#martin declaration

Perhaps taken by surprise by Okamoto's enterprising pursuit of a statement by using his personal cellphone to make contact, Trutanich was unable to dodge the call and sheepishly responded “I am at my desk, and I don’t talk politics at my desk.” According to Okanoto, he deferred any inquiries into the matter to his consultant, John Shallman. Shallman, perhaps wisely, did not immediately return a call seeking comment, heightening speculation that he is considering how best to spin an exit strategy from the erstwhile DA campaign that might yet allow for his leader's re-election as City Attorney. Trutanich's "I don't talk politics at my desk" statement may be viewed by some as raising even more questions as to the credibility of the former plaintiff's attorney turned politician. The notion that Trutanich does not talk politics at his desk is as laughable as it is unlikely and begs the question, where does he talk politics? Alongside his desk? In the hallway? In his assigned City chauffeured SUV? One thing seems clear, allowing Trutanich to make comments that have not been screened by Shallman is a disaster. Shallman did follow up with some carefully crafted comments which still left the fate of Trutanich's Dream unanswered, but he declined to offer any verification of Trutanich's desk excuse. Perhaps he also sees the "I don't talk politics at my desk" comment as being as utterly lacking in merit or credibility as his client.

While the San Pedro denizen recently suffered the humiliation of a de facto vote of no confidence in his legal abilities from the Los Angeles City Council, the embarrassing admissions of unpreparedness in theMartin Declaration, and the shocking indictment of ineptitude in the Fire Commission report, the endorsement of DA rival Alan Jackson by San Pedro's Honorary Mayor Anthony Misetich is a bitter blow to Trutanich who has seen his "Golden Boy" image severely tarnished as scandal after scandal wracks his first term as City Attorney. But more bad news lies ahead for the man who doesn't talk politics at his desk. Rumors that Trutanich's office would be cut out of the loop on the City's negotiations with entertainment giant AEG for the Farmers Field NFL development, appear to be well founded. Late tonight the City's ad hoc committee on the Farmers Field project gave their recommendation that the plans for the project go to the City Council for a vote on Tuesday, August 9, 2011. With that recommendation comes the first hint that a private law firm will take the lead in representing the City's legal interests. According to the LA Times, the committee also recommended that the City retain the private law firm of Nixon Peabody. It's a recommendation that the City Council will likely adopt, as based on the recent scandals, the City can ill afford the kind of delays and mistakes that have sunk the once proud City Attorney's Office. With it's grandstanding leader absent campaigning to become District Attorney, and it's staff suffering a 14% pay cut, two key members of the City Attorney's Office are rumored to be bailing out. As one Deputy City Attorney told the Dragnet on condition of anonymity, "8 years of Rocky [Delgadillo] did not do as much damage to the [City Attorney's] Office as 24 months of Nuch."