JACKIE LACEY COST TAXPAYERS MILLIONS

Dragnet L.A. can confirm that Los Angeles County taxpayers have foot the bill for millions of dollars spent on high priced lawyers and settlements defending the misconduct of Steve Cooley, and his anti labor hatchet woman, Jackie Lacey.

In a published opinion, Federal District Judge Otis D. Wright found Cooley and Lacey's anti labor tactics "striking and rampant." The Federal Court granted a preliminary injunction ordering Cooley and other county officials not to discipline or discriminate against prosecutors for belonging to the union which would remain in effect for the rest of Cooley’s tenure


Lacey has spent much of the past few weeks, responding to reports that she lied under oath when questioned during a hearing conducted by the Employee Relations Commission.

One longtime member of the downtown Justice community told the Dragnet, "This episode where Lacey lied under oath, disqualifies her as a serious candidate for District Attorney." She blamed it on "confusion" and "low blood sugar" on the day she was questioned. "What happens if she gets confused while determining the fate of an innocent defendant, who's been wrongly accused of a crime, such as Brian Banks who spent 5 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit?"

Lacey testified at a July 2009 hearing that she told a prosecutor who was considering joining the union’s bargaining team that “it was a bad idea” because Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley strongly disliked the union. She agreed that she also told the same prosecutor, a close friend of hers, that Cooley thought the union would be a disaster and that he didn’t like the union, according to a transcript from the hearing.

Six months later, Lacey testified at another hearing for the same dispute but said she never told the prosecutor that Cooley didn’t like the union or thought it would be a disaster.

Since this episode took place, the County taxpayers have had to shell out millions in settlements and legal fees to settle numerous lawsuits against Cooley and Lacey. An important taxpayer advocate observed, "At a time when public services are being cut, having to waste millions on this kind of conduct, when Cooley and Lacey should know better, is outrageous.  Can't wait to see them both leave the office."

Los Angeles County will pay $575,000 to settle part of a federal law suit claiming that Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley and his managers waged an anti-union campaign, according to a settlement agreement filed in court. The settlement, which must be approved by the Board of Supervisors, would pay $125,000 to the prosecutors’ union and $450,000 to Deputy Dist. Atty. Marc Debbaudt, who a county employment commission found was transferred in retaliation for his union activity. After the preliminary federal injunction was issued,  D.A. Cooley announced he will retire next year at the end of his third term.

Matthew Monforton, an attorney representing the Assn. of Deputy District Attorneys, hailed the settlement as a victory for the union and described Cooley’s conduct as “outrageous and illegal.”Earlier this year, the county’s Employee Relations Commission upheld the findings of a hearing officer who concluded that veteran prosecutors were transferred to less desirable assignments as a result of their union work.

LA County Board of Supervisors finally paid Marc Debbaut what was owed to him. Steve Ipsen, former President of the Association of Deputy District Attorneys, and Hyatt Seligman, current President of the ADDA will start their federal trial against Steve Cooley and his union busting actions in June. Jones Day will be defending Cooley and is expected to bill the county millions of dollars in billable hours. This trial is expected to come at a hefty price to the tax payers and prove Jackie Lacey and Steve Cooley violated federal law and the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.