A10 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2020 LATIMES.COM/OPINION
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os AngelesCity Hall observers
have been waiting more than a
year to learn what, if anything,
would come out of the ongoing
federal corruption investigation
into city officials and real estate developers.
On Monday, the feds issued their first in-
dictment, and it’s a doozy. The case only
adds to the long-standing perception that
City Hall is tainted by cozy relationships
and pay-to-play politics.
Former Councilman Mitch Englander,
who resigned at the end of 2018, was charged
with obstructing an investigation into his
activities, which the Justice Department al-
leges included accepting cash, female escort
services, and hotel rooms and expensive
meals from a businessman during trips to
Las Vegas and Palm Springs. Prosecutors
also accuse Englander of lying and schem-
ing to cover up his misdeeds.
The indictment reads like a seedy novel.
The tale it tells starts with a lavish trip to
Las Vegas in June 2017, courtesy of a
businessman involved in major devel-
opment projects who wanted to increase his
business in the city.
According to the indictment, Englander
traveled to Vegas with the businessman, a
top aide, another city staffer, a lobbyist and
a real estate developer. Councilman John
Lee — who was Englander’s chief of staff at
the time and was elected to the seat last
year — has acknowledged he was on the trip,
but said he wasn’t aware of anything illegal
and has cooperated with investigators.
Here is what prosecutors allege hap-
pened in Vegas:
At the hotel, Englander, Lee and the oth-
ers were treated like VIPs. They were wined
and dined. Englander was given $1,000 in ca-
sino chips to gamble with. In the casino
bathroom, Englander took an envelope con-
taining $10,000 in cash from the business-
man. The businessman also bought $24,
worth of alcoholic beverages for the group at
a nightclub; the developer spent $10,
more. After they returned to the hotel, the
businessman told Englander he was order-
ing female escorts for the group, whom he
paid $300 to $400 in cash for their services.
Almost two weeks later, prosecutors al-
lege, Englander met up with the business-
man again — this time at a golf tournament
in Palm Springs — and took an envelope
containing $5,000. Later that month, ac-
cording to the indictment, Englander ar-
ranged for the businessman to pitch his
services to a second developer who was a
friend of the councilman’s.
Needless to say, Englander did not re-
port the cash or freebies prosecutors accuse
him of accepting on his annual financial dis-
closure forms.
Federal authorities reached out to Eng-
lander within a few months of his trips. Lat-
er, prosecutors allege, Englander repeatedly
contacted the businessman and instructed
him how to lie to the feds; unbeknownst to
the councilman, the businessman had al-
ready begun cooperating with agents.
Envelopes of cash exchanged in bath-
rooms. Hookers in Vegas. Conspiratorial
meetings. These allegations are sleazy, and
they may be just the first chapter.
FBI agents raided the offices and home
of Councilman Jose Huizar in November- A search warrant suggested the raid
was part of a broader investigation into an
array of potential crimes, including money
laundering, bribery and extortion. The war-
rant named a who’s who of City Hall power
brokers, including Huizar, Councilman Cur-
ren Price, an aide to Councilman Herb Wes-
son, one of Mayor Eric Garcetti’s appointees
and his former deputy mayor for economic
development.
None of those figures has been accused of
crimes, but federal officials described the
Englander indictment as part of “an on-
going public corruption investigation.” City
Hall should be worried.
Generations of Los Angeles leaders have
fostered a corrupt political culture in the
city, centered on real estate development.
It’s well known that the mayor and individu-
al council members wield tremendous influ-
ence over development decisions, so devel-
opers and business interests spend heavily
to curry favor with those in power. Is it any
coincidence that the three council members
whose names have been cited in the investi-
gation — Englander, Huizar and Price — all
served on the City Council’s Planning and
Land-Use Committee? This committee calls
the shots on the city’s most important real
estate policies and development projects.
