with 12% unemployment.
Shots down a bill that would provide medical monitoring of prescriptions. Here in Florida we have a growing problem with addicts coming here to get prescription drugs to support their addictions.
Dissolving educational systems and producing demoralizing ambitions for those in the educational system.
Now taking over Medicaid and cutting benefits. Example no more dental plan. Patients that smoke to be denied coverage.
Low and behold the smaller Tea Flavored republican party. Now they are coming RIGHT into your life and telling you what they find acceptable.
I’M enjoying this. 59% of our senior citizens voted for them. Now they can reap what they have sown. HA,HA, HA,
Posted by: Bernard Forand | February 17, 2011 at 06:47 AM
There must be some federal law these people violated - tax law violations? Federal racketeering laws? All these people, including the witnesses given partial immunity MUST be tried.
We cannot tolerate this kind of blatant corruption -- any! corruption.
If the State cannot pursue criminal charges against all these people - imagine all the corruption in other municipalities were they are more discrete in their corruption.
Flabbergasting!
Posted by: Alex | February 17, 2011 at 09:30 AM
Now, if only we could get the DOJ to do the same thing regarding the Federal Reserve and Wall St. investment banks.
Posted by: Dave | February 17, 2011 at 11:36 AM
So where is Mr. ethics Randy Adams?Oh I know he is having lunch with "HONEST"Steve Cooley.
Posted by: ten-29-me | February 17, 2011 at 02:18 PM
Does mentioning party affiliation of corrupt officials only apply to Conservatives? This article failed to mention that all these corrupt officials are registered Democrats.
Posted by: Paul N | February 18, 2011 at 02:53 PM