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Life & Times Transcript
08/18/05 Val Zavala>> Tonight on Life and Times -- What they're doing is illegal, so how are these tow companies getting away with it? Tamar Galatzan>> They've just started going willy-nilly throughout the community picking up cars, towing them and charging whatever prices they wanted and you had to pay that to get your car back. Val Zavala>> And then, have our prisons become breeding grounds for terrorism? We talk with the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee. It's all straight ahead on tonight's Life and Times. Life and Times is made possible through the generous support of 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 by a generous grant from Jim and Anne Rothenberg. Val Zavala>> It's a rip-off that's costing car owners tens of thousands of dollars. Some tow truck companies are towing cars illegally, extorting money and then charging exorbitant fees to release the cars. There are so many complaints that now the police have launched an undercover operation to nab these unscrupulous tow truck companies. Is it working? Sam Louie has the story. Sam Louie>> Getting your car towed can leave you stranded, frustrated and vulnerable. While most tow truck companies operate within the law in Los Angeles, experts estimate that close to twenty percent use questionable tactics. Tamar Galatzan>> We're probably talking about hundreds if not thousands of victims citywide of these tows. Sam Louie>> Tamar Galatzan is a Los Angeles Deputy City Attorney. Tamar Galatzan>> "How long were you parked there?" Sam Louie>> Each week, she's inundated with calls from people complaining about tow truck companies. Tamar Galatzan>> They find so many ways around the law, so many ways to victimize people. Sam Louie>> Among the most common complaint, people are towed illegally or overcharged to get their car back. Tamar Galatzan>> The problem with the tow truck companies is something that is not only in Los Angeles, it's actually statewide. It's actually across the country. Sam Louie>> Galatzan says, in 1994, the federal government deregulated towing. As a result, cities and states lost the ability to regulate certain areas of the towing business. Tamar Galatzan>> What that created was a bunch of tow companies, some that had just popped up, that didn't have to follow any rules. There was no one there to regulate them. There was nothing really there that they had to follow, so they just started going willy-nilly throughout the community picking up cars, towing them and charging whatever prices they wanted and you had to pay that to get your car back. Sam Louie>> With some companies making as much as ten thousand dollars a day, towing is seen as a cash cow. In Los Angeles alone, there are four hundred licensed tow truck companies, twice the number before deregulation. Galatzan says the growth has led to hundreds of complaints with similar stories of deception and extortion. Her office is aggressively filing criminal charges against several tow truck companies. Tamar Galatzan>> These are often multiple counts, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty counts of unlawfully taking a vehicle, attempted extortion, vehicle tampering, receiving stolen property. Those are the types of criminal charges that we've been filing against the owners of these tow companies. Sam Louie>> Some of the companies being investigated included 5A Roadside Towing, Top Notch Towing and Act Towing, all based in Van Nuys. The companies did not want to be interviewed, but 5A Towing acknowledges that they towed away this Hummer from a McDonalds parking lot in Van Nuys. The vehicle's owner, Sheila Harry, says she was parked legally when her car was towed in late May. She agreed to talk on camera, but did not want to show her face. Sheila Harry>> When I asked the guy what he was doing, he said, well, he had been called to tow my car, that I'd been here for over thirty minutes and I left the premises. I said, no, I didn't go anywhere. You shouldn't tow my car. Sam Louie>> Sheila, then eight months pregnant, begged them not to tow her car. Sheila Harry>> I was very uncomfortable. I tried to plead with him to let me go. He wouldn't listen. I had to go to the hospital. When I got to the hospital, I was having contractions. I was having headaches and dehydration. Sam Louie>> The company released her Hummer after charging her $322. Sheila says she's filed a civil lawsuit against the company. Sheila Harry>> I think it's ridiculous and something needs to be done about it to stop it or else they'll keep doing it to a lot of people. Sam Louie>> Because of numerous complaints, the LAPD is actively conducting undercover sting operations to catch illegal tow truck operators. We were with the undercover officers as they went after Quick Lift Towing, a company with numerous complaints. On this day, we found the company's tow trucks busy at a parking lot in Hollywood. Captain Ann Young>> We actually see them watching and waiting and checking out the vehicles from time to time and looking at where the person is going and to what particular store and maybe making notes on a clipboard as to what time and how long. It's an operation. It's organized and well-planned. Sam Louie>> But the tow truck employees were the ones being watched today as they tried to tow away an undercover officer's car illegally. [Film