Tiresome Finger Pointing, Naming Names and Disgusted by Corruption

August 22, 2003

Dear Editor,

Thank you for the article about political corruption in the City's planning process ("Police Investigate Plan to Derail Project," August 21).

For a long time former Planning Commissioner Kelly Olsen has railed about this corruption, without ever providing any evidence of it whatsoever.

What a surprise. For now it turns out that Olsen is the one who was actually the corrupt cog in the planning wheel. With all of Olsen's tiresome finger pointing it's surprising he didn't poke out one of his own eyes.

Sincerely,

Joanne Epstein
Santa Monica

August 22, 2003

Dear Editor,

I can understand why Council member Holbrook would not name the council member, planning commissioners and City official who Kelly Olsen said were involved in the conspiracy to block the MacGuire Partners development.

Holbrook, not having firsthand knowledge of what occurred and who was involved, would not want to name names that would then be associated with some very sleazy business.

But if Olsen truly wanted to stop this type of corruption, and any of these conspirators are still present in Santa Monica City government, why isn't he identifying them so we can invite them to leave?

Since Kelly has stopped talking, I hope The LookOut will investigate by interviewing members of the City's planning staff, the planning commissioners at the time and each council member -- and anyone else who might know who was involved.

Even though Olsen doesn't seem to think so, I believe the citizens of Santa Monica deserve to know which of their public servants has manipulated the democratic process in such a dishonest way.

Julio Valenzuela
Santa Monica

August 21, 2003

Dear Editor,

Reading your newspaper and other local newspapers disgusts me -- not for the good public service you provide but for the disgusting news items concerning political corruption in Santa Monica you thankfully report.

City politicians making back room deals for the City to give nearly $8 million to an agency for a homeless shelter, and then letting the public in on it only after it's a done deal and too late for citizens to take any meaningful action.

A City building inspector taking bribes from the public after threatening to file false charges against city residents and business owners.

City planning commissioners and a City Council member conspiring in private to deny applicants their legal rights.

A City Council member being investigated for bank fraud.

Have other council members and commissioners conspired with their cronies to deny unsuspecting citizens their rights? What other corruption has gone on that we don't yet know about?

If the City had gone after its own corrupt politicians with the same vigor it has with landlords, the ATM industry and wedding photographers, would any of this have happened?

It's time for the city manager to step up to the plate and clean up City Hall. The city manager needs to appoint an independent commission consisting of respected civic leaders representing all political groups to investigate corruption committed by City Council members and commissioners.

Sincerely,

Saul Cohen
Santa Monica