Revolving Door

Other women in Alarc贸n’s life have done well financially. Take former Assemblywoman Cindy Montanez, who planned to run this year for the council seat now being sought by Alarc贸n, until she was pressured to drop out of the race. Montanez was furious that Alarc贸n entered the council race, particularly since she thought she had his endorsement for the same seat.

Convincing her to abandon her campaign was much easier once Alarc贸n picked up the backing of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who hosted a February 3 fund-raiser for Alarc贸n. Last month, Villaraigosa pal Fabian N煤帽ez placed Montanez on the state’s Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board, where she will earn $123,987 annually, even though the panel meets only once a month.

Little to show: Alarc髇, now knee-deep in ex-girlfriends and an ex-wife, was best known for his fussy hairstyle when he represented the Valley on the L.A. City Council in the 1990s. (Photo by Kathleen Clark)

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More About

• Evelina Alarcon
• Corina Alarcon
• Richard Alarcon
• Laura Caro
• Election Campaigns

Alarc贸n is certainly not the first City Hall pol to keep friends and family close by. Councilman Bernard Parks named his son, Bernard Jr., as his chief of staff. Former Councilman Alex Padilla hired his brother, Ackley, for his field office. Now Ackley is on the campaign payroll of Alarc贸n, the very man seeking to replace Padilla.

With so much cash to burn, Alarc贸n found other ways to spend last year’s campaign war chest. For one thing, he racked up more than $1,700 in florist bills — two thirds of which once again fell under the category of campaign paraphernalia. Campaign treasurer David Gould described those flowers as gifts for constituents, mainly funeral and congratulation bouquets.

Another $15,000 went to the San Francisco–based law firm of Hanson, Bridgett, Marcus, Vlahos & Rudy. Although the campaign listed the firm’s work as legal defense, Alarc贸n said the money actually went toward the drafting of a local ballot measure to prohibit companies from receiving a contract at Los Angeles City Hall once they give a contribution to a candidate for mayor or council.

Alarc贸n’s ballot measure never got off the ground. “Obviously, the city moved in a different direction,” Alarc贸n said.

And now it is Alarc贸n who is being buoyed by special interests — real estate developers, City Hall employee unions, taxicab owners and others who have pushed Alarc贸n’s new City Hall campaign treasury past the $200,000 mark. Two unions, including one that represents workers at the Department of Water and Power, spent $40,000 on mailers for Alarc贸n.

The only so-called reform to reach voters last year was Proposition R, which promised to limit special interests, but in fact did almost nothing about them. The measure did weaken term limits for the council, however, a move that could pave the way in the March 6 election for the return, after a nine-year absence, of Richard Alarc贸n.

For more on Richard Alarc贸n, read Bill Bradley's article, "How Alarc贸n Sold Out the Schools"