Politics

Fleishman back in the news *

| 4 Comments

It's been a while since Fleishman-Hillard has made the news, but above the fold on today's front page, the Times says that the politically connected PR giant routinely inflated its billings to the city of Los Angeles. The story is mainly based on seven ex-employees — only one of them, Diana Greenwood, named — who say the agency used its $3 million a year contract to advise the Department of Water and Power as a "cash cow," conjuring up billable hours as needed. The head of Fleishman's L.A. office, Doug Dowie, became a close advisor to Mayor Hahn.

Diana Greenwood, the former employee, told the Times, "There was a monthly billing figure that we needed to hit, so if it meant making up stuff, we made up stuff."

The story by Ralph Frammolino and Ted Rohrlich appears to advance earlier accusations of false billing reported by KNBC's Ana Garcia. It also brings Dowie back into the public eye, months after a flurry of attention — including a story by me in Los Angeles — that prompted his move to a lower profile (but higher title) position. Meanwhile, District Attorney Steve Cooley told the Times he was opening a criminal inquiry into the latest charges. And this morning, the new head of Fleishman's office, Richard Kline, told PR Week, "The firm's leadership has no knowledge of any such activity. A review is in progress and if we discover any wrongdoing we will take swift, appropriate steps." Greenwood, by the way, is the daughter of former LAT Senior Editor Noel Greenwood, who for a time supervised both the reporters on the story. According to one source, she also was hired at Fleishman-Hillard by Carol Stogsdill, who had replaced Noel Greenwood at the Times some years before.

Edited 11:50 p.m.

* Friday update: City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo says he'll sue Fleishman to recover any money the city was overbilled. Daily News, Daily Breeze.

Previously on L.A. Observed:
   • Fleishman checking on itself
   • Fleishman throws in the towel
   • Hahn email a fed target
   • Subpeonas for Fleishman
   • Dowie kicked upstairs?


More by Kevin Roderick:
Standing up to Harvey Weinstein
The Media
LA Times gets a top editor with nothing but questions
LA Observed Notes: Harvey Weinstein stripped bare
LA Observed Notes: Photos of the homeless, photos that found homes
Recent Politics stories on LA Observed:
David Ryu and candidate Mike Fong
Tronc buys (NY) Daily News, La Tuna fire aftermath and more
Helping in Houston, new lion cubs, Garcetti's back
Garcetti has weekend date in the Hamptons
Garcetti hitting the road to New Hampshire
LA Confederate monument coming down
LA Observed Notes: Back from vacation and into the fray
Rendon fights for neglected Southeast
Previous story: Tribune's 'demons' *

Next story: The newest L.A. place


 

LA Observed on Twitter