The Los Angeles Times and Consumer Watchdog on Wednesday asked a federal court to unseal evidence related to the criminal investigation of former City Atty. Mike Feuer's office and the Department of Water and Power.
The Times and consumer advocacy groups filed an application seeking the release of 33 search warrants, affidavits and other documents related to the government case.
Jerry Flanagan, Consumer Watchdog's legal director, said the law is clear that people have the right to obtain documents when a government criminal investigation is concluded.
The 1,451 pages shed further light on the scandal, which U.S. District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr., who oversees the criminal case, last year called “an incredibly despicable case.”
The application, filed by the Times and consumer watchdog groups in U.S. District Court, Central District, also says the public has a right to know “whether Mr. Feuer is responsible for the scandal.” Feuer, a former city attorney, is running for the March 5 House District 30 seat vacated by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank). Mr. Feuer is one of the race's top fundraisers.
Prosecutors confirmed last year that they had concluded an investigation into illegal city contracts and a sham lawsuit involving DWP.
Four people, including three of the city's top officials, have pleaded guilty to various crimes in a scandal centered on a 2015 class action lawsuit brought by DWP clients.
Prosecutors said a lawyer working for Mr. Feuer's office drafted the complaint, handed it over to opposing lawyers, and filed a lawsuit against the city.
Prosecutors say the goal was to quickly resolve a large number of claims from DWP customers who were hit with significantly higher charges under the new pricing system.
Several people, named anonymous in prosecutors' court documents, are said to have known about or participated in various schemes, but were not charged.
Former attorney Paul Paradis, who ghostwrote the lawsuit against the city and admitted to receiving kickbacks, told a federal judge in November that FBI agents had testified under oath on two oaths in federal court that Feuer had lied. Further questions arose when he said he had testified in his affidavit. jury. Paradis said Feuer also made false statements to the FBI.
Mr. Feuer has long denied wrongdoing. Feuer, who arrived on Wednesday, pointed to a letter sent in 2022 from the U.S. attorney's office saying it was not under investigation.
“That letter continues to speak for itself,” Feuer said, declining to say whether he supports or opposes efforts to unseal the document.
The application filed by the Times and Consumer Watchdog also says the document is “essential” to “oversee prosecution decisions” by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
“The public has a vested interest in evaluating why prosecutors made limited prosecution decisions,” the filing states, “particularly while lower-level officials are being indicted.” , where such decisions are made when highly influential and powerful public officials are not prosecuted.” ”
Lawyers for both groups began meeting with the U.S. attorney's office in January to discuss access to documents.
The process was ongoing last week, but “unfortunately we were unable to reach an agreement,” Flanagan said.
Thomas Mrozek, a spokesman for the Los Angeles U.S. Attorney's Office, declined to comment.
Mrozek told the Times last year that prosecutors did not file criminal charges in the DWP and City Attorney's Office cases because “the evidence does not establish every element of a federal crime beyond a reasonable doubt.”