Clip] Sam Louie>> In this case, the man in the white t-shirt claims he works with the shopping property and has the right to authorize the tow. [Film Clip] Sam Louie>> The man offers to release the car on the spot if she gives him $180 cash. [Film Clip] Sam Louie>> The car ends up being towed, but police follow close behind. Several minutes later, they pull the truck over. The tow truck driver is handcuffed and arrested. When we tried to ask him a few questions, he had little to say. >> "I was just doing my job, sir. That's about it." Sam Louie>> Can you explain the job or what your managers tell you to do? >> "I don't remember. They tell me to pick up a car and that's about it. I ain't got no further comments." Sam Louie>> Police also arrested the accomplice in the white t-shirt. Both have been charged with taking a vehicle without the owner's consent. Captain Ann Young>> The person that was arrested today does not work in conjunction with the property owner. In fact, our information tells us that he was with the tow company. Sam Louie>> Police say not only do some companies illegally take your car, they also overcharge you. In Los Angeles, a tow and one day's storage should be around $120, but many companies try to tack on extra fees especially during nights and on weekends. Tamar Galatzan>> A lot of these predatory tow companies have added all these additional, you know, storage fees, key fees, after-hours fees, opening the gate fee, all sorts of things which they claim they're allowed to because that's not mentioned in the state law. Sam Louie>> But as of this year, Galatzan says there is new legislation tow truck companies must follow. By law, tow companies can tow your car from a private lot only after you've parked there for more than one hour. They must also have written permission from a property owner or manager who must be present at the time of the tow. Galatzan believes that this will cut down on the majority of the illegal tows and, for those who defy the law, they'll face prosecution as several have in previous cases. Tamar Galatzan>> In both cases, there was a lengthy amount of jail time or Caltrans picking up garbage at the side of the freeway. The owners were put on probation. They had to pay restitution, in one case, fifteen thousand dollars to the victims that we had just identified of these predatory tows. Sam Louie>> And if you are a victim of an illegal tow, it's not too late to get your money back by taking the tow truck company to small claims court. I'm Sam Louie for Life and Times. Kcet.org is the place to look for the very latest on Life and Times. You'll find previews of upcoming stories, transcripts and audio of past episodes and links to some of our most interesting features. Just go to kcet.org and click on "Life and Times". Val Zavala>> These days, terrorists are just as likely to be citizens homegrown as they are foreign immigrants. We were reminded of that recently with the arrest of two Angelenos who police believe could have been planning terrorist attacks. So how do we respond to this changing threat? California Congresswoman Jane Harman is the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee. She spoke to the media at the Beverly Hills Hotel on the day three extremists were arrested in Los Angeles. Investigators say the men met in Folsom Prison. Rep. Jane Harman>> "Americans are radicalized in our prisons -- some of them -- and that some terror attacks in our future may come from homegrown terrorists." Val Zavala>> I spoke with Congresswoman Harman one on one and asked her how terrorism has changed. Rep. Jane Harman>> The threat has changed since 9/11. On 9/11, to our surprise, we were attacked by a group that was formed and directed by Al Qaeda which then was a top-down, closely coordinated organization. Think IBM. Since 9/11, what we've seen is that Al Qaeda -- thanks to our wrapping up some of their senior folks and keeping them on the run -- has declined in influence, but in its place is something even more deadly. I call it franchise terrorism. Loosely affiliated cells, more like McDonalds, who operate having some connection to the ideas of Al Qaeda, but don't have to ask permission. Some of them are international and some are not. Val Zavala>> Elaborate, to the extent you can, on the prison dynamic. What could have gone on inside there? Why would that be a breeding ground for extremists? Rep. Jane Harman>> Well, clearly it is fine for prisoners to exercise their religion. There are chapels in our prisons and this has been something that's happened over years. But what may now be happening -- and this is something we have to learn more about -- is that some prisoners convert to the Muslim faith in prison and their interaction in the prison chapel with some of the inmates may cause them to be radicalized in a way that turns them into hardcore terrorists. That's what we're worried about. Certainly I'm not worried about people practicing a peace-loving religion which is what the Muslim religion is, but I'm worried about anyone being radicalized in prison and becoming a terrorist. Val Zavala>> Another rising tool among terrorists is the internet and I understand Americans don't really appreciate the level to which the internet is facilitating communication between these groups. Rep. Jane Harman>> Well, let me point out the irony first that a radical form of Islam -- some would