4/5/01

LC010405

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS>> EACH OF THEM WANTS TO LEAD LOS ANGELES INTO THE NEXT MILLENNIUM AND ALL BELIEVE THEY'RE THE BEST PERSON FOR THE JOB.

VAL>> SO WHO WILL IT BE? A CONGRESSMAN, A CITY COUNCILMAN, A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN, A STATE CONTROLLER, A FORMER ASSEMBLYMAN, OR OUR CITY ATTORNEY?

JESS>> THE ELECTION IS JUST FIVE DAYS AWAY. THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO HEAR WHAT EACH CANDIDATE HAS TO SAY ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM SCHOOLS TO TRAFFIC, THINGS THAT AFFECT US ALL.

VAL>> THE MAYORAL DEBATE COMING UP NEXT ON THIS SPECIAL EDITION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION
WHICH IS DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFORMED CALIFORNIA CITIZENRY.

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
UNDERWRITING THE SPANISH LANGUAGE TRANSLATION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW. WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL EDITION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT. TONIGHT WE BRING YOU A DEBATE INVOLVING THE SIX MAJOR CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES.

VAL>> WE WANT TO GET TO THE DEBATE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT FIRST LET'S INTRODUCE THE CANDIDATES IN THE ORDER THEY'LL APPEAR ON THE BALLOT. XAVIER BECERRA REPRESENTS LOS ANGELES IN THE U.S. CONGRESS. JOEL WACHS IS AN L.A. CITY COUNCILMAN, A POST HE HAS HELD FOR 30 YEARS.

JESS>> STEVE SOBOROFF IS A COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE BROKER AND A CLOSE ADVISER TO MAYOR RIORDAN. JAMES HAHN IS SERVING HIS FOURTH TERM AS LOS ANGELES CITY ATTORNEY.

VAL>> ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA IS THE FORMER SPEAKER OF THE CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY. AND KATHLEEN CONNELL IS CALIFORNIA'S STATE CONTROLLER. AGAIN, THESE ARE THE SIX LEADING CANDIDATES AMONG A FIELD OF 15 WHO WILL APPEAR ON THE BALLOT.

JESS>> THE CANDIDATES APPEARED AT THE VERISON CALIFORNIA STATE FORUM WHICH TOOK PLACE LESS THAN 24 HOURS AGO AT ROYCE HALL ON THE CAMPUS OF UCLA. IT WAS PRESENTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS. WE TAKE YOU NOW TO ROYCE HALL.

[APPLAUSE]

VAL ZAVALA>> MY QUESTION PERTAINS TO POVERTY IN LOS ANGELES, THE GAP BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE POOR HAS BEEN GROWING STEADILY. THE L.A. BUSINESS JOURNAL REPORTED THAT, 30 YEARS AGO, THE TOP TEN PERCENT RICHEST CITIZENS IN CALIFORNIA EARNED FIVE DOLLARS FOR EVERY ONE DOLLAR EARNED BY THE POOREST TEN PERCENT. TODAY, THAT RATIO IS TEN DOLLARS TO ONE. AND A RECENT STUDY HAS DUBBED LOS ANGELES THE NATION'S POVERTY CAPITAL. WE HAVE THE LARGEST NUMBER OF POOR OF ANY METROPOLITAN AREA IN THE COUNTRY.

MY QUESTION IS, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO STEM THE DANGEROUS TREND IN INCOME DISPARITY AND, IN PARTICULAR, WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON THE LIVING WAGE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS TO STEVE SOBOROFF.

STEVE SOBOROFF>> VAL, MY POSITION ON THE LIVING WAGE IS THAT I AM FOR IT. MY POSITION ON THE ISSUE OF POVERTY IS ONE THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN EVERY OTHER CANDIDATE UP HERE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE BEING GYPPED OF AN APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND I'M A PROBLEM SOLVER (APPLAUSE) AND I HAVE A SOLUTION TO DO IT AND I WILL TELL YOU WHAT IT IS RIGHT NOW AND LET'S ASK EVERY CANDIDATE IF THEY AGREE.

