Federal Inquiry Into Chris Christie Bridge Scandal Faces Uphill Battle

Quoted in this Huffington Post piece. 

...

"This may fall under the category of egregious behavior which we wish is criminal, but may or may not be," Loyola Law School professor Jessica A. Levinson told The Huffington Post.

Back when he was U.S. attorney, Christie was known for his aggressive pursuit of public corruption cases, often against politicians who happened to be Democrats. At the time, he was armed with the broad "honest services" statute, which was used to go after public corruption until it was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2010. The law, which made it illegal to deprive "another of the intangible right of honest services," was deemed unconstitutional. Nowadays, there has to be some sort bribery or kickback scheme to bring a honest services charge.

Levinson confirmed that an honest service charge is out for now unless information regarding improper payments comes out. "Right now this just looks like political retribution," she said.

Speed trap? There's an app for that

You can click here for my appearance on CBS This Morning.

Angelenos: Be Careful Where You Park

This week the Los Angeles City Council voted to increase the penalty imposed by parking tickets.

The move is yet another sign of the times, by which I mean that Los Angeles is in a fiscal mess: an almost $240 million budget shortfall. We spend more than we bring in; what is a city to do?

In the case of Los Angeles, we are putting an increased burden on those of us who either park in the wrong place or stay too long in the same place. The latest fine increase is the sixth of its kind in the last seven years.

How much money will these increased fines bring in? Estimates put the number at over $8 million. That money will be put in the city's general fund, which pays for basic services like firefighters and police officers.

Most of my fellow Angelenos are familiar with that panic-inducing moment when one realizes that their meter runs out in three minutes, but they are at least a seven-minute walk away. If you don't somehow figure out how to cut your time in half and race back to your car, that parking spot is about to get more expensive. Another less than fun experience is realizing that it is in fact Tuesday, street cleaning day, where you have just parked.

Finish reading this post on KCET.org. 

Another Obamajam? The President Heads to the Valley

Last night, I had the following conversation with my friend:

"Can you leave work early tomorrow?"

"I'm not sure," replied my best friend, who, for her own privacy, we'll name Jane.

"Did you tell your parents?" I asked.

"Yes, I told them not to leave the house tomorrow night."

Jane and I decided that we might be suffering from a minor case of post-traumatic stress syndrome since President Barack Obama is coming back to town tonight. Jane's 2.5 hour car ride home (for what is typically a 15-minute commute) during one of his past fundraising visits is still seared into our memory. As is my family member's unplanned two-hour ride home for a trip that normally takes around 10 - 20 minutes.

Finish reading this post on KCET.org.

"Obamajam: Is Fundraising During a Los Angeles Rush Hour Essential?"

Here is a piece written during President Obama's most recent visit to Los Angeles (during rush hour).

"Traveling in a secured environment and raising money are necessities for any President. However, query as to whether fundraising in rush hour in Los Angeles is also a must."

"If You Get A Dreaded Red Light Ticket, Do You Have to Pay?"

Jessica Levinson's latest post on KCET.org is here.

Here is an excerpt:

"It would be nice of one branch, any branch, of our municipal government could work on giving motorists a clear answer. If there is one thing that unites most Angelenos, it is driving and traffic. Now the consequences of what unites us also befuddles us. So much for getting a clear edict from the government."

"Carmageddon: Coming to a Theater Near You"

Jessica Levinson's latest post on KCET.org is here.

There is one word that is familiar to all residents of the City of Angels: traffic. There are few other places in the world where it is perfectly reasonable to allot forty-five minutes for 3 mile drive in the middle of a workday. One of my Facebook friends recently posted that she spent 10 hours in the car over one weekend, and never left the city limits. That is sadly familiar news to too many of us.