---

 ![](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/media/yootheme/cache/24/062c-24df2e03.png)

 [ LOS ANGELES ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles)

#  LA City Council Corruption: Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop

July 30 2020

Written by Diedra Greenaway.

<a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a><a class="a2a_button_print"></a>[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)

**DIEDRA’S LA**-Allow me to be politically on point once again: **We have a corrupt City Council.**

Following up on my [article](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php/379-done-watch/16956-welcome-to-la-aka-gotham-city) that was published in CityWatch in January 2019, my theory has served to be correct regarding misappropriation of funds paired with building high-priced housing units and spending that was out of control.

The work of Councilman Jose Huizar and former Councilman Mitch Englander confirms that LA City is a real-life Gotham City, and between the two of them, their corruption included bribery, kickbacks, extortion and money laundering. But does the corruption stop there? Are there others on the Council and/or individuals currently running for an LA County Supervisor’s seat or even a City Council seat involved?

Let us do some fact checks.

- Former Councilman Mitch Englander was indicted on obstruction, taking cash and gifts in a “Pay to Play” scheme dating back to 2017 (thus far), but are the hands of his former chief of staff John Lee clean?
- The FBI raided Huizars’ home and found about $130,000 in the pockets of his suits, which confirms that he is not that bright, and clearly not bright enough to mastermind the “Pay to Play” scheme on his own. The question becomes, who is he protecting and at what cost? Spill the beans, Huizar.

- How did a certain council member, who was in debt up to the eyeballs -- to the point that this member’s home was only hours away from foreclosure, paired with an enormous amount of credit card debt -- all of a sudden become debt free? Was this council member also part of the “Pay to Play” scheme? If my reliable source serves me well, it was shared with me that contractors met with city officials and were offered bribes at a local lounge. The FBI may want to run video footage from The Edison Lounge located downtown Los Angeles. It wouldn’t hurt to check it out. They may be able to pinpoint various contractors and city officials meeting off the record. This may answer why a certain council member is no longer in debt. Imagine that.

Here is the bigger question: *Who is the Big Fish?* Because anyone with functioning brain cells knows that there is a mastermind, a big kahuna behind all of this.

How was this going on without the knowledge of the other City Councilmembers?

Who took bribes in Los Angeles City Planning and Zoning?

And finally, another big question: *How was all this going on right under the watchful eye of Mayor Eric Garcetti?*

Inquiring minds want to know.

*(Diedra M. Greenaway, MS/MBA, is a long-time community activist who lives and works in Los Angeles.) Edited for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.*

 [ ![Brian Goldsmith Vertical R. Col](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/images/ADS%20FOR%202026/brian-goldsmith%20AD.jpg) ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/115 "Brian Goldsmith Vertical R. Col")

 [ ![save up to 4000 on used evs](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/images/LADWP/dwp%20ev%20ad2.png) ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/107 "LA DWP | Save $4K, Green | Priority Ad")

 [ ![McKinney Campaign](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/images/ADS%20FOR%202026/McKinney%20City%20Watch%20Ad_final.jpg) ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/114 "McKinney Campaign")

 [ ![LA DWP #2 (Power Savers)](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/images/LADWP/2026%20LADWP%20PowerSavers%20300x250.png) ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Power Savers)")

 [ ![Donna Tryfman](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/images/ADS%20FOR%202026/Donna-Tryfman-Ad-Final-Complete-Border-White-Margin.png) ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/98 "Donna Tryfman - HS1-1")

 [ ![Pay Water Bill Help](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/images/LADWP/dwp%20-%20cares-ad.jpg) ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/97 "Home - LA DWP #2 (Pay Water Bill Help)")

 [ ![David DeJute Campaign](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/images/ADS%20FOR%202026/DejuteAd.png) ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/111 "David DeJute Campaign")

 [ ![Anna Reitano Vertical R. Col](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/images/ADS%20FOR%202026/reitano%20vertical%20rework.png) ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/112 "Anna Reitano Vertical R. Col")

 ![](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/images/banners/signup-for-cw.png)

## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays

 Last Name

 [ ![Rhonda Haymon](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/images/ADS%20FOR%202026/rhonda%20haymon%20for%20judge.png) ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/113 "Rhonda Haymon campaign")

 [ ![something you should know, podcasts](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/images/banners/something%20you%20should%20know2.jpg) ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/110 "Something You Should Know")

 ---

##  Featured CityWatch Stories

 [ ![](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/media/yootheme/cache/bc/087l-bc8ba04f.jpg) ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/voices/33648-heres-what-zionisms-got-to-do-with-it)

### [Here’s What Zionism’s Got To Do With It](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/voices/33648-heres-what-zionisms-got-to-do-with-it)

ICAN - The anonymous website “BHUSD Watch” recently published a long, detailed article about the current BHUSD board an…

 [ ![](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/media/yootheme/cache/dd/087n-dd3be536.png) ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/election-2024/33655-two-democrats-one-senate-seat-candidate-brian-goldsmith-on-why-his-approach-makes-sense-for-voters)

### [Two Democrats, One Senate Seat: Candidate Brian Goldsmith on Why His Approach Makes Sense for Voters](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/election-2024/33655-two-democrats-one-senate-seat-candidate-brian-goldsmith-on-why-his-approach-makes-sense-for-voters)

ELECTION 2026 - The race to succeed retiring State Senator Ben Allen (D-24) pits two Democrats with different political…

 [ ![](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/media/yootheme/cache/da/087q-dacde2c1.png) ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33649-high-ladwp-bills-how-politicians-decry-the-rate-machine-they-built)

### [High LADWP Bills: How Politicians Decry the Rate Machine They Built](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33649-high-ladwp-bills-how-politicians-decry-the-rate-machine-they-built)

CITY BLUES - Many of the employees at Canter’s Deli in the Fairfax district have worked there for 30 or 40 years. Owner…

 [ ![](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/media/yootheme/cache/4d/087a-4d91326b.jpg) ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/election-2024/33650-how-charter-amendment-ee-would-make-the-los-angeles-city-council-less-accountable-to-the-public)

### [How Charter Amendment EE Would Make The Los Angeles City Council Less Accountable To The Public](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/election-2024/33650-how-charter-amendment-ee-would-make-the-los-angeles-city-council-less-accountable-to-the-public)

LA CHARTER AMENDMENT - At a time in Los Angeles when public trust in local government is low, LA Charter Amendment EE h…

 [ ![](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/media/yootheme/cache/af/087p-af3feb3d.png) ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33642-charter-amendment-la-end-the-paid-board-end-the-excuses-make-public-works-work)

### [Charter Amendment LA: End the Paid Board. End the Excuses. Make Public Works Work](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33642-charter-amendment-la-end-the-paid-board-end-the-excuses-make-public-works-work)

NICK’S VIEW - Los Angeles voters finally have a chance to address a persistent city problem: the Department of Public W…

---

##  [ LOS ANGELES ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles)

 [ ![](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/media/yootheme/cache/eb/088o-eb38dcb1.png) ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33680-could-la100-triple-your-power-rates)### [Could LA100 Triple Your Power Rates?](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33680-could-la100-triple-your-power-rates)

 [ ![](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/media/yootheme/cache/0a/088f-0af8e9d7.png) ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33686-los-angeles-is-already-testing-the-limits-of-robotaxi-safety)### [Los Angeles Is Already Testing the Limits of Robotaxi Safety](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33686-los-angeles-is-already-testing-the-limits-of-robotaxi-safety)

 [ ![](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/media/yootheme/cache/40/086q2-401efd12.jpg) ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33637-getting-housing-projects-through-los-angeles-permitting-and-land-use-approvals)### [Getting Housing Projects Through Los Angeles Permitting and Land-Use Approvals](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33637-getting-housing-projects-through-los-angeles-permitting-and-land-use-approvals)

### [JAY on LA 10-28-26](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33630-jay-on-la-10-28-26)

### [JAY ON LA for 10-26-26](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33629-jay-on-la-for-10-26-26)