L.A. elected officials have dabbled in eth-
ics reforms over the years, in response to
various pay-to-play scandals. They often
say they want to eliminate the appearance
of corruption. They never concede that
there might be actual corruption in their
midst, or that their extraordinary influence
over development decisions can breed cor-
ruption.
Los Angeles must fundamentally change
how real estate developments are approved
and land-use decisions are made. It needs
clear rules for officials and developers, and it
needs modern land-use plans that allow de-
velopers to build housing and commercial
projects to meet the city’s need for homes
and jobs — without having to buy their way
into the council’s good graces.
The Englander indictment
The former councilman’s arrest
should be a warning to L.A. City
Hall: It’s long past time to clean up.
W
ith the coronavirus
spreading throughout the
U.S., Americans are react-
ing in a variety of ways.
Some of them are smart,
others ... not so much.
Staying away from big crowds, stocking
up on prescription medication and food in
case of in-home isolation and washing
hands frequently are all wise in the face of a
pandemic that is spread through virus-
laden droplets expelled by sick people.
On the other hand, hoarding enormous
quantities of toilet paper, crates of bottled
water or five-year supplies of hand sanitizer
as if the end is nigh is irrational and unhelp-
ful to your fellow citizens. For one thing,
public health experts say the best way to
clean germy hands is to wash them with
soap and water. It could also be counter-
productive to deny hand sanitizer to others,
who could use it to avoid spreading the in-
fection to you. And even though the virus
isn’t going away tomorrow, medicine to treat
infections is expected in the coming
months. A vaccine could be ready next year.
And then there are simply idiotic reac-
tions, such as stealing stocks of medical face
masks from hospitals and research facili-
ties. The nation already has a woefully inad-
equate supply of face masks, and taking
protective gear away from those who work
with sick people endangers everyone.
Panicking in the face of pandemic might
make sense in a fictional zombie apoca-
lypse, where 100% of those infected turn into
flesh-eating monsters, but this kind of self-
ish and irrational behavior could make the
coronavirus outbreak worse for everyone.
Of course, people should be concerned
and take extraordinary but rational precau-
tions to avoid coming down with COVID-
— for themselves, but also for others in the
community who are at higher risk, such as
elderly people and those with underlying
health conditions. And it’s true that health
officials have good reasons to be more
alarmed by the new virus than the seasonal
influenza, despite the fact that the former is
responsible for far fewer deaths this year
than the latter. But the reality is that the
vast majority of people who get infected will
have moderate, mild or even no symptoms.
There’s simply no good reason for the mas-
ses to freak out.
As testing ramps up after a troubling de-
lay, the number of confirmed cases will most
likely rise quickly. Same with the global
death toll. As this happens, people need to
hold their panic level in check. This means:
Not demanding diagnostic tests from
healthcare providers if you are well and have
had no known contact with a sick person.
The U.S. has a shortage of testing kits, and
priority should be given to those showing
signs of illness or with documented expo-
sure, not to nervous germaphobes.
Not buying into “miracle cures,” such the
drinkable silver concoction that televangel-
ist Jim Bakker has been hawking. In fact, no
cure has been found. There’s got to be a spe-
cial place in hell for those who are profiteer-
ing from this outbreak.
Being skeptical of home remedies shared
by friends that supposedly offer protections
from infection, such as shaving off facial hair
(a myth that stemmed from a safety poster
for health providers from 2017) or avoiding
ice cream and other cold food.
Showing compassion, rather than dis-
trust and disdain, for those who are infected
or self-quarantining to protect the rest of us.
And having patience with state and local
government officials who are trying to walk
the difficult line between complacency and
overreaction. Does it make sense for an en-
tire country to quarantine, as Italy has
done? We will only know in hindsight.
With the stock market seesawing and our
usual work or school routines disrupted, it
may feel a bit like the end of the world as we
know it. It’s not, and we should act accord-
ingly. Be careful, be responsible, but don’t
give in to pandemic panic.Pandemic caution, not panic
Re “Trump struggles to
respond as markets take a
tumble,” March 10One thing should be
abundantly clear to anyone
paying attention: Presi-
dent Trump cares mostly
about the market response
to the coronavirus out-
break, and he will misrep-
resent any fact that puts
him in a bad light.
