Email Author Gene Maddaus

Awards

• 2012 - Best of the West/First Amendment Funding, Inc., published September 15, 2011

  "Secrets & Lies"

• 2011 - Southern California Journalism Awards/LA Press Club, published December 2, 2010

  "L.A.'s Light Rail Fiasco"

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2011 Stories by Gene Maddaus

• Eric Garcetti's Plan To Cut Business Tax Draws Criticism Over Claim That It Will Boost Revenue

  published Nov 11, 2011

  Councilman Eric Garcetti, who is running for mayor, has been pushing for a total repeal of the city's business tax. The tax brings in roughly $425 million every year, and is much loathed by the Chambe... More >>

• Charter Schools Do-Over

  published November 10, 2011

  Los Angeles Unified School District officials have moved to close a loophole in the charter school admissions process in the wake of an Oct. 13... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Eric Garcetti and Wendy Greuel Lead in Mayor's Race, Zev Yaroslavsky Trails Slightly, Per Private Poll Results

  published Nov 08, 2011

  According to the conventional wisdom, Zev Yaroslavsky is the presumptive front-runner in the race to be the next mayor of Los Angeles.But a private poll, the results of which were obtained by the L.A.... More >>

• The Dodger Divorce Case Is Finally, Officially, Really Over

  published Nov 03, 2011

  Hard to believe it's really over. But yes, finally, we have a copy of the settlement that ends the single messiest, costliest, and most spectacular divorce in sports history.Frank and Jamie McCourt ha... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Carmen Trutanich A No-Show At District Attorney's Debate, As Six Prosecutors Spar For The Top Job

  published Nov 03, 2011

  The race for L.A. County District Attorney has been a quiet affair up to this point. The leading fundraiser, City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, hasn't even officially declared. Meanwhile, the declared ca... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Dennis Gilbert, Top Dodger Suitor, Got Rich Selling Tax Avoidance Schemes To The Super-Wealthy

  published Nov 02, 2011

  Now that Frank McCourt has agreed to sell the Dodgers, we can turn our attention to potential new owners for the team.The top contender is probably Dennis J. Gilbert. He's got a great story. He's a lo... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Frank McCourt Turned The Dodgers Into A Symbol Of Corporate Greed

  published Nov 02, 2011

  Frank McCourt has finally agreed to sell the Dodgers. The grassroots Save the Dodgers group is organizing a celebration outside Dodger Stadium for 6 p.m. on Wednesday.While champagne is certainly in o... More >>

• Dodger Owner Frank McCourt Has A Price, And It Is Very High

  published Nov 01, 2011

  Update: McCourt agrees to sell. Go crazy folks!The Times' Bill Shaikin reports this evening that Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban offered to buy the Dodgers earlier this year. But Cuban balked at own... More >>

• Vernon City Attorney Michael Montgomery Resigns Again; This Time He Means It

  published Nov 01, 2011

  Vernon City Attorney Michael Montgomery resigned on Monday. But he made it known that he intended to hang around City Hall doing some work for the redevelopment agency and the municipal utility.Well, ... More >>

• For Vernon Mayor Hilario Gonzales, Pay Cut Makes Retirement More Enticing

  published Nov 01, 2011

  Vernon Mayor Hilario Gonzales may have resigned Monday because he got tired of defending the city from corruption charges. But he also had "economic reasons" for leaving City Hall, according to John V... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Vernon Mayor Hilario Gonzales To Resign; City Attorney Michael Montgomery Also Steps Down

  published Oct 31, 2011

  There's a major shake-up today at Vernon City Hall, as Mayor Hilario Gonzales and City Attorney Michael Montgomery have each submitted their resignations.Gonzales was part of the three-member council ... More >>

