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EXCLUSIVE: Los Angeles County Assessor Candidate Prang Sued Over Ballot Designation

EXCLUSIVE: Los Angeles County Assessor Candidate Prang Sued Over Ballot Designation

 

By Brian Hews

Los Angeles County Deputy Assessor Omar Haroon, a candidate for the County Assessor seat, will hold a press conference at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, March 24, to discuss the filing of a lawsuit to prevent West Hollywood Councilman Jeffrey Prang from using the title “Los Angeles County Deputy Assessor” as his ballot designation in the upcoming June 3rd Primary election.

The news conference will be held outside of the Stanley Mosk Courthouse at 111 N Hill St in Los Angeles. Haroon told Hews Media Group-Community Newspaper on Friday that he will be “providing details on the lawsuit and answer all questions from members of the media.”

Haroon told HMG-CN that Prang “is a top aide to indicted Los Angeles County Assessor John Noguez, continues to serve at Noguez’s pleasure and is misleading the public by claiming to be a Deputy Assessor on the ballot designation.”

“Prang serves as a Special Assistant to the Assessor. His job title requires him to conduct investigations and perform staff or public relations assignments for the Executive Office of the Assessor.  He is misleading voters intentionally,” said Haroon.

“LA County deserves to have an assessor who’s actually qualified to do the work,” Haroon said.

Prang is also a current longtime elected member of the West Hollywood City Council and has worked in the past as a top advisor to previous Assessors Kenneth P. Hahn and Rick Auerbach.

The legal challenge to Prang caught his campaign consultant off guard on Friday afternoon.  “We are not aware of this legal challenge, so it is hard for me to have an immediate reaction,” Ross Bates told HMG-CN in a phone conversation on Friday afternoon from an airport in Northern California.

“These type of things happen in campaigns.  This isn’t surprising.  Jeff has worked under two past Assessors, but if we have to change his ballot title to Special Assistant, I am okay with that,” said Bates.

Haroon called Prang a “career politician.”  He also took a swipe at John Morris, who is running for Assessor, and who is a Deputy District Attorney for LA County DA Jackie Lacey.

“A deputy district attorney has no qualifications or understanding of the office,” Haroon said.

Haroon will be represented by Benjamin Davidson of the Law Offices of Benjamin Davidson, P.C. at the press conference.

  • John "lower taxes " Loew, Assessor candidate says:

    Candidate Haroon has it exactly right.
    Very soon, the public will learn just how unfit Jeff Prang, 16 year West Hollywood city councilman, is for the serious job of Assessor is.
    The public will be exposed to Prangs past. Prang publicly admitted to, and apologized for non consensual groping of a subordinate WEHO city employee, possibly resulting in a large settlement payment- apparently the settlement amount has been sealed.
    Prang has already been investigated by the DA for misappropriation of public funds when he was city manager of Pico Rivera.
    Prang sent misleading emails to BOS members proclaiming Noguez innocence, then claims he has been trying to reform the Assessor office.
    This will all become public very soon, hopefully causing Prang to reconsider running for Assessor, so that he doesn’t embarrass his supporters.
    The public has little tolerance for another Bob Filner, or someone like DA John Morris, who also lacks any knowledge of the Assessors office protocols.

  • John "lower taxes" Loew says:

    Congressman Brad Sherman, at his townhall meeting Sunday,3/23/2014, an endorser of Prang, publicly ackowledged to an audience of 300+ constituents that he was unaware of Prangs groping, DA investigation, and BOS emails when he endorsed Prang, in response to my question to him about Prang. Same with assesmblyman Matthew Dababneh, Brad’s former intern. They have indicated they will scrutinize Prang, and may publicly withdraw their endorsement of prang.