Venice Stakeholders Calls for
Investigation of Ethics Violation
by
Linda Lucks, President, Venice Neighborhood Council
The Venice
Stakeholders Association (VSA) today filed a request for an investigation of an
ethics violation by Linda Lucks, the president of the Venice Neighborhood
Council (VNC). The request was filed
with both the State Fair Political Practices Commission and the City of Los Angeles’ Ethics
Commission.
The VSA’s attorney, John Henning,
called for the investigation because Ms. Lucks has failed to respond to calls
for her to recuse herself from involvement with deliberations concerning
overnight restricted permit parking (OPDs) in Venice, which her client, the Venice
Community Housing Corporation (VCHC), has long opposed.
“Ms. Lucks’ involvement in the
OPDs issue is in direct conflict with her economic interest in her paid
position as Capital Campaign Coordinator at VCHC,” Henning wrote. “On the one hand she is orchestrating a
campaign to reverse the VNC's position on OPDs, and to influence the City
Council to effectively abandon its own resolutions establishing OPDs, while on
the other hand she is in the employ of one of the foremost opponents of OPDs.”
Citing the Los Angeles City
Charter, an executive directive by Mayor Villaraigosa, and advice by the City
Attorney, Henning noted that just the appearance of a conflict is enough to
require a city official to withdraw from any involvement in a matter.
Mark Ryavec, president of the VSA,
said that he had emailed the full Board of the VNC some weeks ago about Lucks’
conflict of interest and had not received a reply, so the VSA felt the issue
should be raised with State and City officials.
“The residents of Venice deserve a
neighborhood council free from both actual and perceived conflicts of interest
so they can trust that the recommendations of the council are determined on the
merits and do not reflect the wishes of narrow special interests,” Ryavec said.
For a copy of the complaint send a request to venicestakeholders@ca.rr.com.
