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ERIC PREVEN’S NOTEBOOK - Once upon a time, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors had a rule. Every September, risk and litigation reports hit the table—no delays, no excuses. Supervisor Gloria Molina demanded it. She understood something fundamental: transparency isn’t optional; it’s the oxygen of democracy.
Well, whoops. It’s January now. Risk Report and Litigation report.
What happened? Systemic change… away from transparency.
In 2011, Jim Newton of the Los Angeles Times noted that I had used my public comment time at a Board of Supervisors meeting to raise questions about the County’s legal bills, specifically why a key report had been delayed. A delay, of course, is a decision.
And here we are again.
Los Angeles County spent $220.4 million on litigation last year. It’s an improvement from the $340.2 million burned through the previous year, but let’s not pat anyone on the back just yet. Because here’s the catch: this number is like the minimum payment on a credit card bill. Sure, you covered last year’s charges, but what about the unpaid balance? The cases that are still open, the settlements waiting in the wings, the invoices tucked away under attorney-client privilege?
That’s the real number they don’t want you to see.
Instead, we get a wall of privilege. Attorney-client privilege. Litigation privilege. Delay privilege.
Take Miller Barondess LLP. They took over a million dollars in PPP funds while simultaneously raking in County contracts to defend Los Angeles in legal battles. Double-dipping? Sure. Perfectly legal? You bet. But enriching a few at the expense of the many? Absolutely.
The County still refuses to release detailed legal invoices for cases that remain “open.” And if they keep the case open forever, guess what? The invoices stay hidden forever.
That brings us to MacLaren Children’s Center. A scandal-ridden institution shut down decades ago, but still a ghost haunting the County’s legal ledgers. How much liability lingers in the dark? The County isn’t saying. But let’s connect the dots—when a single malicious prosecution case cost taxpayers $24 million last year, what does the MacLaren bill look like?
And let’s be clear: the County doesn’t fix things. It just keeps rolling the balance forward.
Now, given the emergency declarations, the waiving of checks and balances to speed up recovery efforts, and the endless stream of contracts issued without meaningful oversight, the time for secrecy is over.
That’s why the Covington & Burling report on contracting fraud and practices must be made public. Now.
There is not one good reason to withhold legal invoices, even if they require redactions. If the County refuses to disclose them, I will consider bringing a landmark follow-up action to force transparency.
Gloria Molina told the Los Angeles Times what Los Angeles needs today: “Show real leadership, for a change.”
She was right. Lights on, Los Angeles. We’re waiting.
Gather round children:
Smart Speaker: Public Input Restrictions
Smart Speaker: Thank you. It’s Preven, not Pressen—you can find my byline in the Westside Current or Daily News. I’ve been covering how public input has been strangled by Marqueece Harris-Dawson, who no longer allows public calls, and now they’re all acting like hearing from residents is a big old nuisance. Meanwhile, Horvath’s out there every single day in her fire boots with the Mayor, and Barger’s doing what she can for her constituents. But let’s be honest—the bastards at City Hall have created a weird, stifling energy. Today, I watched four people speak in this room, looking like they weren’t sure why they were even allowed to. Progressives are being gagged while the ghosts of Herb Wesson’s backroom deals whisper, ‘Just do it. Nobody cares.’
The Board surrounded themselves with the 605 Band as Trump attacked funding.
On the bright side, Yen’s doing a great job. And, of course, Holly Wolcott is retiring after nearly 40 years—what a team player! She was there for the signature verification circus, ensuring everything went exactly as the machine wanted. Solis, they even have a picture of you at the verification site. Very touching."
Moderator: Next speaker...
Smart Speaker: Supervisor Solis, I appreciated your chasing the nice lady from the EPA—it’s a good point. We really can’t keep piling the same mess into the same neighborhoods. I worry about Padilla’s district, the councilwoman and the Senator, but overall, what a county family! Pestrella continues to exceed expectations as we hand him another billion. Colonel Swenson, absolute star—he actually explains things in a way people enjoy.
