Friday, June 25, 2010

LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Accepted Up to $100,000 Worth of Tickets

File under: How They Get Corrupted.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa accepted free seats to over 80 events, including Lakers games, where the average Joe has to pay big bucks to get into the venues.

According to an L.A. Weekly investigation
, Villaraigosa lost or threw away paperwork showing who gave him the freebies, how many tickets he accepted to each show, ceremony or game, and the value of free alcohol, food and valet parking he was provided.

It appears that the Mayor violated city and state political anti-corruption laws which require disclosure of gifts and records are required to be kept. Further, Villaraigosa can't accept more than $100 annually from anyone doing business with L.A. The mayor's Lakers tickets appeared at least in some instances to be floor seats which generally sell for $2,000 per seat and up.

Here's the list that LA Weekly assembled of free tickets the mayor received:

Date -- Event -- Venue -- Single Ticket Cost (Far higher if mayor took multiple tix to event)

11/3/05 Lakers v. PH Suns Staples Center -- up to $2,100
9/10/05 Aretha Franklin Concert -- cost unknown
11/3/05 Latin Grammys Shrine -- up to $500
4/3/06 Dodger's Opening Day Dodgers Stadium -- up to $400
11/28/06 Lakers vs. Bucks Staples -- up to $2,100
2/6/06 Musi-Cares Pre-Grammy Concert -- cost unknown
2/8/06 Grammy Awards -- cost unknown
2/26/06 Jose Jose Concert -- cost unknown
3/2/06 Carlos Santana Concert for D. Huerta -- cost unknown
3/5/06 78th Academy Awards Kodak Theatre -- $4,200 per seat
4/13/06 Luis Miguel Concert/Presentation -- cost unknown
6/27/06 BET Awards Show Shrine Auditorium -- cost unknown
7/8/06 Bebe, Reyli, Mexican Institiute Hollywood Bowl -- up to $80
7/22/06 Grammy Foundation Dinner/Concert -- cost unknown
7/29/06 Reventon Super Estrella Concert Coliseum -- up to $150
8/15/06 Shakira Concert Staples Center -- Tix started at $19.50
8/26/06 Smokey Robinson Concert Greek Theatre -- up to $80
8/27/06 58th Emmy Awards Shrine Auditorium -- (2) Tix at $1,300 each
9/30/06 Pepe Aguilar Concert -- unknown, but cost in 2010 at Gibson was $135
11/11/06 Vicente Fernandez Concert -- unknown, but cost in 2010 at Gibson was $300
12/22/06 George Lopez Concert -- cost unknown
4/15/07 LA Dodgers Game Dodgers Stadium -- up to $450
1/12/07 Lakers vs. Clippers Staples -- up to $2,200 (floor seats)
1/28/07 13th Annual SAG Awards -- cost unknown
2/3/07 Director's Guild Awards -- mayor presented Aldrich Award, seat cost $175
2/11/07 49th Annual Grammy Awards -- cost unknown
2/17/07 Mana Concert -- cost unknown
2/25/07 79th Annual Academy Awards $4,200 per seat -- entire Villaraigosa family attended
6/26/07 BET Awards Show -- cost unknown
9/16/07 59th Annual Prime Time Emmy Awards -- 2 tix up to $1,300 each
10/3/07 AFI's 40th Anniversary Celebration -- cost unknown
11/18/07 American Music Awards -- cost unknown
11/20/07 Mary J. Blige Concert Nokia Theatre -- up to $95
3/29/08 LA Dodgers Game Dodgers Stadium -- up to $500
3/31/08 Dodger's Opening Day Dodgers Stadium -- up to $500
10/13/08 LA Dodgers Game Dodgers Stadium -- playoff prices N/A
10/15/08 LA Dodgers Game Dodgers Stadium -- playoff prices N/A
3/28/08 Lakers vs. Grizzlies Staples Center -- up to $2,300 (floor seats)
4/11/08 Lakers vs. New Orleans Staples -- up to $2,000 (floor seats)
5/23/08 Lakers vs. Spurs Center -- up to $3,400 (for courtside)
1/27/08 14th Annual SAG Awards -- cost unknown
2/10/08 50th Annual Grammy Awards -- cost unknown
2/15/08 Gloria Trevi Concert Gibson Amphitheatre -- up to $94.75
2/24/08 80th Annual Academy Awards -- $4,200 per seat (may have taken multiple tix)
4/18/08 Placido Domingo's 40th Anniversary at LA Opera -- up to $1,750
5/10/08 Juanes Concert Nokia Theatre -- $125
6/24/08 BET Awards Show -- cost unknown
7/16/08 ESPY Awards -- cost unknown
9/6/08 Frankie Beverly and Maze Concert -- cost unknown
9/6/08 LA Opera-Opening Weekend -- up to $250
9/11/08 Alejandro Fernandez Concert -- cost unknown
9/21/08 60th Primetime Emmy Awards -- (2) tix at $1,300 each
9/28/08 Luis Miguel Concert -- cost unknown
10/16/08 Tina Turner Concert -- cost unknown
11/16/08 Vicente Fernandez Concert Gibson Amphitheatre -- up to $200.50
4/13/09 Dodger's Opening Day Dodgers Stadium -- up to $500
6/28/09 LA Dodgers Game Dodgers Stadium -- up to $500
7/21/09 LA Dodgers Game Dodgers Stadium -- up to $500
10/7/09 LA Dodgers Game Dodgers Stadium -- playoff prices N/A
10/16/09 LA Dodgers Game Dodgers Stadium -- playoff prices N/A
3/16/09 Lakers vs. Minnesota Staples Center -- up to $260 (possible suite)
3/17/09 Lakers vs. 76ers Staples Center -- up to $2,500 (floor seats)
6/4/09 Lakers v. Orlando Playoffs Staples Center -- up to $4,200 (courtside)
6/7/09 Lakers v. Orlando Playoffs Staples Center -- up to $4,200 (courtside )
10/27/09 Lakers v. Clipper(opening night) Staples Center -- more than $2,500 (floor)
1/11/09 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards -- cost unknown
2/8/09 51st Annual Grammy Awards -- cost unknown
2/22/09 81st Annual Academy Awards -- $4,200 per seat
5/20/09 American Idol Finale -- cost unknown
7/13/09 Beyonce Concert Staples Center -- up to $200
9/12/09 Alejandro Fernandez -- cost unknown
9/20/09 61st Primetime Emmy Awards -- (2) tix $1,300 each
10/8/09 LA Philharmonic-Opening night Walt Disney Hall -- cost unknown, scalper tix up to $15,000
10/25/09 U-2 Concert Rose Bowl ***Mayor paid for this one event
4/13/10 Dodger's Opening Day Dodgers Stadium -- up to $500
5/2/10 Lakers vs. Utah Staples Center -- up to $4,100 (courtside)
1/17/10 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards -- cost unknown
1/30/10 Director's Guild of America 62nd Dinner -- mayor scheduled, but didn't attend
1/31/10 52nd Annual Grammy Awards Staples Center -- cost unknown
3/7/10 82nd Academy Awards Kodak -- $4,200 per seat
5/26/10 American Idol Finale Nokia -- not avail to public, scalper tix $5,000

Obviously an investigation is required to determine if any tickets were provided by firms doing business with the city, especially given the city is on the verge of bankruptcy because of out-of-control spending by the mayor.

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