Journalists patiently awaited the April 1, 2019 deadline for elected officials to file their annual Statement of Economic Interest forms. These forms are commonly known as Form 700s. In the case of the Inglewood elected officials, they have submitted forms which has omitted key pages detailing their investments, gifts and income from outside interests including their spouses employment.
In the case of the city of Inglewood, articles have come out detailing Mayor James Butts and Councilmen Eloy Morales and Alex Padilla’s additional sources of income. The only one to accurately report their 2018 transactions was Councilman Alex Padilla.
2UrbanGirls asked City Clerk Yvonne Horton, who personally responded to our records request, for the additional pages and received no response.
2UrbanGirls revealed Councilman Padilla’s interest in a home at 213 W. Hardy St. This led to the Daily Breeze discovering his family’s investment in several Inglewood properties since the announcing of the NFL stadium in 2015. Padilla has correctly reported his interests in the above referenced property.
Related: Inglewood Councilman Purchases “Off Market” Home Near NFL Stadium Site
Government Code 1090 states members of the Legislature, state, county, district, judicial district, and city officers or employees shall not be financially interested in any contract made by them in their official capacity, or by any body or board of which they are members.
2UrbanGIrls reviewed 2017 Form 700s filed by Morales and discovered he was receiving outside income as a consultant from the city’s trash hauler, after voting on awarding a ten-year contract to Consolidated Services/Republic. This led to the Daily Breeze discovering Morales made money from several companies he voted in favor of. Morales has since omitted income received from Lee Andrews Group, Republic and PRS.
Related: Inglewood councilman’s clients include companies he’s supported with his votes
Finally, 2UrbanGirls reported on a property Mayor Butts “flipped” located at 8808 S. 5thAve and a home he purchased, with multiple code violations, from a contractor with ties to Inglewood, Steve Ballmer and LA County Metro. Our article triggered an article in the Los Angeles Times. Mayor Butts has omitted all 2018 real estate transactions involving second home purchases in Inglewood and other real estate holdings previously reported on 2015-2017 forms.
Related: Inglewood mayor’s home purchase from city consultant raises questions
2UrbanGirls initiated a public records request to the Inglewood City Clerk’s office for around twenty Inglewood employees, including city council members, 2018 Form 700s and found that Councilman Morales and Mayor Butts have all but omitted the above transactions from their annual filings.
2UrbanGirls contacted a local City Clerk who explained although they provide the forms for elected officials to complete, but their office refers them to the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) for questions on how to report outside income.
Mayor Butts likes to publicly call this blog a “silly online publication” yet it has forced him and his colleague to change their annual filings detailing their outside activities and how they possibly benefit financially from their votes.
Why?