THIS SYSTEM IS BROKEN. EIGHTY PERCENT OF THE CHILDREN CANNOT READ OR WRITE AT GRADE LEVEL IN THE THIRD GRADE. OVER 70 PERCENT OF THE CHILDREN NEED REMEDIAL READING, REMEDIAL WRITING AND REMEDIAL MATH TO GO ON TO COLLEGE. THE BUREAUCRACY HAS THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF BUREAUCRATS TAKING OVER A BILLION DOLLARS AWAY FROM CHILDREN. WE NEED INDEPENDENT, AUTONOMOUS NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL DISTRICTS. WE NEED TO STOP THE LAUSD BECAUSE THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT IS NOT EDUCATING THESE CHILDREN AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE HAVING THIS DIVIDE. THESE CHILDREN ARE NOT BEING EDUCATED AND THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE. FOR 20 YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT AND IT'S TIME FOR A PROBLEM SOLVER. TOO MUCH TALK WILL JUST PERPETUATE THE SAME SITUATION.

XANDRA KAYDEN>> JOEL, DO YOU WANT TO RESPOND? DOES ANYONE ELSE WANT TO -- YOU'RE NOT OBLIGATED, BY THE WAY, TO ANSWER EVERY QUESTION, BUT I SENSE YOU DO.

JOEL WACHS>> EDUCATION IS OBVIOUSLY THE FIRST STEP AND WE NEED A MAYOR WHO WILL SPEAK OUT FOR EDUCATION. SOMETHING IS TERRIBLY WRONG IN A SOCIETY THAT GIVES A BALLPLAYER A $10 MILLION DOLLAR RAISE AND DOESN'T WANT TO GIVE A TEACHER A $10,000 RAISE. (APPLAUSE) WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE THOSE PRIORITIES AND WE'VE GOT TO FIGHT FOR THE RESOURCES WE NEED FOR A PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM AND I'M GLAD YOU ASKED ABOUT THE LIVING WAGE, VAL, BECAUSE I FOUGHT VERY HARD ALONG WITH COUNCILWOMAN, JACKIE GOLDBERG AND MADELINE JANIS-APARICIO IN THE COALITION TO GET A LIVING WAGE IN OUR CITY.

AND LET ME TELL YOU THE STORY OF WHERE THE PROBLEM LIES. SIX MONTHS EARLIER THAN THAT, THE BILLIONAIRE OWNERS OF THE STAPLES ARENA AND ALL THE DOWNTOWN ESTABLISHMENT WERE COMING TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR $150 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THEIR ARENA. SIX MONTHS AFTER THAT, THE SAME PEOPLE, THE SAME DOWNTOWN ESTABLISHMENT, CAME TO CITY HALL AND SAID, "DON'T VOTE FOR A LIVING WAGE BECAUSE IT'LL HURT BUSINESS."

XANDRA KAYDEN>> XAVIER?

XAVIER BECERRA>> WE'VE GOT TO PROVIDE DECENT BENEFITS AS WELL. WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THE PEOPLE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILD CARE BECAUSE TOO MANY WOMEN CANNOT BE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO PLACE TO PLACE THEIR CHILDREN SAFELY AND KNOW THAT THEY CAN COME HOME FROM WORK. YOUTH JOBS. I FOUGHT FOR THE SCHOOL-TO-WORK PROGRAM TO MAKE SURE YOUNG PEOPLE COULD BE EMPLOYED IF THEY WEREN'T GOING TO HEAD TO COLLEGE AND I FOUGHT TO SAVE THE SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM AS WELL BEFORE IT WAS CUT IN THE CONGRESS BACK IN 1995.

AND FINALLY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE NEED TO ESTABLISH A FUND TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WE'VE GOT TO GO AFTER THOSE SLUM LORDS. (APPLAUSE) YOU EITHER USE IT OR LOSE IT. THAT MEANS THAT SLUM LORD BETTER REPAIR THAT PREMISES, MAKE IT HABITABLE OR YOU LOSE IT. THE CITY TAKES IT OVER. WE'LL SELL IT TO A NONPROFIT THAT WILL THEN MAKE IT AVAILABLE AT AFFORDABLE RATES TO PEOPLE WHO ARE LOW-INCOME.

XANDRA KAYDEN>> ANTONIO?

ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA>> THE UNITED WAY, NOT A CONTROVERSIAL ORGANIZATION BY ANY STRETCH, WROTE A REPORT ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. I WAS THERE TO PRESENT THE FINDINGS OF THAT REPORT AND THAT REPORT SAID THIS WAS THE TALE OF TWO CITIES, A CITY GROWING FARTHER AND FARTHER APART. I DO SUPPORT A LIVING WAGE AND I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD EXPAND IT. I ALSO WANT TO FOCUS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ACCESS TO CAPITAL BECAUSE, IN A CITY WITH SO MANY SMALL BUSINESSES, WE NEED TO GIVE THEM THE SUPPORT AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

I WANT TO FOCUS ON JOB TRAINING AND CHILD CARE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN A JOB AND LEAVING THEIR KIDS AT HOME AND OFTENTIMES WORK IN JOBS THAT DON'T PROVIDE A LIVING WAGE. I BELIEVE THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY AND I WANT TO HAVE A LOCAL HIRING ORDINANCE FOR BIG PROJECTS IN THIS CITY SO THAT WE HIRE LOCAL YOUTH, KEEP THEM OFF THE STREET AND GIVE THEM THE SKILLS AND THE APPRENTICESHIP NEEDS THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN A GLOBAL ECONOMY. (APPLAUSE)

XANDRA KAYDEN>> JIM?

JAMES HAHN>> AS SOMEONE WHO WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE LIVING WAGE COALITION, DRAFTING THAT ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THE LIVING WAGE. I SUPPORTED MAKING SOUTHWEST AIRLINES PAY IT BACK RETROACTIVELY TO THEIR EMPLOYEES AT THE AIRPORT. I THINK THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES IS STANDING FOR SOMETHING. WE'RE TRYING TO TELL EVERYONE ELSE IN THE CITY THAT WE'RE TAKING A LEADERSHIP POSITION, THAT WE'RE SAYING THIS IS A LIVING WAGE. IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A JOB, IT'S A JOB WITH DIGNITY, AND THAT'S GOING TO INCLUDE HEALTH BENEFITS. AND WE NEED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT ANYBODY WHO'S EVEN THINKING ABOUT COMING TO ASK THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES FOR HELP IS GOING TO HAVE TO SHOW THAT THEY'RE TREATING THEIR WORKERS FAIRLY.

HOUSING IS A BIG ISSUE. SO MANY PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD A HOME. EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE IN THIS CAMPAIGN, SOMEBODY MAKES IT REAL. JUST TODAY, A YOUNG WOMAN CAME UP TO ME AND SAID, "MR. HAHN, IF YOU GET ELECTED MAYOR, CAN YOU MAKE IT SO I CAN AFFORD TO RENT A HOME FOR MYSELF AND MY TWO KIDS?" THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT. I THINK EDUCATION IS THE WAY OUT OF POVERTY. WE NEED TO HAVE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS THAT PREPARE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THIS GLOBAL ECONOMY.

XANDRA KAYDEN>> KATHLEEN?

KATHLEEN CONNELL>> I THINK THE ISSUE IS REALLY ONE OF JOB TRAINING. OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ARE FAILING OUR YOUTH TODAY. THEY'RE GRADUATING WITH A DEGREE THAT DOES NOT GIVE THEM THE SKILLS FOR A GOOD-PAYING JOB AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE INITIATIVE THAT IS GOING TO EXPAND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO DO THE KIND OF JOB TRAINING AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT THAT IS SO CRITICAL TO GET THOSE WELL-PAYING JOBS. WE NEED TO START GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT SUPPORTING HOUSING IN THE CITY. I STARTED MY CAREER IN THE CITY WORKING AS TOM BRADLEY'S HOUSING DIRECTOR. WE BUILT AND REHABBED 10,000 UNITS OF HOUSING BECAUSE WE HAD A COMMITMENT TO DO SO. 

THE AVERAGE PERSON IN THIS CITY CAN'T AFFORD THE AVERAGE PRICE APARTMENT. THEY HAVE TO EARN $19 AN HOUR, SO, YES, I SUPPORT THE LIVING WAGE BECAUSE AT A MINIMUM WAGE YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO RENT THE AVERAGE PRICE APARTMENT HERE IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES. AND WE NEED TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT GIVING PEOPLE DRIVER'S LICENSES SO THAT THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO GET TO THE JOBS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THEM OUTSIDE THE AREAS THEY LIVE. IF WE START DOING ALL OF THOSE THINGS, THEN WE CAN FIGHT FOR A BETTER L.A. FOR ALL OF US.

