Struggles in the public war over Trutanich's integrity

Yesterday, Laura Chick launched a very public salvo at Los Angeles's new City Attorney's personal integrity via Doug McIntyre's radio program.

During his campaign, Carmen Trutanich agreed to let the City Controller's office audit the City Attorney's office if he were elected. With Trutanich being in office for just over three weeks, Chick is already going all-out on the attack:

"The City Attorney lied, and is not a man of his word... he is a demagogue who will say anything to get elected, and then go back on his word... he stood next to me and lied to get my support."

Ron Kaye has transcripts and audio of the shots fired on his web site.

A lot of people find both this and Controller Wendy Greuel's claims that Trutanich is reneging on his promise somewhat perplexing. The City Attorney already has a statement out there insisting he will allow the audit. It's unclear exactly what game is afoot: the simple besmirching of Trutanich's reputation or has Trutanich's office already rebuffed attempts at an audit behind the scenes?

The jury remains out right now and will remain out until that particular skirmish ends. However, there is another struggle over Carmen Trutanich's integrity playing out every day on the streets of Los Angeles, in City Council chambers, and through blogs. A slightly less public struggle that is disturbing, primal, and oddly mesmerizing at the same time. Its basis lies simultaneously within the realm of societal and political failings. A lot of us here are witness to the drama, most not by choice. Ultimately, it just might be personified in a singular comment posted to Mayor Sam yesterday.

I was at the very first community meeting in which Carmen Trutanich was introduced as running for City Attorney. Coincidentally, this was at one of Ron's SLAP meetings and the guy taking Nuch around and showing him where the grassroots supporters gather was ... David Saltzberg, aka Zuma Dogg.

Nuch relied on David to show him the community, and later Nuch's campaign people made a lot of promises on Nuch's behalf to David regarding hiring him if Nuch won the election. David is a believer. He didn't need those promises to push for Nuch in interviews and on talk radio. He pushed Nuch because he believed. In that way, our friend David is very much an idealist. I recognize that trait, because I'm one too, and being an idealist means you are in for a lot of letdowns in this world.

Nuch won, and I voted for him. I had made up my mind to do so the very first day David introduced Nuch to us at SLAP. I very much liked the man I met before he had any real idea that he might win. I thought he had true integrity.

As David, Nuch's truest believer, falls deeper and deeper into serious personal crisis due to being homeless and unemployed, I am beginning to have equally serious doubts about Carmen Trutanich's integrity.

What's it gonna be, Carmen?

Is Laura Chick right about you?

Are you going to keep those campaign promises, especially the personal ones you made, or not?

It appears that the next move in both struggles belongs to Carmen Trutanich.