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Former LA councilman gets probation for campaign fund violations

By ROBERT JABLON, | Friday, Apr 21 2006 4:15 PM

Last Updated: Friday, Apr 21 2006 4:15 PM

The former top labor leader in Los Angeles County was sentenced to three years of probation Friday and temporarily barred from raising political money after pleading guilty to state charges of conspiracy and violating campaign laws.

Martin Ludlow also was fined $15,000 but with court fees that figure will reach about $45,000, Deputy District Attorney Max Huntsman said.

State and federal prosecutors charged Ludlow with conspiring with a former union official to illegally divert more than $36,000 in union funds to help finance his successful 2003 City Council campaign.

He resigned from the council last year to become head of the 825,000-member Los Angeles County Federation of Labor but resigned from that post earlier this year.

After the Superior Court sentencing hearing, Ludlow said he made "judgment errors" in the election.

"I'm looking forward to getting the entire matter behind me and moving on with my life," he said. "I do accept full responsibility for the decisions that I made and will continue to do so."

Under an agreement with prosecutors, Ludlow pleaded guilty earlier this year to a felony count of conspiracy to violate the county's $500 campaign limit and two misdemeanor counts of violating state campaign finance laws, Huntsman said.

He cannot run for elected office for four years and cannot conduct any political fundraising activities during his three years of probation.

Ludlow earlier pleaded guilty to one federal charge of conspiracy in a deal that is expected to spare him prison time in exchange for cooperating with investigators.

Under the federal plea, he cannot hold a labor union position for 13 years.

Prosecutors contend that Ludlow conspired with Janett Humphries, then president of Local 99 of the Service Employees International Union to put political operatives on the union's payroll and use union funds to pay for campaign expenses.

Humphries is awaiting federal trial on 18 counts of conspiracy and embezzlement. She could face up to five years in prison if convicted.

Huntsman said Ludlow's campaign actions were "inappropriate" but praised his help to corruption investigators.

"He's cooperated from an early stage and he hasn't fought and lied and done things that many other people have done when they've been caught. So I would say, indeed, he was a class act in that regard," Huntsman said.

"Aside from the fact that it's refreshing to see a public leader stand up and admit their mistakes, it's also been very helpful for our investigation."