XANDRA KAYDEN>> JIM, DO YOU WANT TO ASK THE NEXT QUESTION?

JIM NEWTON, L.A. TIMES>> THIS IS A QUESTION FOR COUNCILMAN WACHS. SIR, ON JULY 31, 1996, YOU ATTENDED A CLOSED-DOOR SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL AT WHICH ONE OF YOUR COLLEAGUES WARNED OF A GROUP OF PROBLEM OFFICERS AT RAMPART. THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY EVIDENCE THAT YOU OR YOUR OTHER COLLEAGUES FOLLOWED UP IN ANY VERY SERIOUS WAY ON THAT. DO YOU WISH YOU HAD?

JOEL WACHS>> DO WHAT?

JIM NEWTON, L.A. TIMES>> DO YOU WISH YOU HAD FOLLOWED UP ON THAT?

JOEL WACHS>> WELL, I THINK THAT, IN THE STORY IN YOUR PAPER THIS MORNING, IT INDICATED THAT I DID SPEAK OUT AT THAT MEETING THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING WRONG. THE PROBLEM IS THAT, WHEN WE RAISED THE QUESTION, THE POLICE CHIEF AND HIS ASSISTANTS VEHEMENTLY DENIED THAT THERE REALLY WAS ANYTHING WRONG, AND THEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM. THE REASON I CALLED FOR A COMPLETE INDEPENDENT OUTSIDE INVESTIGATION OF THE RAMPART SCANDAL WAS BECAUSE MY EXPERIENCE ON THAT OCCASION AND OTHERS SHOWED ME THAT REFORM ISN'T GOING TO COME VOLUNTARILY. IT'S NOT GOING TO COME FROM WITHIN AND IT'S NOT GOING TO COME FROM THE CHIEF OF POLICE NOW WHO THEN OVERSAW THE ENTIRE INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATION DIVISION.

YOU COVERED THAT AND I REMEMBER AT THE TIME WHEN KATHERINE MADER, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, ISSUED A SCATHING REPORT ON HOW THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS WAS BEING RUN. INSTEAD OF THE MAYOR DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT, HE FIRED COMMISSIONER ART MADDOX IN RETALIATION INSTEAD. AND THAT'S WHY I KNEW THAT, WHEN I CALLED FOR THE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION, THE MAYOR SAID, "NO, LET THE CHIEF DO IT". CHIEF PARKS SAID, "NO, LET HIM DO IT." I KNOW THAT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN. MY EXPERIENCE SHOWED ME THAT WE NEED AN INDEPENDENT OUTSIDE LOOK THAT WILL TAKE US AS DEEP AND AS FAR AS WE HAVE GO TO ROOT OUT THAT AND KEEP IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. OTHERWISE, YOU JUST GET STONEWALLED BY THE DEPARTMENT AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY YOURSELF TO HAVE THE INDEPENDENT INFORMATION, AND WE NEED A TOUGH INSPECTOR GENERAL WITH ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND THE POWER TO ROOT THIS OUT. (APPLAUSE)

XANDRA KAYDEN>> KATHLEEN?

KATHLEEN CONNELL>> THE REVELATION IN THE PAPER TODAY WASN'T A SURPRISE TO MANY OF US WHO SAID THROUGHOUT THIS CAMPAIGN THAT THEY KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON AT CITY HALL AND THEY'VE KNOWN IT FOR YEARS. THEY KNEW IT IN 1992 WITH THE CHRISTOPHER COMMISSION, THEY KNEW IT FIVE YEARS AGO AND THEY KNOW IT TODAY AND THERE STILL IS NO CHANGE. I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE IS SOMEONE WHO HAS A TOUGH PHYSICAL ATTITUDE WHO'S GOING TO GO IN AND REDUCE THE LIABILITIES, NOT ONLY THE $250 MILLION DOLLARS OF RAMPART, BUT THE $100 MILLION DOLLARS OF LAWSUITS THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS SETTLED IN REGARD TO THIS LAPD, WHO'S GOING TO CLEAN IT UP, WHO'S GOING TO CLEAN UP THE PERSONNEL, DEMAND INSPECTOR GENERAL INVOLVEMENT.

