Rocky Delgadillo

Three years after falling short in a bid for higher office, Los Angeles City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo has taken the first step toward launching a second campaign for California attorney general, a spokesman said Thursday. Term limits prevent Delgadillo, 48, from seeking reelection as city attorney this year. Papers filed with the secretary of state this week allow Delgadillo to begin fundraising for a statewide campaign for attorney general in 2010, according to Delgadillo spokesman Stephen J.

Former Los Angeles City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo began a new career Wednesday, joining the Los Angeles law offices of Goodwin Procter LLP. Delgadillo, who left office in June, is joining the firm's 400-lawyer litigation department and also will focus on its public-private partnership work throughout California. Although Delgadillo will be a full-time lawyer, the firm negotiated an arrangement that will allow him to devote more time to his possible run for state attorney general.

A private attorney who represents former Los Angeles City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo said today that a federal probe into the business dealings of Delgadillo's wife has ended without charges being filed. Delgadillo's lawyer, John Potter, said the U.S. attorney's office in San Francisco, which was handling the matter, informed him personally that the investigation is over. The Times reported a year ago that federal prosecutors, working with the FBI, had sought information regarding two companies that had performed work for the city and also had retained Michelle Delgadillo as a consultant.

Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Koretz has asked his colleagues to end the dispute between the former city attorney and the former city controller over whether the controller can audit programs in the offices of elected officials. Koretz wants the council to dismiss a lawsuit filed by former City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo to prevent his office from being audited. But a sticking point remains: Who should pay the more than $100,000 in legal fees incurred by former City Controller Laura Chick over the course of her legal fight with Delgadillo, who was forced from office this spring by city term limits.

The Los Angeles City Council breathed new life this week into a lawsuit over whether the city controller can conduct performance audits in the offices of other elected officials. It was once seen as an unnecessary squabble that would end when then-Controller Laura Chick and then-City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo finished their terms this summer. But after a closed-door briefing by lawyers for new City Atty. Carmen Trutanich on Wednesday, at least some council members signaled that they weren't too keen about letting the controller review their books to see how well programs are managed in their offices.

A judge issued a temporary restraining order against Anthem Blue Cross, barring the Woodland Hills company from sending a notice to former customers offering them $1,000 to drop all legal claims against the health insurer. The order by Superior Court Judge Anthony Mohr stems from a class-action lawsuit filed by Los Angeles City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo against the health insurer for allegedly dropping coverage to people who file expensive medical claims. A court hearing on the matter is set for Feb. 5

Los Angeles City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo filed criminal charges against the owners and a manager of four Los Angeles carwashes, accusing them of failure to pay proper wages or allow breaks. Delgadillo also charged the manager with brandishing a club and machete to threaten workers attempting to organize a union. Owners Benny and Nissan Pirian and manager Manuel Reyes were charged with 172 counts of violating criminal and labor laws for their treatment of workers at Hollywood Five Star Car Wash in Northridge, Vermont Hand Wash in Los Feliz and Celebrity Car Wash and Hollywood Car Wash in Hollywood.

Re "Trees get mysterious clipping," Feb. 26 I'm sure most would agree that the destruction of trees blocking billboards along the 405 and 110 freeways is not so "mysterious." City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo should take immediate action against World Wide Rush advertising, which put up the billboards, to let its officials know that what is probably their blatant disregard for the law and for our city will no longer be tolerated. Assuming that they are guilty of vandalizing the trees, their ads should come down immediately and stay down until their case has been settled -- hopefully, on the side of the city.

Job protections arranged for termed-out Los Angeles City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo's inner circle of aides could complicate his successor's effort to take charge of the office just as the city grapples with major budget cuts, records and interviews show. Typically, several top members of the city attorney's staff are political appointees. They serve without job protections and leave with the elected official. Indeed, earlier in his term, a number of Delgadillo's key aides served without job protections, including a previous chief of staff, top legal assistants and a communication director.