Joint Legislative Audit Committee Releases Report

Coalition for Justice in Hawaiian Gardens and Jerusalem

Joint Legislative Audit Committee Releases Report on Moskowitz's dealings in Hawaiian Gardens

Moskowitz Shown to Have Violated State Law

The Joint Legislative Audit Committee finally released its report ñ the longest report in its history. The report makes it impossible for Lockyer to award the casino license. The over a dozen and a half recommendations include (p.20 - 21):

"Because the project appears to violate state law, the redeveloper should reimburse the entire subsidy to the Agency. The reimbursement should reimburse the entire subsidy to the Agency. The reimbursement should include any and all fees that the developer's attorney claimed to be due from the Agency as a result of acting as special counsel to the Agency.

"Local, State and Federal law enforcement agencies should investigate for criminal or corrupt activity associated with the Hawaiian Gardens' "Gateway Gardens" project.

"The State Bar of California should consider whether its current Rules of Professional Conduct adequately protect public entities and prevent subversion of the public interest when private attorneys represent both their private clients in dealing with a public entity as well as the public entity itself."

The Reports' Findings On The Project Itself include:

The redevelopment project is an inappropriate use of redevelopment funds because it appears to violate California Health and Safety Code Sections 33426.5.

The project is inappropriately located, as it places a gambling operation adjacent to a middle school, a hospital, a place of worship and public park.

The project evolved from a highly irregular and apparently improper process.

The Committee's Findings on the Redeveloper and his Agent/Counsel include:

The redeveloper successfully co-opted the Cities and Agencies efforts to fulfill a public interest for his own private interest.

The redevelopers attorney made a series of misleading and often contradictory statements to public officials in order to benefit his client.

A press conference to discuss the report and other issues was held Monday, July 10, 2000.

Read the statements made at the Coalition's July 10, 2000 press conference on the JLAC Report

Read the newspaper articles on the state Legislative Report on Moskowitz

Read the Executive Summary of the report

Download the complete report (in Adobe Acrobat format)

From the June 11, 2000 News Release:
"The Coalition for Justice in Hawaiian Gardens and Jerusalem has given California Attorney General Bill Lockyer documents showing that the owners of the Hawaiian Gardens casino, Irving and Cherna Moskowitz, sponsor Web sites encouraging violence against Israelís pro-peace government. The Coalition has also given Lockyer a W-2 tax form showing illegal wages paid to a worker at the Hawaiian Gardens bingo that Irving Moskowitz runs through his Moskowitz Foundation."

Read the June 11, 2000 News Release:
June 11, 2000: Attorney General gets conclusive evidence that Moskowitz is unfit for gambling license! (Adobe Acrobat document)