I'M NOT GOING TO BE AFRAID TO GO TO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND TURN IN PEOPLE AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR FAILURE TO TAKE ACTION. I THINK THE REALITY IS, IT'S OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, IT NEEDS TO BE CLEANED UP, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON COMMUNITY POLICING, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON MOBILE UNITS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARDS, WE NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT SERVICE WE PROVIDE IN THIS CITY AND THAT IS PUBLIC SAFETY. (APPLAUSE)

XANDRA KAYDEN>> ANTONIO?

ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA>> ANYBODY READING THE PAPER TODAY WHO'S LIVED IN THIS CITY COULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED BY WHAT WE READ. MOST OF US KNEW INTUITIVELY THAT THERE WERE PEOPLE HERE IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, CITY OFFICIALS, SLEEPING ON THE WATCH, WHO FAILED TO IMPLEMENT THE CHRISTOPHER COMMISSION REFORMS, WHO FAILED AT THE FIRST AND SECOND AND THIRD SIGNS OF SOMETHING TERRIBLY WRONG AT RAMPART.

I THINK THAT FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP IS WHAT THIS CAMPAIGN IS ALL ABOUT. WE NEED TO RESTORE CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT THE CONSENT DECREE AND CHANGE THE CULTURE IN THE DEPARTMENT FROM US VERSUS THEM TO A DEPARTMENT WHERE WE'RE WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES TO KEEP THOSE COMMUNITIES SAFE, IMPLEMENTING POLICE BASE POLICING AND DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO VINDICATE THE RULE OF LAW AND THE IDEA THAT NOBODY IS ABOVE THE LAW, AND AS MAYOR OF THIS CITY, I INTEND TO DO THAT. (APPLAUSE)

XANDRA KAYDEN>> JIM?

JAMES HAHN>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, WHEN WE SAW OVER AND OVER AGAIN, PROBLEM OFFICERS WHO WERE DISCIPLINED, DISCIPLINED OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BUT STILL WERE THERE CAUSING PROBLEMS, IT BECAME CLEAR TO ME AS THE CITY'S LAWYER THAT, TO ENSURE THAT WE HAD POLICE REFORM AT CITY HALL, WE NEEDED THE CONSENT DECREE. SO I FOUGHT THE MAYOR, FOUGHT THE POLICE CHIEF OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. OVER TIME, I CONVINCED HIM THAT THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT POLICE REFORM DOESN'T BECOME A DEAD ISSUE, THAT IT STAYS A LIVING, BREATHING ISSUE, IS TO HAVE A FEDERAL JUDGE HOLDING LAPD ACCOUNTABLE.

I WANT TO SEE AN LAPD THAT DEVELOPS A EARLY WARNING TRACKING SYSTEM. THAT'S IN THE CONSENT DECREE. I WANT TO SEE AN LAPD THAT TRACKS WHETHER OR NOT RACIAL PROFILING IS GOING ON AND THAT'S WHY I PUSHED HARD FOR THAT IN THE CONSENT DECREE. A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE THAT IDEA. THEY SAID, "OH, WE DON'T WANT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TAKING OVER", BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? LAPD HAD NOT DONE THE JOB. THIS CONSENT DECREE WILL ENSURE IT GETS DONE. (APPLAUSE)

XANDRA KAYDEN>> XAVIER?

XAVIER BECERRA>> FIVE YEARS AGO, WE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IN THE GOVERNMENT, GAVE THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT $165,000 TO START IMPLEMENTING ITS TRACKING SYSTEM FOR POLICE OFFICERS WHO WERE BAD. YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY HAD BEEN SPENT AS OF LAST YEAR? ZERO. THAT'S THE TYPE OF NEGLECT THAT WE SEE AT THE DEPARTMENT THAT'S CAUSING THE LOSS OF CONFIDENCE. WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE THAT. I'VE SAID ALREADY, I'M GOING TO EXPECT A POLICE DEPARTMENT FROM THE TOP DOWN THAT WILL MOVE SWIFTLY, MOVE DECISIVELY OR MOVE ASIDE. WE NEED PEOPLE WHO ARE READY TO LEAD. 