He has leaned almost
fully on the economy to
convince people that it is
all that matters when it
comes to judging his per-
formance as president.
Therefore, his answer to
the coronavirus is to crank
up the lies and misinforma-
tion while the thought of
actually protecting the
American public does not
naturally occur to him.
He has also put fear into
the minds of our federal
experts lest they say some-
thing to draw his ego-
driven wrath, even if what’s
being said is factual. As the
response leader, Vice Presi-
dent Mike Pence laughably
gives credit to Trump for
anything positive that
happens.
This is no way to run a
disaster response.
Kim Hemphill
South Riding, Va.What Warren
meant to women
Re “Warren’s legacy will
last beyond the election,”
Opinion, March 8I cried when I read the
articles about Sen. Eliza-
beth Warren suspending
her presidential campaign,
not because I thought she
had a chance, but because
I knew she didn’t.
I am a 61-year-old wom-
an who has watched states
vote to revoke their ratifi-
cation of the Equal Rights
Amendment. I have
watched as mostly male
politicians have voted to
restrict a woman’s right to
make decisions about her
own body. I have listened
when economists acknowl-
edge that women are paid
far less than males in the
same jobs.
I have watched as rape
kits and rape cases have
sat idle because it’s her
word against his. I have
waited for mostly male
leaders to embrace the
concept that women are
equal in every way and
should be treated so.
I have waited for women
to take control of these
situations and vote to
demand equal rights. It
has not happened.
Women make up 51% of
the population. I cry when I
realize women are voting
against themselves.
Patricia Kattus
Encinitas::From the moment
Warren announced her
candidacy for president,
the so-called liberal press
sounded off the sexist dog
whistles:
“Elizabeth Warren has a
likability problem.” “Is
Elizabeth Warren elect-
able?” “Can a woman beat
President Trump?” “We
like her, but can she win?”
Now suddenly, the very
same publications that
microaggressed and pa-per-cut her campaign to
death with these hack-
neyed misogynistic tropes
are writing touching eulo-
gies about how sexism ran
her off the tracks, despite
her clearly superior compe-
tency.
Guys! Look in the mir-
ror! You’re the reason a
woman couldn’t win.
You’re self-fulfilling proph-
ecy fulfilled itself. And now
you are all complaining
that she was abused.
I’d really like to hear just
one news outlet apologize
to Warren — and to Ameri-
ca — for depriving us of the
most qualified candidate
not only to be president,
but to run against and beat
Trump.
Celia Pearce
Boston::All too predictably, the
columns appear question-
ing whether America is too
sexist to elect a female
president. Malarkey!
Never mind that it’s the
woke left that did not vote
for their female candidates.
No American would think
twice about having a fe-
male neurosurgeon per-
form brain surgery (argu-
ably a more important and
personal vote).
If people turn their
noses up when offered liver
and tripe, don’t jump to the
conclusion that they hate
meat.
Craig A. Nelson
Solana BeachVoting advice
from Australia
Re “Getting out of line,”
letters, March 7May I suggest that
before the next election is
held, the powers that be in
California send some of
their officials here to Aus-
tralia to see how cheaply
and easily the voting proc-
ess can be done?
I have been voting for
almost 40 years and never
had to wait more than 10
minutes in line to vote.
There are three polling
stations within a 15-minute
walk of my house. Elections
are always held on a Sat-
urday, making it easier for
pretty much everyone who
works to vote.
There are no voting
machines. My name is
marked off a roll and I fill
out a paper ballot. It takes
about 30 seconds to do this.
At 6 p.m. the polling
stations close and count-
ing commences. Usually by
about 9 p.m. the winners
are known.