even dispute it's a religious group -- but a radical group that is trying to return us to the seventh century or the fourteenth century is using the most modern tools of communication, but that is a fact. We are finding more and more that the preferred way of communication by these terrorist cells is through the internet through imbedded sites. They not only communicate with each other that way through chat rooms or other publicly available internet sites, but they in addition broadcast their propaganda through the internet. They're very worrisome. Their messages are extremely powerful. They target not only their hardcore followers, but now they're targeting youth. Part of the challenge for the civilized world is to communicate better messages through the internet in addition to communicating values and to create some alternative paths for the next generation which could become radicalized by these messages. Val Zavala>> I understand just the pure number of these radical Islamic sites have just mushroomed. Rep. Jane Harman>> Well, so far as we can tell, on 9/11 there were about ten internet sites and now there are four thousand. Val Zavala>> Incredible. Rep. Jane Harman>> But you have to think about the growth of the internet in the last four years. I would say that it's about on course, but what it tells us is that we have got to stay ahead of this threat. We've got to be more tech-savvy than they are and they're doing a pretty good job. I've seen some of their propaganda films and they're absolutely chilling. They show in gory detail some of the atrocities that they're practicing on American troops. It's just heartbreaking to think that there are people out there in the world that hate us this much and that have absolutely no remorse for killing innocent civilians. It's more critical than ever that we have good strategies to win against this threat. My view is that it will take much more than military force. We've got to win the argument with the next generation. Val Zavala>> The hardcore Islamic terrorists, they're lost? Rep. Jane Harman>> I think they're lost. I think that -- you know, it's chilling to say this, but I believe it -- that we've got to capture or, if necessary, kill the hardcore haters. Val Zavala>> There's no converting them? Rep. Jane Harman>> I don't think they can be rehabilitated. But there are millions of kids growing up and being educated in these and learning to hate us and we have to win the argument with those kids. It's not the United States' obligation alone. Again, the civilized world has to win this argument. In addition to that, I buy the point that Thomas Friedman, the author and columnist, makes which is that this is also a war within Islam and the moderate Islamists have to take back their religion from these radicals. There is some good news in the United States because these Muslim-American councils -- I'm meeting with one of them later today, the Los Angeles council -- have put out a message that is condemning this kind of radical violence. Hopefully, that message will be heard by families and parents will watch closely what their kids are learning and doing and we will get some handle on this finally. Val Zavala>> Congresswoman Harman, thank you so much for all your work and spending some time with us. Rep. Jane Harman>> Thank you. Val Zavala>> Congresswoman Jane Harman was a guest of Town Hall Los Angeles. If you'd like more information on future speakers and events, you can go to their website at townhall-la.org. To send a comment or a question to our program, you can reach us by mail at this address: Life and Times 4401 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, California 90027 You can also call our viewer comment line (323) 953-5555) or contact us the fast way by e-mail at kcet.org. John Rabe>> Welcome to FilmWeek on Life and Times. I'm John Rabe of 89.3 KPCC filling in for Larry Mantle. Our first film this week is a comedy starring Steve Carell, late of The Daily Show. It's called "The Forty-Year-Old Virgin". [Film Clip] John Rabe>> Joining me this week are critics Peter Rainer, past president of the National Society of Film Critics, and Jean Oppenheimer of New Times. Jean, what did you think of "The Forty-Year-Old Virgin"? Jan Oppenheimer>> Well, like "The Wedding Crashers", I found it to be a very bawdy, foul-mouthed, adolescent man comedy mixed with a chick flick, and I liked it more than I thought I was going to. For one thing, it is funny. There are some very funny lines. Steve Carell was quite endearing in it, but I really also liked the emphasis on the male camaraderie of the four main characters. I mean, these are really pathetic guys and they really like each other's company. They're only themselves, really relaxed and, you know, juvenile when they're with each other. But for some reason, I found that quite endearing and, overall, it's a sweet, romantic film, so I thought it worked for both genders. John Rabe>> Peter? Peter Rainer>> I thought it was a mildly amusing movie. It tends to peter out a bit towards the end because it has so many funny gags and things for a while, but then it tends to become repetitive and then gets -- pardon me -- sappy a little bit too. The problem with his movie, I think, as with "The Wedding Crashers", is that it starts out with a full head of steam and then it sort of becomes sentimental and endearing and sappy and all of these