I'M GOING TO ESTABLISH A POLICE COMMISSION THAT'S INDEPENDENT OF THE MAYOR. I WILL ESTABLISH A CITIZEN'S ADVISORY PANEL BECAUSE I BELIEVE CITIZENS IN THE CITY HAVE A RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE. AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT I IMPLEMENT THE "KIDS TO COPS" PROGRAM THAT WILL GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE FROM LOS ANGELES A CHANCE TO BECOME OUR NEXT GENERATION OF POLICE OFFICERS AND I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE, AS MAYOR, THAT OUR POLICE OFFICERS NOT JUST WORK IN OUR CITY, BUT LIVE IN OUR CITY BECAUSE I'M GOING TO GIVE THEM INCENTIVES THROUGH LOW-COST MORTGAGES AND I'M GOING TO GIVE THEM A BREAK ON DWP UTILITY RATES SO THEY CAN LIVE HERE IN MY CITY OF LOS ANGELES AND BECOME THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS FOR OUR POLICE. (APPLAUSE)

XANDRA KAYDEN>> STEVE?

STEVE SOBOROFF>> IF THE CHEMERINSKY REPORT WAS TO BE IMPLEMENTED -- JOEL SAID IT WAS A GREAT THING -- ONE OF THE COMMISSIONS THAT WOULD BE CREATED WOULD BE AN INDEPENDENT COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. I CALLED FOR THAT TODAY BECAUSE THIS IS BASEBALL SEASON, FOLKS, AND IN BASEBALL SEASON, THREE STRIKES AND YOU'RE OUT, NOT THREE STRIKES AND YOU'RE MAYOR. (LAUGHTER/APPLAUSE)

STRIKE NUMBER ONE, IN 1995 A DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY INFORMED JIM HAHN'S OFFICE THAT TWO OFFICERS STATIONED AT THE RAMPART DIVISION GAVE FALSE TESTIMONY. THEY DID NOTHING. IN 1997 THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WAS WRITTEN UP BY THE INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR FAILING TO IMPLEMENT THE ONE THING IT WAS SUPPOSED TO DO IN THE CHRISTOPHER COMMISSION REFORMS. AND THIRD, NOW THIS APPALLING REVELATION THAT, DURING A CLOSED-DOOR SESSION, THEY WERE TOLD ABOUT IT AGAIN. WHO KNOWS IF THIS ISN'T THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG. IF WE KNEW ABOUT THESE THREE STRIKES, BELIEVE ME, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THE PERSON NEGOTIATING THAT CONSENT DECREE.

JAMES HAHN>> STEVE, YOU HAVE NO CREDIBILITY ON POLICE REFORM ISSUES. YOU'RE THE ONLY CANDIDATE UP HERE --

XANDRA KAYDEN>> -- JIM, JIM --

JAMES HAHN>> -- WHO REFUSED TO SUPPORT A CONSENT DECREE. YOU'RE THE ONLY CANDIDATE UP HERE WHO REFUSED TO BACK THE POLICE DEPARTMENT --

XANDRA KAYDEN>> -- WAIT A MINUTE, GENTLEMEN, GENTLEMEN, PLEASE --

JAMES HAHN>> -- (INAUDIBLE) RACIAL PROFILING. YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE ARE FOR POLICE REFORM IN THIS AUDIENCE, THERE'S ONE CANDIDATE THEY CAN ELIMINATE FROM THEIR CONSIDERATION, AND THAT'S YOU.

XANDRA KAYDEN>> JIM, THIS IS NOT -- (APPLAUSE) -- PLEASE, NO. I DON'T WANT -- I REALLY DON'T WANT TO HAVE THAT KIND OF A DEBATE.

STEVE SOBOROFF>> WELL, ATTORNEYS ARE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THE RULES.

XANDRA KAYDEN>> ALL RIGHT. WE ARE -- I DO WANT US TO FOLLOW THE RULES AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN SO GOOD ABOUT THESE DEBATES IS THE RESPECT AND GENERAL DEMEANOR THAT THE CANDIDATES HAVE TOWARD EACH OTHER. AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE GETTING TO A VERY CLOSE POINT HERE, BUT, PLEASE, LET'S TRY TO KEEP THIS TO THE RULES. YOU WANT TO GO NEXT, JIM?