That said, this is a tragedy. My brother lost his home, and we’re all just doing the best we can. I do appreciate the effort to streamline things—moving from 27 different websites down to one will help people find the resources. Now, about that report. Covington & Burling, the much-anticipated contract monitoring review—how in the world is that still not published? Dawyn Harrison, step forward. Let’s get that out in the open, stat. No more waiting.
Executive Officer: The next speaker is Eric Preven...
Smart Speaker: Thank you, Yen, Supervisors. I must say, I do admire the efficiency—moving through public hearings with almost no public comments. It’s a timeless classic: exhaust the public with a never-ending session, then slide the real business through when nobody has the energy left to fight it. Kudos.
But since Supervisor Mitchell actually did her job and brought up the Covington report, let’s talk about it. We’ve all seen how disasters play out—after Hurricane Katrina, there was a feeding frenzy of contractors helping themselves before they helped anyone else. Now we’re in another crisis, and we have trusted and time-honored (cue dog barking) vendors managing contracts behind closed doors. You keep telling us to trust the process—okay, then publish the Covington report. Let’s see how squeaky clean it is.
Moderator: Next speaker... you may begin.
Smart Speaker: Thank you. It’s Eric Preven, Studio City. I appreciate the effort to comment on the outreach. Bodek deserves a small prize—she’s taken a lot of questions and she has answers for everything. The problem is, even the best explanations don’t help when people don’t know they need to be paying attention.
Polling is a joke, by the way. Just because people didn’t respond doesn’t mean they don’t care. You ask residents, ‘Do you want an athletic complex?’ and they shrug. But tell them it’s happening at their treasured golf course, and suddenly they’re up in arms. People aren’t stupid—they just need to know the full picture. You can’t use silence as proof of support.
Council Debate: Traci Park & The Anti-Tenant Block
Park slammed the proposal as “economic sabotage masquerading as tenant protection.”
Her zinger: “Sound policy is not made by chanting activists outside City Hall.”
Response: Boos from tenants, cheers from landlords.
John Lee (CD12) joined her, decrying LA’s “hostility” to landlords:
“We’ve failed to provide relief for property owners—this isn’t the answer.”
Eunisses Hernandez (CD1) & The Tenant Champions
Hernandez delivered a fiery speech:
“We already know how this goes—disaster capitalism kicks in, and the working class gets pushed out.”
Reaction: Standing ovation from tenant groups.
Soto-Martínez called for even stronger protections, while Raman’s amendment for a longer moratorium failed.
Nithya Raman’s Wobbly Middle Ground
Raman supported the measure but hedged:
“Yes, tenants need help, but we can’t ignore LA’s need for private investment.”
Response: Side-eyes from tenants, distrust from landlords.
Mas Fireworks:
Park dismissed Hernandez’s motion as a political stunt:
“If this is about freezing rent hikes, not fire victims, I can’t support it.”
Hernandez hit back:
“My heart aches for the losses in Palisades. I supported your relief efforts—why won’t you support mine?”
She demanded action:
“Tell us what landlords need. We’re the government. We’re supposed to help everyone.”
John Lee’s Outburst & Hugo Martinez’s Urgency Plea
Lee accused colleagues of misleading the public:
“Being a councilmember doesn’t give you the right to just stand up and lie.”
Martinez laid out the bureaucratic nightmare:
“We’re looking at 8 months before relief reaches tenants. But rent is due next week.”
Public Comment Backlash: Virtual Testimony & Access
Speakers slammed the Council for eliminating remote participation:
“We are NEVER going to stop demanding virtual public comment.”
Others blasted landlord-packed chambers:
“There’s a line of tenants outside who can’t get in—how is this democracy?”
Tenant groups demanded fairness:
“Make these proceedings accessible. Not just for landlords, but for the tenants freezing outside.”
Fire Aid Tonight: Who benefits?
Grateful for every artist, donor, and organizer stepping up for fire victims. It’s a beautiful thing.