things that I think are meant to sell it to the broadest possible audience, no pun intended. But Steve Carell is very funny. You know, he often is. He's on The Daily Show and The Office on TV. He has a good sharp sense of comic timing. I did like the male camaraderie in the film the way these guys are, you know, such blowhards with each other and then, when you see the women they're involved with, they're always so much tougher and smarter than they are that you immediately get the picture and say, oh, that's why this guy is acting that way. So it's a pretty good time at the movies. John Rabe>> Our next film is a thriller from Wes Craven. It stars Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy. It's called "Red Eye". [Film Clip] John Rabe>> Peter, did you need oxygen after "Red Eye"? Peter Rainer>> Well, Vizine maybe (laughter). "Red Eye" is a fairly tense thriller. It has a very basic premise. Rachel McAdams plays a woman who's sort of a manager for a big fancy hotel in Miami and she's flying back there and has an encounter with a guy who she had met briefly before who's sitting next to her who's a real scary guy who wants to, you know, create some real havoc with homeland security. The basic boxed-in premise is that she's seated next to this guy for the whole movie and, given that very elemental dramatic mechanism, it's pretty good the way they interact off each other. There's a split-second scariness to what happens at each moment when she has to make a phone call and suddenly the line goes dead from the air and so forth. But in the end, it's a Wes Craven movie like all other Wes Craven movies. It's kind of "Last House on the Left" thirty thousand feet up. John Rabe>> Jean, what did you think? Jean Oppenheimer>> Well, I think it's a mixed bag too. It's very far-fetched in the story department and I felt that the first half which is on the plane was actually not as successful because here you are just stuck on the plane. You know, it's sort of limited with what one can do. I felt that, at that point, the sound effects and the music were trying to create the sense of tension and suspense that weren't there naturally. But I actually liked the second half of it better which is the action half. Granted, the action is very over the top, but there are a couple of sensational ones where the car crashed into a house and a few other things like that. So I think, as a B movie, it's a mixed bag, but it's certainly all right. Whether it's intentional or not, I did find myself sort of questioning that, if I had to choose between saving a loved one and, you know, stopping a terrorist attack or saving a lot of innocent people, what would I do? John Rabe>> Our next film is a movie that actually came out earlier this summer, but our critics think it deserves a second look. It's a French film and it's called "The Beat That My Heart Skipped". [Film Clip] John Rabe>> "The Beat That My Heart Skipped", Jean? Jean Oppenheimer>> I thought this was a terrific movie. It's a remake of a film that James Toback made in 1978 called "Fingers". It starred Harvey Keitel. I think this one is so far superior and one of the reasons is the lead actor. Romain Duris is just sensational because of a really charismatic, incendiary performance. I thought also equally impressive was the camera work which is aggressive, but also very intimate. There's a lot of close-ups. It's all hand-held. You're usually seeing things from the protagonist point of view. And there's a sense of constant movement and emotional agitation, but it doesn't have a lot of choppy editing, so things are played out in wide shot and long takes and I really prefer that to the choppy editing that we're so used to today. I think it's really one of the best films of the summer. John Rabe>> Peter, what did you think? Peter Rainer>> I really liked it. A lot of the French films that come over these days always seem to be carrying a lot of over-rated baggage, but this one, I think, is first-rate. It even almost buys off basically the absurd premise of "Fingers", which is that you have this thug who's also a concert pianist. It kind of works in this film because you feel that, inside this gangster, is an artist struggling to come out and the split in his personality between his gangsterish father and his deceased mother who was a concert pianist is made palpable in the way he lives and even moves. So I think it's pretty terrific, and Duris is a marvelous actor. He's onscreen almost all the time. Very difficult to hold the screen with that kind of intensity for an entire film without getting tired of him, but it never happens. It's a really good movie. John Rabe>> And that's it for another edition of FilmWeek on Life and Times. I'm John Rabe of 89.3 KPCC filling in for Larry Mantle, with critics this week of Jean Oppenheimer of New Times and Peter Rainer, the past president of the National Society of Film Critics. Join us again next week. Val Zavala>> And remember that KPCC broadcasts a full hour of FilmWeek every Friday morning at 11:00 a.m. And that's our program. I'm Val Zavala. For everyone at Life and Times, thanks for watching. We'll see you next time. Life and Times was made possible through the generous support of 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 by a generous grant from Jim and Anne Rothenberg. Sponsored in part by:  | |
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