JIM NEWTON, L.A. TIMES>> WELL, I'LL ASK A QUESTION, THEN, FOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA. IN 1996, YOU WROTE TO THE WHITE HOUSE PARDON OFFICE URGING THEM FOR THE RELEASE OF CARLOS VIGNALI. (APPLAUSE) YOU SAID IN THAT LETTER THAT HIS WAS A CASE OF GUILT BY ASSOCIATION. OTHER PEOPLE WENT TO BAT ON BEHALF OF CARLOS VIGNALI AS WELL, BUT YOU WENT FURTHER THAN MOST. AS YOU KNOW, THE SENTENCE WAS COMMUTED IN JANUARY BY THE PRESIDENT AND I GUESS I WONDER NOW WHETHER YOU STILL DO BELIEVE THAT CARLOS VIGNALI WAS WRONGFULLY CONVICTED AND DID HE DESERVE THE COMMUTATION THAT HE GOT?

ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA>> NO, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT HE WAS WRONGLY CONVICTED AND, NO, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT HE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A COMMUTATION. WHEN I WAS CONFRONTED WITH A LETTER THAT I WROTE SOME FIVE, ALMOST SIX, YEARS AGO, I SAID IMMEDIATELY THAT I WENT WITH MY HEART AND NOT MY HEAD. I ACCEPTED THE REPRESENTATIONS OF A DISTRAUGHT FATHER ABOUT THE INNOCENCE OF HIS SON. I SHOULD HAVE CHECKED FURTHER. I SHOULD HAVE CHECKED WITH THE PROSECUTOR. I DIDN'T. I SHOULD BE HELD FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT. THAT'S WHAT LEADERSHIP IS ALL ABOUT. IT'S ABOUT ACCEPTING THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR ACTIONS. THAT SHOULD BE REVIEWED ALONG WITH SIX STERLING YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE. (APPLAUSE)

XANDRA KAYDEN>> DOES ANYONE ELSE WANT TO RESPOND TO THAT? OKAY.

JOEL WACHS>> I WOULDN'T TURN THIS INTO IT, BUT THE SERIOUS RAMIFICATION OF THIS THAT'S ENORMOUS IS WHAT DO YOU TELL ALL OF THE PEOPLE, MOST OF THEM WHOM ARE MINORITY, WHO HAVE SONS IN PRISON BECAUSE MAYBE THEY WERE USING COCAINE OR SOMETHING AND THEY'RE IN PRISON AND THEN SOMEONE WHO'S LIKE A RINGLEADER IS GETTING OUT BECAUSE HE'S GOT POLITICAL CONNECTIONS? THAT'S THE HARD PART FOR SO MANY PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN LOS ANGELES WHOSE CHILDREN, WHOSE SONS, IN SOME CASES DAUGHTERS, ARE IN PRISON. I THINK THAT THAT BECOMES THE REAL ISSUE TO A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO SEE A SYSTEM OF JUSTICE THAT DOESN'T WORK EQUALLY FOR BOTH. (APPLAUSE)

XANDRA KAYDEN>> KATHLEEN, WOULD YOU -- STEVE? ALL RIGHT. KATHLEEN AND THEN STEVE.

KATHLEEN CONNELL>> THANK YOU. I'M A MOTHER OF TWO LITTLE BOYS. THEY'RE NINE AND TEN YEARS OLD AND I SAY TO THEM EVERY DAY, YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE YOU NEVER TAKE DRUGS. I'M PROUD OF MY OLDEST SON, WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THE "JUST SAY NO" DRUG CAMPAIGN AT HIS SCHOOL. AND I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, I THINK WE SEND THE WRONG MESSAGE TO OUR KIDS IN THIS CITY AND ACROSS AMERICA IF WE'RE GOING TO STAND UP FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH DRUG SALES BECAUSE DRUG SALES ARE INDEED GRIPPING OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN L.A. AND THEY ARE KILLING THE FUTURE OF SO MANY OF OUR CHILDREN. I THINK, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL, EXTRAORDINARILY CAREFUL, IN THAT WE DON'T TAKE A JUDGMENT CALL WHERE WE SUPPORT ANYONE WHO SUPPORTS THE USE OR THE SALE OF DRUGS. (APPLAUSE)

XANDRA KAYDEN>> STEVE?

