Mayoral Candidate Wendy Greuel's Ethics are Questioned

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More ethics charges are surfacing in the Los Angeles Mayor's race. Today, the publisher of Los Cerritos Community News held a press conference on the steps of City Hall to talk about an ethics complaint the newspaper is filing against LA City Controller and Mayoral candidate, Wendy Greuel.

The complaint against Mayoral candidate, Wendy Greuel alleges that instead of performing her duties as City Controller, Greuel has been using the time to fundraise, send e-mails and make phone calls using City property, and disclosing city information to her campaign staff to help her mayoral candidacy.

The newspaper conducted a six month investigation after receiving a tip that Greuel had been abusing her position as City Controller.

"We did a public records request in January," said Brian Hews, Los Cerritos Community News publisher. "And she took 90 days to respond to that. Now under section 6253, they are supposed to respond in 24 days."

Hews says that was the first red flag and after receiving the public records, the newspaper conlcuded Greuel was in violation of state law.

"Ms. Greuel is using her office to campaign and gaining support for her campaign," said Hews. "That's an ethics violation."

The complaint will be evaluated by the City's Ethics Commision. The Commission will review over 130 pages of e-mails that Greuel sent to her Mayoral campaign staff during business hours using computer owned by the City. The complaint also says Greuel inappropriately disclosed sensitive financial information about the city.

"She sent that e-mail out ot her campaign staff two and a half hours before she presented it to the City Council, the City, and tehe Mayor," Hews said.

Greuel's office released a written statement to Annenberg Radio News in response to the claims:

Eric Garcetti is a serial ethics violator with 13 separate violations costing him nearly $10,000 in fines. Unlike Mr. Garcetti, Wendy Greuel has never had a single ethics violation or paid a penny in fines. She's been open and transparent -- even turning over e-mails to the Ethics Commission for review.

Both Greuel and her Mayoral opponent, Eric Garcetti, have accused each other of misconduct on a range of issues. On May 21, it will be up to the voters to decide whether these ethics charges have any bearing on who becomes the next mayor.