How Sleazy is LA’s Planning Process? More Than You Imagine!
By Dick Platkin, CityWatchLA, August 29, 2019 PLATKIN ON PLANNING -With the mainstream news media attracting eyeballs through endless stories about Jeffrey Epstein, Roger Ailes, R. Kelley, and other lowlifes, it is getting harder to be outraged. Nevertheless, the recent LA Times lobbying corruption stories about former Director of Planning, Michael LoGrande, managed to raise a few eyebrows. He blatantly broke LA’s revolving door law, which bars prominent City officials from lobbying their colleagues for one year after leaving City employment. When a City Hall whistleblower called out Mr. LoGrande’s lobbying violations to the City’s Ethics Commission, the former Planning Director readily agreed to pony up a record fine of $281,000. It is apparently much easier to buy forgiveness than ask for permission. But that is not where the story ends. The LA Times also reported that when Mr. LoGrande was shown th