Pierce O'Donnell pushed to sing on Hahn

The Daily Journal reported yesterday (not online) that plea negotiations in trial attorney Pierce O'Donnell's money-laundering case broke down over his "inability—or unwillingness—to provide incriminating evidence about Mayor James Hahn's campaign activities." O'Donnell is facing misdemeanor charges for allegedly hiding $25,000 in contributions to Hahn's 2001 successful campaign by donating in the name of friends and colleagues. Several of them face charges of aiding and abetting O'Donnell. The legal paper says that District Attorney Steve Cooley's prosecutors want "to get the corruption probe as close as possible to the mayor's office." There was a hearing today before Superior Court Judge Ann Jones over the plea impasse.