Defying Mayor Richard Riordan, the Los Angeles City Council on Friday rejected his nomination of Rick Caruso for the Harbor Commission.
It was the first time the council blocked a Riordan choice since the new City Charter went into effect last month. Council members said the vote was intended to punish Riordan for using his power to make appointments to further the political goals of Steven Soboroff, his chosen successor for mayor.
"We hoped your [Riordan's] decisions would be based on a shift of policy, or competence, or something," said Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg, who opposed the mayor. "But not pure old-fashioned, revengeful politics."
After the vote, Riordan was described as "clearly disappointed." Caruso could not be reached for comment.
In recent weeks, several council members have openly groused that the mayor was retaliating against commissioners who did not back Soboroff. The mayor has denied those charges.
Caruso would have replaced Encino lawyer and developer Ted Stein, whom Riordan abruptly removed last month. Critics said the action was a retaliation against Stein for backing City Atty. James K. Hahn for mayor instead of Soboroff.
Other council members objected to Caruso because, if confirmed, he would have been the third appointee on the five-member Harbor Commission from Cindy Miscikowski's 11th council district, which covers the Westside, Pacific Palisades and the west San Fernando Valley. Many harbor residents have decried the lack of commissioners from their own area--an issue echoed by councilmen Mike Hernandez and Joel Wachs.
Stein said he viewed Caruso, a well-known developer and former Department of Water and Power board president, as an unlucky pawn in the political bloodletting.
"It's unfortunate for a decent person like Rick Caruso that the City Council appropriately denied his confirmation to express their dissatisfaction with the mayor politicizing the commissioners and the appointment process," Stein said.
Stein received a removal letter from Riordan last week and did not attend a Wednesday harbor meeting.
"After serving him for seven years in very difficult assignments, yes, the letter was extraordinarily terse," Stein said.
Peter Hidalgo, a spokesman for the mayor, said Riordan's removal of Stein was not about political payback.
"The mayor does not view it that way," Hidalgo said. "He encounters these kind of issues every time, every year. He has to make 85 appointments, more than he has ever had to make."