STEVE SOBOROFF>> I ACCEPT THE STATEMENT OF BOTH XAVIER AND ANTONIO. XAVIER, FOR SAYING THAT HE WROTE A LETTER SAYING WOULD YOU REVIEW THE CASE, AND I EVEN ACCEPT AND RESPECT THE POSITION THAT ANTONIO'S TAKEN, EVEN THOUGH HE WENT TO THE NEXT STEP AND SAID THAT THE GUY WAS INNOCENT. BUT I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING THAT I DON'T ACCEPT. WHAT I DON'T ACCEPT IS THIS PROCESS OF PARDONING AND COMMUTATIONS IN THE LAST 48 HOURS OF A PRESIDENTIAL TERM. I THINK EVERY ONE OF THESE PARDONS AND EVERY ONE OF THESE COMMUTATIONS OUGHT TO BE LOOKED AT AND TRACED BACK AND RE-EVALUATED BECAUSE I'VE GOT A FEELING THAT THERE WERE A LOT MORE THAN TWO OR TEN OR TWENTY OR A HUNDRED THAT SHOULD BE DEALT WITH. (APPLAUSE)

XANDRA KAYDEN>> JIM?

JAMES HAHN>> I THINK THE THING THAT BOTHERS ME ABOUT THE LETTERS THAT WERE WRITTEN AND, ANTONIO, YOU SAID THAT YOU LED WITH YOUR HEART AND NOT YOUR HEAD IN 1996 WHEN YOU WROTE THAT LETTER. YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ALSO THE YEAR THAT YOU JOINED A HANDFUL OF LEGISLATORS WHO VOTED AGAINST EXTENDING THE STREET TERRORISM ENFORCEMENT AND PREVENTION ACT, AN ACT THAT I HELPED WRITE, THAT SAID THAT GANG MEMBERS WERE THE NEW FORM OF ORGANIZED CRIME AND THAT HARSHER PENALTIES SHOULD RESULT FOR ORGANIZED GANG ACTIVITY RESULTING IN FELONIES. SO I THINK THE QUESTION IS, WHERE IS YOUR HEART TODAY? (APPLAUSE)

XANDRA KAYDEN>> XAVIER, DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER THIS?

XAVIER BECERRA>> ONLY A JURY, A JUDGE OR A PRESIDENT, UNDER OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, CAN SAY WHETHER SOMEONE IS INNOCENT OR GUILTY. (APPLAUSE) WHEN I WAS APPROACHED BY MR. VIGNALI ABOUT THE SAME TIME THAT MANY OTHERS, INCLUDING MR. VILLARAIGOSA, WERE APPROACHED, I SAID TO HIM, "I CAN'T ASK FOR THE COMMUTATION OF YOUR SON'S SENTENCE. I DIDN'T SIT ON HIS JURY." AND AFTER FIVE YEARS OF HIS REQUEST, WHAT I SAID TO HIM WHEN HE PROVIDED ME WITH HIS DOCUMENTATION IS, "CARDINAL MAHONY IS WILLING TO ASK FOR A REVIEW BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OF YOUR CASE. I'M WILLING TO DO WHAT CARDINAL MAHONY IS ASKING, THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REVIEW THIS CASE TO SEE IF JUSTICE WAS SERVED. BUT CARLOS, I CAN'T ASK FOR THE COMMUTATION OF YOUR SON'S SENTENCE."

I BELIEVE, AS A FEDERAL ELECTED OFFICIAL OR ANY ELECTED OFFICIAL, WHAT WE OWE THE PUBLIC IS TO ALWAYS ACT HONESTLY AND OPENLY. I HAVE, FROM THE VERY FIRST, ALWAYS SAID TO PEOPLE WHAT I HAVE DONE IN THIS CASE. I ASKED FOR A REVIEW BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. I NEVER ASKED FOR THE GENTLEMAN'S RELEASE. I BELIEVE, IF YOU'RE OPEN AND HONEST AND YOU WORK HARD, THAT PEOPLE WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU DO. (APPLAUSE)

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