Of the 363 lobbyists who worked the corridors of Los Angeles City Hall last year, no one took the city to court more than Benjamin Reznik.
By his own calculation, the veteran land-use lawyer and lobbyist has filed more than 150 lawsuits against the city's boards, commissions and elected officials over the course of his 32-year career, more than any of his peers.
Yet Reznik, 57, is also a frequent campaign fundraiser for elected officials, the same ones who decide not only whether to approve his clients' development projects, but whether to fight or settle should they wind up in court. One recent beneficiary was City Councilman Jack Weiss, a candidate for city attorney who held a $1,000 per person fundraiser at Reznik's Encino home.
The Dec. 14 event has drawn fire from another candidate in the race, Deputy City Atty. Michael Amerian, who said that while such practices are legal, voters expect Weiss to be more careful. "Taking money from anyone with such a long history of suing the city when you're running to be the city attorney just looks bad, and is a big part of why people don't trust politicians," he said.
Last year, Reznik fought Los Angeles in court over a proposed 24-home subdivision in El Sereno, a planned apartment building in North Hollywood, a hotel lighting scheme in Brentwood and a five-story apartment building in Del Rey -- all projects officials had either rejected or scaled back.
If elected, Weiss would run the office that defends the city in such cases and advises the City Council on how to treat other Reznik clients. Reznik's firm, Jeffer, Mangels, Butler and Marmaro, had 83 City Hall lobbying clients last year.
Weiss' campaign consultant, Ace Smith, said Weiss would fight "tooth and nail" for the city, regardless of the law firm or lobbyist involved. Smith also said campaign contributions would play no role in settlement discussions. "Jack Weiss calls them as he sees them. It's just that simple," he added. "He calls them on the merits, and that's the way he's handled his entire career."
Reznik is one of many lobbyists who raise money for Los Angeles politicians. What sets him apart, however, is the frequency with which he sues the city, or threatens to do so.
Reznik estimated that he averages five to six lawsuits against the city per year -- a tally that does not include his cases against other public agencies. That makes him far more pugnacious than other lobbyists at City Hall.
