"Los Angeles City Councilman John Lee repeatedly violated the city's gift laws in 2016 and 2017, accepting freebies during a lavish trip to Las Vegas and at multiple restaurants in L.A., a judge said in a filing released Friday. In a 59-page proposed decision, Administrative Law Judge Ji-Lan Zang concluded that Lee committed two counts of violating a law governing the size of gifts a city official can receive and three counts of violating a law requiring that such gifts be publicly disclosed."
"The case focused on food, alcohol, hotel stays and other gifts allegedly provided to Lee by three men who sought business at City Hall. A judge recommended a $43,730 penalty for Lee. The City Ethics Commission takes up the case Wednesday. Lee has claimed that he made good faith efforts to reimburse and, in some cases, did not eat the meals offered."
John Lee repeatedly accepted gifts and freebies in 2016 and 2017, including meals and a lavish Las Vegas trip, in violations of city gift laws. Administrative Law Judge Ji-Lan Zang found two counts for exceeding gift-size limits and three counts for failure to disclose gifts. Zang recommended a $43,730 penalty. Lee represented the northwest San Fernando Valley and served as chief of staff to then-Councilmember Mitchell Englander during the period of alleged violations. Lee said he made good-faith efforts to reimburse costs and sometimes did not eat offered meals. Ethics investigators sought a roughly $138,000 fine. The Los Angeles City Ethics Commission will decide on penalties.
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