Bernard Parks taps MTA contractors to fund his campaign
California Political Desk
October 29, 2008
How can we trust Parks to manage a multi-billion dollar County budget when he can´t keep his campaign solvent without breaking the law?
Bernard Parks – whose campaign continues to be buried in debt – has seized on yet another opportunity to prove that he thinks he is above the law.
According to official campaign reports, Parks – a sitting member of the MTA Board – has raised at least $52,300 from companies that contract with the MTA and the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority. Parks has also been given credit in the amount of $111,000 from another MTA contractor, California Litho Art, the printing company owned by his close friend, Helen Mars.
Parks´ use of the MTA as his campaign´s A-T-M machine flies in the face of the laws banning MTA Board Members from raising funds from contractors.
Why does Parks keep going back to the "MTA Money Machine" for cash? Because his campaign is $338,423.63 in debt with only six days to go before the election, and Parks figures he can bully contractors for contributions.
But Parks´ ethical lapses have not gone unnoticed by the community he is supposed to represent. The Citizens´ Campaign to Fix the Expo Rail Line exposed Parks´ behavior – and demanded his resignation from the MTA Board and the Los Angeles City Council. (See www.FixExpo.org)
What does Parks´ fiscal mismanagement of his campaign say about his management abilities? Clearly, if he can´t manage his campaign budget, he cannot be trusted to manage the multi-billion dollar L.A. County budget.
For a copy of Bernard Parks´ campaign report, visit http://efs.lacounty.gov/public_rpt_sf.cfm?doc_id=1136&city=la
Bernard Parks – whose campaign continues to be buried in debt – has seized on yet another opportunity to prove that he thinks he is above the law.
According to official campaign reports, Parks – a sitting member of the MTA Board – has raised at least $52,300 from companies that contract with the MTA and the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority. Parks has also been given credit in the amount of $111,000 from another MTA contractor, California Litho Art, the printing company owned by his close friend, Helen Mars.
Parks´ use of the MTA as his campaign´s A-T-M machine flies in the face of the laws banning MTA Board Members from raising funds from contractors.
Why does Parks keep going back to the "MTA Money Machine" for cash? Because his campaign is $338,423.63 in debt with only six days to go before the election, and Parks figures he can bully contractors for contributions.
But Parks´ ethical lapses have not gone unnoticed by the community he is supposed to represent. The Citizens´ Campaign to Fix the Expo Rail Line exposed Parks´ behavior – and demanded his resignation from the MTA Board and the Los Angeles City Council. (See www.FixExpo.org)
What does Parks´ fiscal mismanagement of his campaign say about his management abilities? Clearly, if he can´t manage his campaign budget, he cannot be trusted to manage the multi-billion dollar L.A. County budget.
For a copy of Bernard Parks´ campaign report, visit http://efs.lacounty.gov/public_rpt_sf.cfm?doc_id=1136&city=la