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Hernandez Brouhaha

Newspapers have devoted pages and large headlines to Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Hernandez and the eight-week investigation into his many cocaine purchases. In fairness to Mr. Hernandez and his constituents: Why wasn’t Hernandez arrested the first or second time he was seen buying cocaine? Or at the first felony purchase of cocaine?

The two men who supplied Hernandez with cocaine have no prior criminal records. Was Hernandez the only person they supplied drugs to? (If not how many other customers?) Who supplied drugs to the two men? Why no continuing media interest here?

Where was this federal/state/local Keystone Cops police outfit when Mike began drugs and excess City Hall night hours three years ago? Now, three large newspapers ask Mike to resign yet each praises his past work (“Superb,” according to the Downtown News)! Is this “political paparazzi” or “larger-than-Mike” political pressure on the media?

In committees, I saw (or heard on Councilphone) that Mike knew projects in detail, and he made pragmatic suggestions to improve or fund them. In 1994, Mike insisted that 1,200 low-income seniors be included in a transport subsidy. These seniors most without cars had been earlier refused, yet the subsidy was “available to all” by Council orders.

JOAN TAYLOR

Los Angeles

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