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Los Angeles Metropolis Council President Paul Krekorian on Wednesday defended utilizing a metropolis electronic mail account to help a candidate whom Krekorian had endorsed in Tuesday’s major election.
In a press release emailed by his workplace to media retailers shortly earlier than midnight Tuesday, Krekorian praised former Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian, a onetime aide to the council president who’s in search of his former boss’ east San Fernando Valley seat. Krekorian couldn’t search one other time period due to time period limits.
“I’m particularly proud to see former Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian asserting a commanding lead within the race to succeed me because the consultant of the Second District,” Krekorian’s assertion mentioned.
“It has been my privilege to symbolize this district for 14 years and I’m glad to see the voters have chosen a candidate with expertise, imaginative and prescient, means and a report of absolute integrity in public service,” Krekorian wrote. “Adrin’s achievements within the state Meeting have earned the belief of voters within the East Valley, and I’m assured that his robust grassroots help will carry him to victory.”
Krekorian’s assertion additionally congratulated his Metropolis Council colleagues, who have been all main of their respective races, saying that “throughout town, voters are validating the council’s work in turning Los Angeles round.”
Nazarian seems headed for a November runoff in opposition to businessman Sam Kbushyan, partial returns present.
Officers are barred underneath metropolis ethics legislation from utilizing metropolis emails or metropolis assets, together with employees, for political exercise. The Ethics Fee defines “political exercise” as “exercise directed on the success or failure of any candidate for elective workplace or poll measure in a future election.”
Such violations can lead to fines of as much as $5,000.
Requested Wednesday whether or not the e-mail ran afoul of town’s ethics legal guidelines, Krekorian mentioned: “I didn’t intend for it to. I don’t assume that was something that seemed like a marketing campaign. I hope it didn’t. Saying that you just help someone isn’t campaigning.”
His communications director, Hugh Esten, wrote the assertion at his instruction, Krekorian mentioned.
Krekorian mentioned he’s certain that he’ll hear from the Ethics Fee if there is a matter with the e-mail. The council president served on the all-volunteer panel within the late Nineties.
In 2015, then-Mayor Eric Garcetti’s workplace was pressured to retract an electronic mail endorsing presidential candidate Hillary Clinton after it was despatched from a metropolis electronic mail account. The endorsement was later despatched out by Garcetti’s marketing campaign advisor.
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