Los Angeles County Federation Of Labor

The head of the politically powerful Los Angeles County Federation of Labor said Tuesday that she is endorsing Barack Obama for president. The endorsement by Maria Elena Durazo is a coup for Obama that could help the Illinois senator in his uphill struggle against Hillary Rodham Clinton to win substantial support among Latino voters in Southern California.

When Sen. Barack Obama campaigned in Nevada two weeks ago, he scored what his campaign described as a political coup: the backing of Maria Elena Durazo, the head of the powerful 800,000-member Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. But while the endorsement gave a psychological boost to Obama, it created some blowback for Durazo, considered Southern California's leading voice on labor issues.

The Chinese hosts didn't know quite what to do. They had a bus full of foreigners -- Americans, at that -- chanting "Si, se puede!" and clapping their hands in rhythm. Was this the new world of globalism? It was, precisely. The boisterous Americans were representatives of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, the second high-level labor delegation from the United States to visit Beijing in the last month. Their chanting ("Yes, we can!"

Leaders of Los Angeles' labor movement declared Monday that they would make the race for a successor to county Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke their top political priority next year. The outcome, they said, could affect the welfare of hundreds of thousands of workers. The Feb. 5 election to replace Burke, who is expected to step down after 16 years on the Board of Supervisors, will initiate a frenzied year for labor.

Leaders of Los Angeles County's organized labor announced Tuesday that they will throw their political heft behind state Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas in the race for county supervisor, publicly kick-starting what promises to be the most intensely contested county board election in 16 years. The endorsement by the powerful Los Angeles County Federation of Labor provides the liberal Ridley-Thomas a valuable boost in his campaign against the more conservative Los Angeles City Councilman Bernard C.

Former Los Angeles City Councilman Martin Ludlow is considering stepping down as head of an influential and politically active labor group and is weighing a plea bargain with prosecutors investigating the alleged misuse of union money in his 2003 campaign for the council, associates and sources said Thursday. Union officials seemed stunned as word circulated that Ludlow might face criminal charges.

As Martin Ludlow, chief of the Los Angeles County labor federation, contemplates his resignation under threat of criminal indictment, the political repercussions of the controversy reach beyond Ludlow himself, most obviously to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. On Friday, Villaraigosa reiterated his support for a man who "is like a son to me," a reminder that few people are more closely allied with the mayor than the now-embattled union chief.

Los Angeles labor leaders scrambled Friday to find a replacement for Martin Ludlow, who is pondering whether to step down as head of a powerful federation of unions while facing an investigation involving the use of member funds. Potential candidates mentioned by several leaders include Sergio Rascon, chief of Laborers Local 300; state Sen. Gilbert Cedillo (D-Los Angeles); and Maria Elena Durazo, a union leader and wife of the late Miguel Contreras, Ludlow's union mentor.

If Martin Ludlow had received improper financial assistance from an ordinary individual or business as part of his 2003 City Council campaign, he likely would have faced a hefty fine under local law and a few rough stories in the newspaper. Life would have pretty much gone on -- as it has for some other members of the council.

In a dramatic fall from a position of political influence, former Los Angeles City Councilman Martin Ludlow announced his resignation Tuesday as head of a powerful Southern California labor group and was close to reaching a plea bargain with prosecutors who believe union money flowed illegally to his council campaign.