Rick Caruso, the influential developer who also happens to sit on the public Coliseum Commission in L.A., called on Wednesday for the resignation of the venue's general manager, Patrick Lynch.

Caruso's demand comes in the wake of a Los Angeles Times report linking Lynch's right-hand man, Coliseum events manager Todd DeStefano, with the promoter of a controversial rave that has had to come before Lynch and the commission for approval.

DeStefano was getting paid on the side for work for Insomniac Events even as he helped to manage the Coliseum for taxpayers. Here's what Caruso said:

“I have long been concerned about raves and have been steadfast in my insistence that they be banned as they are not safe and cannot be made safe. We have now learned that the fox was left guarding the hen house since our staff in charge of planning security at raves was also secretly working for the rave organizer.  Our Executive Director Pat Lynch was aware of this clear conflict of interest, approved it and hid it from the Commissioners.  Mr. Lynch needs to resign immediately, this matter should be referred to the DA, and I will say it again – raves need to be banned at public facilities.”

The D.A.'s office is looking into the relationship between DeStefano and rave promoter Insomniac Events, which has been lobbying the commission to allow its parties to continue in the wake of it's troubled event in 2010 — which DeStefano worked.

That party saw the ecstasy-overdose death of a 15-year-old attendee, 60, mostly drug-related arrests, and more than 200 medical transports.

Caruso has been the most outspoken opponent of raves.

He told us previously:

“I've got a huge concern about these raves and I don't believe there's a way to keep them safe. I'm going to continue to fight for a ban on the raves and I frankly think they should be made illegal in the city and the county.

“When you have an event that is focused around the culture of drugs the event should be illegal. It's different than going to a concert.”

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