Hahn Donor Case Faulted

An attorney for a prominent lawyer charged with laundering political contributions to Mayor James K. Hahn appeared in court Tuesday to argue that the charges should be dismissed.

In addition, attorneys for seven other defendants who have been accused of having their donations to Hahn reimbursed by the lawyer, Pierce O’Donnell, also asked the judge to dismiss all charges.

“There are a number of very significant arguments that have been made,” Superior Court Judge Ann I. Jones said after the daylong hearing. She said she would issue a ruling Feb. 10.

The district attorney’s office filed misdemeanor charges against O’Donnell and two other Los Angeles lawyers in May for allegedly making illegal contributions to Hahn’s 2001 mayoral election.

O’Donnell faces 26 charges of making contributions in other people’s names, which could result in a maximum sentence of 13 years in prison.

Prosecutors allege that O’Donnell gathered $25,500 for Hahn’s campaign from others and reimbursed them. Hahn has denied any knowledge that O’Donnell reimbursed contributions made to his 2001 campaign by other donors.

George L. O’Connell, an attorney for O’Donnell, argued that prosecutors erred in bringing charges under state law rather than city law because the allegations involve a local election.

City law has a two-year statute of limitations, which has expired, while the state statute of limitations is four years.

However, Deputy Dist. Atty. Juliet Schmidt argued that the allegations are covered by the state Political Reform Act, so the charges were appropriate.

“The integrity of elections is a statewide concern,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt and Deputy Dist. Atty. Ricardo Ocampo, both with the Public Integrity Division, told the judge they may file different charges against some of the defendants after the judge questioned why those allegedly reimbursed by O’Donnell were charged with improper identification of donors rather than aiding and abetting O’Donnell.

“They actually contributed money in their own name but the source of the actual funds was Mr. O’Donnell,” Ocampo told the judge. “They are basically straw donors.”

O’Donnell, 57, was recovering from hip surgery Tuesday and was not in court.

Attorneys for some of the defendants whom O’Donnell allegedly reimbursed argued that their clients were unfairly charged after prosecutors granted them immunity from having their statements to the city Ethics Commission used against them.

“It’s a prohibited use of immunized testimony,” said Stephen Sadowsky.

The prosecutors said they built their case with evidence that is independent from the statements.