The LA Podcast

Tag "Jose Huizar"

A Co-Conspirator on City Council


by Scott Frazier
January 13, 2021

As City Councilmember Mitchell Englander drove in furtive circles through the thicket of one-way streets downtown, he turned to his passenger and whispered under the din of the radio. Moments before, he had boosted the volume to an ache-inducing roar, the better to hide his words if someone happened to be listening. It was imperative that no one should hear him roughly coaching the man sitting next to him to deliver short rehearsible falsehoods:

“You just say ‘I was so drunk I don’t remember calling.’”

“‘No I didn’t arrange a massage for anybody.’”

“‘He shook my hand and said hello, that was it.’”

“‘He asked me a couple times how much does he owe me, he and John owe me, and I didn’t have an amount.’”

“‘…he and John owe me…’”

“‘…he and John…’”

The passenger, Andy Wang, a purveyor of cabinets and so-called smart home electronics for new housing developments, was an agreeable companion. Englander spoke. And Wang repeated what he was told, rarely protesting. If […]

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June 29, 2020 Episode 127

As L.A. waffles over re-opening, Scott and Alissa reckon with the city’s mixed messaging surrounding COVID-19. A $100 million rental assistance program begins July 1st. And, predictably, there’s an update on the Tampon Frappucino.

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Three Suits to the Wind


by Scott Frazier
June 12, 2020

Preface: What Makes Sense

On May 27th, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California released a plea agreement signed by George Esparza, a high-ranking former assistant to outgoing 14th district councilmember José Huizar. Esparza is only the latest among the members of what appears to be a vast bribery ring in City Hall who has agreed to plead guilty to charges including racketeering, bribery, and attempting to conceal criminal activity from federal investigators.

Over the course of the past three months, the still in-progress investigation led by the attorneys of the Central District’s Public Corruption Section has netted plea agreements from disgraced former District 12 Councilmember Mitch Englander and real estate consultants George Chiang and Justin Kim. The plea deals have thrust to the fore questions about the conduct and integrity of some of the city’s most prominent public figures.

At the same time, these early legal victories have bolstered the FBI’s claims of a years-long and much wider conspiracy […]

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March 12, 2020 Episode 109

A former LA City Councilmember is indicted on multiple counts of corruption and obstruction. What happened and what’s going to happen next? This is an emergency episode of LA Podcast.

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December 2, 2019 Episode 94

Alissa, Scott and Hayes talk about snow, Thanksgiving traffic, emergency shelters, Herb Wesson stepping down as Council President, the percent of City Council votes that are unanimous, Wesson’s latest campaign ad, a cancelled bus shelter contract, a new wrinkle in the Huizar saga, and that vacancy rate report.

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January 21, 2019 Episode 48

Where we stand a week into the UTLA strike, Metro’s CEO gets bold on congestion pricing, the bribery scandal at City Hall continues to unfold, the council appoints a new member, and Sheriff Villanueva makes a very unsettling hire. Scott and Hayes talk about all of these things and a couple more.

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January 14, 2019 Episode 47

Alissa, Scott and Hayes go through the federal search warrant document that names Jose Huizar along with many other people, make predictions for the UTLA strike, and run through Gavin Newsom’s housing proposals in his first budget.

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December 24, 2018 Episode 44

Alissa went to the Boring Company tunnel opening! We have our first Ready for Garcetti PAC video, starring a councilmember who made a very bad joke in a public meeting this week! A former LA Times publisher took hush money to hide that the former owner was an anti-Semite! We’re getting closer to knowing what Jose Huizar is under investigation for! And we get into SB50 a little bit!

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December 10, 2018 Episode 42

Our favorite bills from the new state legislature session! Congestion pricing is actually brought up in Los Angeles! Jose Huizar’s big party got cancelled! Malibu refuses to evacuate next time! Herb Wesson and Mark Ridley-Thomas want to trade places! The Crenshaw Line Operating Plan is out and it’s dumb! Omar Navarro paid himself a salary with campaign donations! Alex Villanueva does 500 employee reviews! And we’re joined by guest TOMMY NEWMAN from United Way’s Everyone In to take stock of what the city did to combat homelessness in 2018 and what we can do next year.

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December 3, 2018 Episode 41

Elon Musk scraps a tunnel plan! LA is increasing speed limits on 100 miles of streets! Melyda Corado’s family is suing the LAPD! Jose Huizar is now in trouble involving a school fundraiser! Herb Wesson might replace Mitch Englander with a former councilman who is often armed! LAPD are giving jaywalkers vests! Alex Villanueva fired 16 members of Sheriff’s Department leadership! And LA legalizes sidewalk vending! Alissa, Scott and Hayes talk about all of these things and somehow more.

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