Elias Martinez

A hearing examiner ruled Tuesday that former Los Angeles City Clerk Elias (Lee) Martinez, who was fired in June amid highly publicized charges of sexual harassment, ought to be reinstated to his position because there was no evidence he broke the law. The decision was a significant step in Martinez's attempt to regain his job, and a blow to city leaders who recommended his firing. Several female employees accused him of ogling them and making suggestive comments.

Citing years-old accusations of sexual harassment that were never proved, several members of the Los Angeles City Council refused to sign a resolution honoring retiring City Clerk Elias "Lee" Martinez and boycotted the meeting at which it was presented Friday.

Embattled Los Angeles City Clerk Elias Martinez, in a confidential report that provides graphic details of the sexual harassment case against him, denies that he repeatedly touched a 31-year-old female former subordinate and maintained a sexually charged atmosphere in his office. The 20-page report to City Council members offers the first look at the case against Martinez, one of the city's three Latino department heads.

Three years after a nasty and expensive struggle to save his job, Elias "Lee" Martinez announced his retirement Wednesday as Los Angeles city clerk, a post he has held since 1983. The resignation marks the departure of a City Hall stalwart who began his career 36 years ago at the age of 22 parking officials' city-owned cars and ended near the top of the bureaucracy, driving one.

Mayor Tom Bradley's office is set to hold a confidential hearing today to consider charges that Los Angeles City Clerk Elias Martinez sexually harassed a woman who worked for him, The Times has learned. At the hearing, Martinez, 54, will have an opportunity to answer formal charges of misconduct prepared by city investigators. Martinez did not return phone calls made to his office by The Times.

Ousted City Clerk Elias (Lee) Martinez got his office back in Los Angeles City Hall--for about five minutes Monday morning--as part of a re-enactment played out during his legal fight to overturn his dismissal for sexual harassment. At issue was whether Martinez could have ogled female employees as he sat behind the large wooden desk in his private office.

Former Los Angeles City Clerk Elias (Lee) Martinez, who was fired in June for allegedly sexually harassing several female subordinates, will be able to question his accusers in public during his appeal of the charges, a city administrative officer ruled Monday. The city attorney's office had attempted to close the hearing to the public and press, citing the privacy of the accusers. But attorneys for Martinez and the Los Angeles Times kept the hearing open.

Four months after Mayor Tom Bradley called for the firing of City Clerk Elias (Lee) Martinez for the alleged sexual harassment of several women in his office, the Los Angeles City Council has yet to take action, prompting charges that some lawmakers are dragging their feet in the hope that Martinez will receive leniency from a new mayor. The council this week again postponed a vote on the Martinez case--moving the matter to June 1, one month before Bradley leaves office.

An attorney for former City Clerk Elias (Lee) Martinez, who was fired for alleged sexual harassment of several subordinates, said Thursday it is still possible that he will call former Mayor Tom Bradley to testify. Attorney Robert Dohrmann, who is representing Martinez, has contended that Bradley fired Martinez, a 32-year city employee, as part of a lingering political dispute.

A city panel's decision to reinstate Elias (Lee) Martinez as Los Angeles city clerk remains in effect because the City Council did not move Tuesday to assert jurisdiction over the sexual harassment case. Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg had sought to review the decision by the Civil Service Commission, but lacked enough support from her colleagues. Her motion will be reconsidered Jan. 7, the last day that the council can override the reinstatement.

The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday voted to pay $215,682 to City Clerk Lee Martinez, who charged that he was fired from his job in 1993 after being wrongfully accused of sexually harassing several of his employees. Martinez said in an interview that the 9-5 council vote to settle his claim was a great relief and provides him with some recompense for the emotional distress he suffered as a result of the sex harassment accusations.

Elias (Lee) Martinez, who was fired as city clerk in June, won his job back Friday when the City Council chose not to intervene, ending a widely criticized sexual harassment investigation that has been mired in the city bureaucracy for more than two years. Although Martinez will return to his old office Monday morning with the sexual harassment charges against him formally dropped, several issues raised by the case will take longer to resolve.

A city panel's decision to reinstate Elias (Lee) Martinez as Los Angeles city clerk remains in effect because the City Council did not move Tuesday to assert jurisdiction over the sexual harassment case. Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg had sought to review the decision by the Civil Service Commission, but lacked enough support from her colleagues. Her motion will be reconsidered Jan. 7, the last day that the council can override the reinstatement.

The Los Angeles Civil Service Commission reinstated Elias (Lee) Martinez to his position as city clerk on Friday and condemned the city for conducting a botched investigation and overzealously firing the longtime employee for unsupported sexual harassment allegations. But Martinez's fate remained unclear because two City Council members immediately moved to review the commission vote next week. As the ruling was handed down, a jubilant Martinez fought back tears and hugged his wife and lawyer.

A hearing examiner ruled Tuesday that former Los Angeles City Clerk Elias (Lee) Martinez, who was fired in June amid highly publicized charges of sexual harassment, ought to be reinstated to his position because there was no evidence he broke the law. The decision was a significant step in Martinez's attempt to regain his job, and a blow to city leaders who recommended his firing. Several female employees accused him of ogling them and making suggestive comments.

Former Los Angeles City Clerk Elias (Lee) Martinez testified Tuesday that he never sexually harassed any of his female subordinates and again charged that his dismissal was a political pay-back by former Mayor Tom Bradley. Appealing his termination through the city's Civil Service Commission, Martinez responded to allegations of misconduct by saying he never touched his main accuser and never made sexually harassing remarks. Ogling is so out of character for him, Martinez testified, that he tried doing it in the mirror and broke into laughter.

In the blizzard of audits, reports, critiques and investigations ricocheting throughout Los Angeles City Hall this summer, the inevitable finally happened. The paper copying machines ran amok, and one city agency wound up mistakenly leveling a blast at another. When the paper work tangle finally was straightened out Friday: - A member of the city administrative office staff apologized to City Clerk Elias Martinez.

Ousted City Clerk Elias (Lee) Martinez got his office back in Los Angeles City Hall--for about five minutes Monday morning--as part of a re-enactment played out during his legal fight to overturn his dismissal for sexual harassment. At issue was whether Martinez could have ogled female employees as he sat behind the large wooden desk in his private office.

An attorney for former City Clerk Elias (Lee) Martinez, who was fired for alleged sexual harassment of several subordinates, said Thursday it is still possible that he will call former Mayor Tom Bradley to testify. Attorney Robert Dohrmann, who is representing Martinez, has contended that Bradley fired Martinez, a 32-year city employee, as part of a lingering political dispute.