We sent the following email to Councilmember John Erickson and Captain Fanny Lapkin last night. If you happen to run into Councilmember Erickson, maybe you can ask him some of these questions. So far, he hasn’t responded to us.
TIMELINE:
September 5, 2024 — West Hollywood Chamber PAC endorses Zekiah Wright and George Nickle (snubbing Erickson and Block).
September 10, 2024 — Block publishes “OpEd: The Chamber sold me out” criticizing the endorsement process and affirming his attempted alliance with Erickson.
September 11, 2024 — Charges against Wright related to LLC filing irregularities are formally submitted by Erickson.
September 12, 2024 — Zekiah Wright acknowledged the complaint related to the Secretary of State filing change and WEHOonline immediately publishes “Zekiah Wright… arrested on felony charges” framing it as an arrest with felonies.
September 13, 2024 — WEHOonline publishes “Zekiah Wright’s arrest linked to messy breakup with Jackie Steele”.
Dear Councilmember Erickson and Captain Lapkin,
I am working on a story for Occupied West Hollywood, a new independent media site, related to last year’s city council election, specifically related to the charges regarding Zekiah Wright. I have some specific questions:
- Timing of the Investigation: Why did you wait from “mid-spring” until September to act on the fraudulent filing, and was the timing of Wright’s campaign announcement and endorsement a factor in when the investigation proceeded (wehoonline.com)(wehoonline.com)? In other words, was the case deliberately held back and then triggered to coincide with Wright becoming a political threat?
- Coordination with Media: Did you or your office communicate with Larry Block or anyone at WEHOonline (or other media) about the Wright investigation before the arrest took place? Reports indicate that journalists knew of the “impending arrest” days in advance (wehoonline.com) – a leak that did not likely come from the Sheriff’s Department (wehoonline.com). If not you, who alerted the press, and why? -Captain Lapkin, Can you confirm that your station did not know of this issue prior to Councilmember Erickson’s complaint?
- Influence on Law Enforcement: What role, if any, did you play in urging the Sheriff’s Department to pursue “felony” charges against Wright? Given the unusual nature of the allegations (submitting a form with your name as a placeholder), did you personally feel victimized to a degree that warranted an arrest, or were there discussions about handling it as a civil matter? Critics wonder if political influence fast-tracked what might otherwise have been a low-priority case. Captain Lapkin, did Erickson receive any special treatment due to his position on the City Council?
- Connections with Jackie Steele: What contact have you had with Jackie “Steele” Betzner regarding this matter? Steele is not just Wright’s ex-partner but also an active figure in local politics. Were you aware of Steele’s grievances against Wright, and did you coordinate in any way with her in bringing this issue to authorities or the media? Did her performance for you in this instance qualify her for an appointment to a Los Angeles County commission seat?
- Awareness of Potential Impact: When you reported the filing irregularity and as the case moved forward, were you cognizant that making it public could destroy Wright’s council campaign? How do you respond to those who say this was a deliberate “smear campaign” orchestrated by you to eliminate a political rival (wehoonline.com)(wehoonline.com)?
- Collusion with Larry Block: Block openly stated he tried to team up with you politically (wehoonline.com), and he obviously had motive to damage Wright’s candidacy after losing the Chamber endorsement to them. Did you collaborate or communicate with Block about Wright’s issues at any point? For instance, did you discuss Wright’s filing change or the Sheriff’s inquiry with Block prior to Wright’s arrest and the WEHOonline stories?
- Ethical Considerations: Do you believe it’s ethical for an incumbent official to involve themselves in the campaign affairs of an opponent via a criminal investigation? Even if the complaint was valid, the optics suggest an abuse of power – how do you address constituents’ concerns that this was more about politics than public integrity?
Thank you in advance. I look forward to learning more about this issue from your perspectives.
Thank you,
Publius