Bonta, Hochman charge former LA fire union official with stealing
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman joined California Attorney General Rob Bonta yesterday in announcing the arrest of Adam Walker, the former Secretary of United Firefighters of Los Angeles City and chairman of UFLAC’s affiliated nonprofit foundation, on felony grand theft and forgery charges following a multi-agency investigation.
Investigators determined that Walker stole $82,914.24 from the nonprofit foundation between December 2022 and January 2024, opening a foundation bank account in his name as the sole signatory and using intrabank transfers to siphon the funds into his personal accounts.
To conceal the theft from auditors, Walker fabricated personal credit card reimbursements and used online services to forge fake receipts. Investigators say the stolen funds were spent on personal expenses, including online gambling.
“The California Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute corruption at every turn and hold accountable those who break the law and the trust placed in them by the public,” said Bonta. “I am thankful for the hard work of our DOJ team and our partners at LADA over the course of this investigation.”
The case was investigated by DOJ’s Special Investigations Team, which targets public corruption, civil rights violations, fraud, and money laundering, with support from the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation.
It is being co-prosecuted by the District Attorney’s Office and DOJ’s Special Prosecutions Section.
Durazo Pushes to Make Detention Facility Oversight Permanent
State Sen. María Elena Durazo (D, Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles, Highland Park, Koreatown, Echo Park, Silver Lake) won a 9-3 vote this week in the Assembly Judiciary Committee to advance SB 1399, legislation that would permanently establish California’s authority to inspect and publicly report on conditions inside immigration detention facilities.
Under existing law established by Assembly Bill 103 in 2017, the California Department of Justice is required to review conditions of confinement and due process protections inside the state’s immigration detention facilities, but that mandate sunsets July 1, 2027.
SB 1399 would remove that expiration date entirely. The push for permanence comes as Cal DOJ’s fifth report documented worsening conditions across California’s seven privately operated detention facilities, including six detainee deaths between September 2025 and March 2026 — the highest number recorded since the reviews began.
“Every report the Cal DOJ has published has revealed conditions that should shock the conscience. Every report has made the case for why this work cannot stop,” said Durazo. “Today’s vote in the Assembly Judiciary Committee is another step toward making sure transparency and the oversight framework continues.”
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who co-sponsored the bill alongside Immigrant Defense Advocates, framed the legislation as increasingly urgent given the expansion of federal detention activity statewide.
The measure now moves to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Sherman Delivers $1.2 Million More for LA Food Bank
U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks, Encino, Woodland Hills, Northridge, San Fernando Valley) joined leaders from Labor Community Services this week for a ceremonial check presentation, marking $1.2 million in newly secured federal funding to modernize and expand the organization’s food bank operations across Los Angeles County.
The funding will pay for critical upgrades to LCS’s warehouse and distribution infrastructure, including new racking systems, stand-up forklifts, inventory management technology, conveyors, shelving, and pallets — improvements designed to increase the organization’s capacity to move food and essential assistance to families more efficiently.
“This funding will help Labor Community Services deliver food and essential assistance more efficiently to families across Los Angeles County who need it most,” said Sherman. “At a time when too many working families continue to struggle with rising costs, investing in organizations with a proven record of serving our communities is one of the best ways we can make a real difference. Labor Community Services has long been a lifeline for working families facing economic hardship. I am proud to continue supporting their mission and ensuring they have the resources necessary to meet growing community needs.”
The new appropriation brings the total federal funding Sherman has secured for Labor Community Services to nearly $3.8 million over the past several years, including $1.6 million in FY 2024 for a hybrid transportation and distribution hub, $600,000 in FY 2023 for the organization’s Basic Needs Program, and $362,000 in FY 2022 to expand emergency food and housing assistance for unemployed and underemployed residents.
Harabedian’s Best-Value Contracting Bill Clears Senate Committee
Assemblymember John Harabedian (D, Pasadena, La Cañada Flintridge, western San Gabriel Valley) announced this week that AB 1786, his bill extending best-value construction contracting authority to the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG)and general law cities, has passed the Senate Committee on Local Government.
Under current law, SGVCOG and general law cities are largely confined to lowest-bid contracting on major infrastructure projects, a structure that strips agencies of the ability to weigh a contractor’s experience, expertise, and track record for speed against the lowest dollar figure submitted.
That limitation has real consequences: a low bid that looks attractive on paper can translate into blown timelines, change orders, and cost overruns that end up costing taxpayers more than a qualified but pricier bid would have in the first place.
AB 1786 doesn’t eliminate lowest-bid contracting — it gives SGVCOG and general law cities the option to use best-value contracting instead, allowing them to factor in quality and reliability alongside cost when deciding who builds the roads, parks, and housing infrastructure their residents depend on.
“The San Gabriel Council of Governments and other local governments are working tirelessly to improve infrastructure, such as roads, parks, and housing,” said Harabedian. “This bill delivers these benefits faster by giving cities another option to move project timelines forward while still keeping costs down. Today’s committee vote is an important step toward making it easier for local governments to deliver the projects residents rely on every day.”
SGVCOG President Ed Reece, who sponsored the bill on the organization’s behalf, said the reform reflects a level of project complexity that lowest-bid rules were never built to handle.
“Best value contracting authority will help support the successful delivery of major transportation, grade separation, and mobility improvements across the San Gabriel Valley, and we appreciate the strong bipartisan support that has helped move this important legislation forward,” said Reece.
AB 1786 will be heard next in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