Bruce Springsteen, Billie Eilish, and Foo Fighters are headlining. But let’s talk details.
FireAid is raising millions—who are covering costs? If Azoff, Guggenheim, and Wasserman are footing the entire bill, ensuring every dollar goes to victims, then bravo. But if expenses are deducted from proceeds, this isn’t pure charity—it’s a tax write-off wrapped in philanthropy.
Irving Azoff home in Beverly Hills.
And about the Annenberg Foundation—who put them in charge of these funds? What percentage reaches victims? Are there administrative fees? Asking doesn’t mean ingratitude; it means accountability.
LA has a history of turning disaster into business. If FireAid is truly about helping, transparency should be easy. Let’s ensure tonight’s show isn’t just a feel-good spectacle but a real commitment.
Big Money, Bigger Questions
Governor Newsom announced tens of millions in wildfire recovery donations, with groups like the Latino Community Foundation and California Community Foundation boosting LA Rises. But the real money—the kind with influence—is moving behind the scenes.
Mark Walter of Guggenheim Partners skipped the announcement but issued a vague statement about “building back better.” Meanwhile, Wasserman’s camp refused to confirm if the full "up to $100 million" was actually pledged. This is the billionaire playbook: headline-grabbing promises with little transparency.
These aren’t just charitable donors; they’re power brokers shaping LA ahead of the 2028 Olympics. Their wildfire recovery efforts align with larger ambitions—real estate, privatization, and an LA designed for corporate interests, not longtime residents.
Will Palisades be rebuilt before Altadena? Will recovery funds funnel into billionaire-backed contracts? Will LA remain for its people, or morph into a playground for the Olympics, tourists, and mega-event profiteers?
The Power Players & Their Stakes:
- Casey Wasserman: $400M net worth, the agency managing $5.7B in contracts.
- Magic Johnson: $620M net worth.
- Mark Walter: $5.3B net worth, Guggenheim Partners managing $325B in assets.
These men aren’t just giving—they’re ensuring they control LA’s blueprint. Relief is coming, but so is a city shaped by those who can afford to decide what recovery looks like. The real question: will Los Angeles belong to its residents or to those buying its future?
Clear Channel Politicians. We all do!
For Chronology of City Attorney’s Ongoing Poor Performance:
January 28, 2025 – 1:25 PM
Eric Preven emails Jonathan Groat, copying multiple officials, criticizing the lack of a public call-in option at the City Council meeting. He highlights over $6 million in closed-session legal settlements approved without public comment, including LAPD vehicle collisions, trip-and-fall cases, and a $1.4 million payout for an LAPD whistleblower case. Preven questions the deep influence of Best Best & Krieger (BB&K) in city legal matters, requesting all contracts between BB&K and the City Attorney’s Office since 2019. He warns Fauble that Groat is out of his depth, urging the Council President to restore virtual testimony.
January 29, 2025 – 9:41 AM
Denise Jackson, Deputy Chief of Staff, notified Preven that his CPRA request for the Mayor’s out-of-town letters to Marqueece Harris-Dawson will be delayed by 14 days. She also seeks clarification on a calendar request and informs him that CD8 does not have invoices for city-funded travel to Chicago and Paris.
January 29, 2025 – 10:59 AM
Preven emails Groat: "Access has been denied... please respond."
January 29, 2025 – 11:07 AM
Groat responds with a public comment portal link, claiming he tested the system and it works.
January 29, 2025 – 11:39 AM
Preven follows up: "Which CF number pertains to general public comment?"
January 29, 2025 – 12:08 PM
Preven emails Jackson and others, calling out contradictions in the City Attorney’s approach to public comment. He questions how written comment is encouraged while oral public comment remains restricted. He states: "Not all Angelenos write… but I do, and I am unable to find a CF number… and Mr. Groat is attempting a high degree of difficulty move." He demands a coherent response and calls their arrogance “appalling."
(Eric Preven is a Studio City-based TV writer-producer, award-winning journalist, and longtime community activist who won two landmark open government cases in California.)
