Public Corruption -- Who Should Lead the Front

By Steve Cooley

Establishes credentials and accomplishments of Steve Cooley in this area.

"The nature of the impartiality required of the public prosecutor follows from the prosecutor's role as representative of the People as a body, rather than as individuals...The District Attorney is expected to exercise...discretionary functions in the interests of the People at large, and not under the influence or control of an interested individual." (People v. Eubanks, California Supreme Court 1996) How can incumbent Gil Garcetti solve the rising problem of public corruption? His insensitivity and lack of sufficient personal integrity has resulted in:

· Lockheed- Martin - Corporate executives from Texas, Maryland and Florida sent many $1,000 checks each (totally nearly $20,000) to Garcetti in 1999. He then recommends a $2.5-million contract increase over budget. (Source: L.A. Times)

· Rampart scandal: - Garcetti killed the successful, more-than-decade-old, Roll Out program that independently investigated police shootings, falsely blaming his budget. Why?

· Guess? Jeans and owner Georges Marciano gave over $220,000 to elect Garcetti and then Garcetti creates a special D.A. unit to criminally investigate those infringing upon the Guess ? trademark, historically a civil matter. (Source: Fortune, October 1996.)

· McMorrow: - Gave $10,000 check plus donated $3,000 in office space to help elect Garcetti. Garcetti later reduced arson sentence of McMorrow's grandson from a potential of 105 years to life to 16 months. Garcetti then got more money from McMorrow. (Sources: Daily Journal, L.A. Times, L.A. Weekly)

After two terms and over seven full years as D.A. and four years as Chief Deputy D.A., during which these and many other scandals have surfaced, Garcetti continues to ignore mounting public corruption in Los Angeles County. Steve Cooley as D.A. will:

Steve Cooley, nationally recognized expert on welfare fraud (ABC's 20/20) and a regionally respected prosecutor (L.A. Times, December 19, 1996), has the experience and commitment to expose and fight public corruption in its many forms.