Artin Berjikly, former senior commission counsel for the Fair Political Practices Commission, spoke briefly before the Sept. In a federal lawsuit, Isa Bahu claims that civic corruption related to ongoing FBI investigations in Anaheim prevented him from opening an Arco in But the chief ethics officer, who also carries the title of assistant city attorney, stated that he had privately met with Mayor Ashleigh Aitken and the rest of the council individually. TimesOC requested an interview with Berjikly after his hire and start date last month, but city officials stated he was unavailable for comment as he settled into the job.
Since the FBI probe publicly surfaced in May , council members have passed several reform measures in an effort to improve transparency and restore public trust. Council members and city executives are now required to use city-issued phones to dissuade from the practice of using private devices to discuss city business. Council members also publicly post their meeting calendars online.
In one of the more significant changes, Anaheim broadened the definition of lobbyists and their activities under an existing law. Disney employees have since registered as lobbyists. Council members give initial OK to expanded definitions of who lobbyists are, what they do and beef up enforcement in lobbying law revisions.
A city-commissioned corruption report by the JL Group released last year urged city officials to hire an ethics officer to oversee political contributions, independent expenditures, political action committees, public record requests and event tickets handed by council members while providing enforcement of lobbying laws. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot. He may or may not be the tallest Mexican in O.
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