June 17, 2021
BY BRIAN HEWS • [email protected]
Hews Media Group-Cerritos News has received a redacted complaint dated June 26, 2020 by a whistleblower accusing Los Angeles County elected officials, L.A. City elected officials, LA Metro Board Members and Executive Leadership of fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption.
The person or persons who filled out the complaint form received a letter two months later in August from a representative of Los Angeles County’s Civil Grand Jury acknowledging the receipt of the complaint and stating a grand jury will investigate the claims.
In February of this year HMG-CN first reported that the L.A. D.A.’s Office of Integrity was investigating Metro CEO Phil Washington and search warrants were served on the Los Angeles offices of Metro and Peace Over Violence.
The wide-ranging investigation also included a who’s who of high profile government officials in Los Angeles.
Both the D.A.’s office and Metro’s Communication Department did not deny the existence of an August email from Alan Yochelson , head of the D.A.’s Office of Public Integrity.
The next day, HMG-CN received an email related to the search warrants.
According to sources close to the investigation, there are several other high-profile officials under scrutiny including L. A. County Supervisors Sheila Kuehl, Hilda Solis, Kathryn Barger, former Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, L.A. City Councilman Gil Cedillo, Inglewood Mayor James Butts, and former DA Jackie Lacey.
Those at Metro include other high ranking officials that reported to Washington.
The explosive allegations include bribery, conspiracy, pay to play, fraud, and waste on the part of LA Metro CEO Philip Washington, Metro Board, LA County Council Mary Wickham and the district attorney Jackie Lacey.
The letter from the grand jury representative stated, “Your letter to the Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury has been received. The grand jury’s review of the issues raised in your letter may or may not result in an investigation.“
The whistleblower alleges that they complained to former L.A. District Attorney Jackie Lacey who ignored the complaint and the whistleblower’s “21,000 pages of evidence.”
The Civil Grand Jury consists of 23 members and a designated number of alternates. Each July these citizens are sworn in as grand jurors for a 12-month period ending June of the following year.
The responsibilities of the Civil Grand Jury include the examination of all aspects of county government, all municipalities, and special districts, to ensure that the County is being governed honestly and efficiently and that county monies are being handled appropriately. The Civil Grand Jury is further charged with investigating individual complaints from citizens.
The jury’s findings could be coming soon, “ No later than the end of its term (July 2021) the Grand Jury is required by law to submit a final report of its findings and recommendation to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court.”
