Guide to the 2022 Los Angeles city attorney's primary election - Los Angeles Times
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Guide to the 2022 Los Angeles city attorney’s primary election

Candidates for L.A. city attorney sit in a row at a forum.
City attorney candidates Sherri Onica Valle Cole, from left, Hydee Feldstein Soto, Faisal Gill, Kevin James, Teddy Kapur, Richard Kim and Marina Torres participate in a forum at Cal State in April.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
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Seven candidates are vying to be Los Angeles city attorney, a job now held by Mike Feuer. Unless a candidate gets more than 50% of the vote in Tuesday’s primary, the top two contenders head to a runoff in November.

The candidates

Fundraising

Here are the latest totals from the L.A. Ethics Commission.

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The office

The position has wide duties, according to the city: “As the City’s general counsel, the City Attorney provides advice and opinions on matters of municipal concern, examines contracts and ordinances as to form and legality, and is frequently called upon to interpret the City Charter, federal and state statutes, and other laws that govern Los Angeles.” As the city’s chief prosecutor, the city attorney prosecutes misdemeanor criminal offenses and infractions, working closely with local law enforcement. The office also administers crime prevention programs focused on preserving neighborhoods’ quality of life and litigates civil actions on behalf of the city in court.

The race

The race has a wide field and no incumbent, with Feuer stepping down after nine years. One key topic in the race is the city attorney’s office handling of the DWP scandal and what various candidates would do about cleaning that up. Housing, homelessness and crime have come up as issues. So have the pasts of two of the candidates — James, a former public works commissioner, and Gill, a civil rights lawyer. Both men ran for office at one point as Republicans, and both say their views have evolved since then.

In a break from recent tradition, there’s not an incumbent or a well-known elected official among the candidates running to become L.A. city attorney. There are, however, two candidates with former GOP ties.

May 5, 2022

Thomas Peters, a former official in the Los Angeles city attorney’s office, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of aiding and abetting extortion.

Jan. 10, 2022

City Atty. Mike Feuer is one quarter of the way through a months-long tour of L.A. Voters are asking about everything but the scandal involving one of his former top assistants.

Jan. 29, 2022

A court-appointed investigator hired to look into the Department of Water and Power billing scandal found that “evidence supports a finding that the city directed and assisted in the city suing itself with a sham lawsuit.” A spokesman for City Atty. Mike Feuer disputed some of the findings.

July 13, 2021

Some

The report concluded the scheme let opposing attorneys collect $19 million in fees, an amount investigators called “excessive”

July 17, 2021

Reading from other publications

Get to know the candidates
(KNBC)

7 lawyers vie for top attorney job in L.A.
(Daily News)

A guide to the race
(LAist)

Video: Candidates forum for L.A. City Attorney’s race
(LABC)

Video: City attorney candidate debate
(Beverly Hills Bar Assn.)

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