ETHICS COMMISSION IMPOSES FINES TOTALING $15,000

The Ethics Commission unanimously approved two stipulated orders at its meeting today, imposing fines totaling $15,000 for lobbying violations involving Rebecca Davis (Davis) and Lozeau Drury, LLP (LD), an environmental law firm.

Davis, a partner at LD, advocated on behalf of Supporters Alliance for Environmental Responsibility (SAFER), a 501(c)(3) organization opposing certain developments in the City of Los Angeles. Davis qualified as a lobbyist and LD qualified as a lobbying firm in 2022, but neither registered or filed quarterly disclosure reports. Each was fined $7,500, and both have now filed the required registrations and disclosure reports.

The Municipal Lobbying Ordinance requires lobbying entities to register with the Ethics Commission and report their lobbying activity on a quarterly basis, to help City officials, neighborhood council members, and the public identify who is spending money to influence City action. Lobbying entities include lobbyists, lobbying firms, and lobbyist employers. Los Angeles Municipal Code §§ 48.01 et seq.

“The public has a right to know when money is being spent in an attempt to influence City action,” said Jeffery Daar, the President of the Ethics Commission, “The City’s lobbying laws require this essential disclosure. The Ethics Commission is dedicated to enforcing the City’s lobbying law.”

All penalties levied by the Ethics Commission are paid to the City’s general fund. Enforcement orders can be viewed and searched through the Ethics Commission’s Public Data Portal.

Brief summaries of City’s lobbying registration and disclosure requirements are provided in the video at https://ethics.lacity.org/video/whoisalobbyist.mp4 and the brochure at https://ethics.lacity.org/wp-content/uploads/Who-is-a-Lobbyist-Brochure.pdf.