• Sen. Kevin De Leon Scolds Vernon For Improper Hiring Of City Attorney Michael Montgomery

  published Oct 31, 2011

  Pressure is building on the Vernon City Council to rescind the hiring of Michael B. Montgomery as the full-time city attorney.Last week, the Vernon Chamber of Commerce and ethics adviser John Van de K... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Marcus Musante, Candidate For D.A., Vows To Stop Drug Possession Cases

  published Oct 28, 2011

  The race for L.A. District Attorney has been quiet lately. So here's something to shake it up a bit.Marcus Musante, a 33-year-old prosecutor, is announcing his campaign for the top job. His top campai... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Councilman Bill Rosendahl to Occupy L.A.: "Time To Move On"

  published Oct 26, 2011

  Update, 4:45 p.m.: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa wants some new laws to kick Occupy L.A. off the lawn. More below.A day after the Oakland P.D. unleashed tear gas on their Occupy movement, L.A. Councilman... More >>

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  COVER STORY

  Occupy L.A.'s Dilemma

  published October 27, 2011

  On Sept. 17, a group of protesters gathered near Olvera Street to denounce corporate greed. No more than 50 people turned out, and they were... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  LAPD Seeks To Shut Down "Occupy LAPD" Twitter Account

  published Oct 25, 2011

  Almost alone among its big-city counterparts, the LAPD has had a good working relationship with the local Occupy encampment. No clashes, no pepper spray, no arrests.The bond was so good, it seemed, th... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Vernon Slips Up In Hiring City Attorney, Prompting Fear of a Return to the City's Corrupt Past

  published Oct 25, 2011

  Ever since its brush with death earlier this year, the corruption-plagued City of Vernon has vowed to straighten up and fly right.But today the city's ethics adviser raised alarms about some funny bus... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Vin Scully Trends on Twitter, As America Searches For Relief From Joe Buck

  published Oct 24, 2011

  For a brief period during last night's World Series game, Vin Scully was trending on Twitter. It was not -- as many Twitter users feared -- because he had died.Instead, it was because sportswriter Joe... More >>

• Union Workers Picket Hotel Bel-Air, Favorite Haunt of Hollywood Celebrities

  published Oct 14, 2011

  Several hundred union demonstrators picketed outside the Hotel Bel-Air this evening, calling on managers to rehire workers who were laid off when the hotel closed for renovations."They say go away! We... More >>

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  COVER STORY

  Charter Schools: Getting Your Child on the List

  published October 13, 2011

  On a weekday evening in early spring, about 40 parents crammed into a classroom at Larchmont Charter elementary school. They perched on... More >>

• Ezri Namvar, Beverly Hills Bankster, Gets 7 Years In Prison

  published Oct 11, 2011

  Hundreds of protesters have camped out on the lawn of City Hall for 11 days, demanding justice for the banksters who destroyed the economy.Across the street this morning, at the Spring Street courthou... More >>

• Is Brad Sherman A Scientologistr Wikipedia Says Yes

  published Oct 07, 2011

  Brad Sherman is engaged in a political battle to the death with fellow Congressman Howard Berman. But over the last month, he's also been waging an epic struggle against some anonymous guy on Wikipedi... More >>

• L.A. County Federation Of Labor To Require Democratic Politicians to Clean Toilets And Change Bedpans

  published Oct 07, 2011

  The L.A. County Federation of Labor can make or break a politician's career. The Fed's endorsement brings an army of precinct walkers and door knockers, which can turn the tide in a local race. But no... More >>

• Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party: The Search For Common Ground

  published Oct 06, 2011

  Two and a half years ago, the streets overflowed with Tea Party demonstrators. Nowadays, the streets are filled with the ranks of the Occupy Wall Street movement. At Think Progress, Lee Fang argues th... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Occupy L.A.: Wall Street Protesters Hit L.A. City Hall

  published Oct 01, 2011

  See more photos in "Occupy L.A." The Occupy Wall Street movement came to L.A. today, as several hundred protesters marched on L.A. City Hall. The crowd gathered at around 10 a.m. at Pershing Square, ... More >>