Voting is compulsory
and this is not considered
an imposition by Austral-
ians to have to think for a
few minutes about who
governs us every four years.
We are OK with it.
Simon Lonergan
Sydney, Australia::Keeping the polls open
for more than a week is a
great idea, but there are
legitimate reasons why
voters wait until election
day. They may not have
made up their minds, or
they are waiting for the
final debate, a late en-
dorsement or some other
event that informs their
choice.So, to fix the problem of
long lines on election day
by November, I suggest
sending a mail-in ballot to
every registered voter even
if they didn’t ask for it.
They could vote and
mail it in early if they want,
or they could wait until
election day, fill it out and
just drop it into secured
guarded boxes at the
polling station. They would
not have to deal with long
lines or malfunctioning
touchscreens.
Furthermore, sending
every voter a mail-in ballot
encourages all citizens to
make their voices heard in
this democracy.
Steve Paskay
Los Angeles::We all just witnessed
the latest folly of Los Ange-
les County Registrar-
Recorder Dean C. Logan,
who just wasted $300 mil-
lion of our money on yet
another new “electronic”
voting machine. Please, no
more voting machines, no
more polling or vote cen-
ters, and no more long
lines.
While we are at it, no
more chances for Logan.
Logan’s statement that
it would not be easy to mail
ballots to all voters is such
hogwash. The county mails
large sample ballots to all
voters; just make those the
final mail-in ballot.
Moreover, it is long past
time for California to adopt
online voting as a very
cost-effective voting
method and provide it as
another option for voters.
In summary, we should
all be able to vote in one of
two ways, over a three-
week period, at our conven-
ience and by our choice:
either vote by mail, or
online voting.
Jeff Drobman
ChatsworthSorry about
killing the EV
Re “GM will plunge deeper
into EV market,” Business,
March 5As someone who leased
two of General Motors’
electric vehicles (the EV1)
in the mid- to late 1990s, I
had to laugh while reading
about the company’s plan
to invest more in this mar-
ket.
With the EV1, GM had
an opportunity 30 years
ago to be the leader of the
electric vehicle revolution.
It obviously blew it when in
2003 Rick Wagoner, GM’s
chief executive at the time,
not so quietly killed the
EV1 project.
Now here’s the laugh-
able part: GM is going to
exhume the Hummer and
resurrect it electrically. Of
all the cars, why the Hum-
mer? It is undeniably the
most unfriendly looking,
un-aerodynamic, hulking
tank. Is that really part of
GM’s plan to move forward
in 2020?
Then again, GM is
known for making huge
blunders and sticking with
dated ideas and designs.
So, I have a question:
Why do you think GM’s
Chevy Bolt electric vehicle
is not getting much trac-
tion? One only has to com-
pare the specifications and
looks of the Bolt to those of
Tesla’s Model 3 to know the
answer.
Tim L’Amoureux
Los Angeles::Attention car buyers:
Fossil-fueled cars are pol-
luting, expensive and
obsolete. Electric cars are
clean and quiet, and they
have superior perform-
ance.
Range is no longer a
concern. My Bolt has a
range of more than 200
miles at full charge. In Los
Angeles, no destination is
out of reach.
Meanwhile, I enjoy the
comfort and performance,
the reliability, the minimal
maintenance require-
ments and the convenience
of refueling at home.
Eric Foxman
West HillsA call for ‘namaste’
Re “Is it time to panic? For some, it’s meh,” March 8To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, we should
avoid bodily contact with each other as much as possible.
Therefore, shaking hands should be avoided.
Let us adopt the Indian custom of “namaste” to greet
each other. By folding our hands and holding them close
to our chest, we avoid bodily contact yet greet each other
and show respect as well.
It is time to abandon the hand shake altogether.
Madan G. Mukhopadhyay, M.D.
AltadenaGina FerazziLos Angeles Times
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FOUNDED DECEMBER 4, 1881 Sue Horton OP-ED ANDSUNDAYOPINIONEDITOR