No Tax Dollars for Holden’s Defense

Re “City Council Votes to Pay Holden’s Legal Fee,” Aug. 3:

Again! We have to pay Los Angeles City Council member Nate Holden’s legal fees for his defense. Our arrogant City Council members, without a voice from the public, have agreed to spend $75,000 to hire a defense attorney for Holden, at $325 an hour. This is only for the start-up costs; this amount will go much higher before this is settled.

I believe that this is at least the third time our tax dollars are going to defend this councilman. Enough is enough. My tax dollars are for use by the city, not for the defense of Holden.

We have wasted more than $200,000 on this councilman’s defense prior to this action. This is money the city needs. If Holden cannot run himself or his office properly then he should pay for the defense when there are allegations of indiscretions.

Gilbert Smith

Encino

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The city attorney’s office’s assertion that it cannot represent Holden in a dispute between two city employees is absurd. The city is being sued by a former employee whom Holden fired. The city attorney represents the city, not Holden. Following this logic, if the City Council is paying an outside lawyer to defend Holden, shouldn’t it also be paying the plaintiff’s legal fees?

The attorney hired is Holden’s personal attorney, Mark Geragos. That is the true conflict of interest.

Tim Bennett

Winnetka

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If anyone out there is still against term limits for Los Angeles City Council members, I offer two words that I hope will change their minds: Nate Holden.

Joe Cohen

Los Angeles