Jack Weiss
Jack Weiss | |
---|---|
5th district | |
In office July 1, 2001 – July 1, 2009 | |
Preceded by | Michael Feuer |
Succeeded by | Paul Koretz |
Personal details | |
Born | Jack Stephen Weiss August 21, 1964 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Leslie Barnes Kautz |
Residence(s) | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Education | Princeton University (AB) University of California, Los Angeles (JD) |
Jack Stephen Weiss (born August 21, 1964) is an American
Background and early career
Weiss graduated from
Business career
Weiss is a co-founder of
In 2009, Weiss joined Virginia-based security and global investigations firm Altegrity Risk International.[7] In August 2010, Altegrity acquired Kroll, a global risk consulting company, and in September 2010, Weiss was chosen to head Kroll's Los Angeles office. Weiss led the company's expansion its due diligence and fraud investigative services in local corporate and legal communities.[8]
Legal career
Weiss joined the United States Attorney's Office for the Central District of California in 1994. He was assigned to the Public Corruption and Government Fraud Section and the Major Frauds Section, and he brought cases involving white collar crime, corruption, civil rights, and violent crimes. He initiated the government’s prosecution of a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge who had conducted an affair with a defendant in his court.[2]
Political career
Los Angeles City Council
In 2001, Weiss was elected to the Los Angeles City Council from
During his tenure on the Los Angeles City Council, Weiss chaired the Public Safety Committee;[2] the Redistricting Committee;[10] the Arts, Health and Humanities Committee; and, the Information Technology and General Services Committee. He also served on the Planning and Land Use Management Committee,[11][12] and contributed to the unsuccessful bid to hold the 2016 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.[13]
Weiss supported the efforts of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Police Chief William Bratton to increase the City's trash collection fees to raise funds to hire new police officers.[14][15][16]
Weiss was active on issues involving homeland security and the police department. He was a frequent speaker and author on the topic of terrorism preparedness.[2] During his tenure on the Council, Weiss wrote legislation that toughened the city’s gun laws,[16] and he served as the founding chair of the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission.[2] In 2002, Weiss wrote a ten-point plan called "Preparing Los Angeles for Terrorism."[17] Weiss was also an outspoken supporter of the State of Israel.[18]
Weiss won reelection in 2005 with 71.9% of the vote.[19]
As a city councilman, Weiss was criticized for accepting campaign contributions from real estate developers and their representatives.[20] In particular, Weiss accepted 78 political contributions from subcontractors for developer Alan Casden.[21] Additionally, a vice president of Casden Properties made contributions to the Weiss campaign that were later deemed to violate city campaign finance law.[22] Weiss not accused of any wrongdoing by the either the city or state.[23] The California Fair Political Practices Commission ruled that there was no evidence that the Weiss was aware of the source or illegal nature of the donations.[24][25]
Campaign for Los Angeles City Attorney
In 2007, Weiss announced that he would run for Los Angeles City Attorney seat in 2009, when incumbent Rocky Delgadillo would be forced from office by term limits.[26] That May, a group of residents in his district launched a campaign to try to force a recall election of Weiss, accusing him of being too supportive of large development projects.[19][27] Weiss said the developments were permitted under the city’s zoning laws and would bring needed jobs, housing, property taxes and other infrastructure improvements to the area. The group never turned in its petitions to the city, but claimed to have gathered 20,000 signatures.[28]
Weiss finished first with 36 percent of the vote in the primary election for City Attorney, but was forced into a runoff against Carmen Trutanich, an attorney in private practice.[29] Several members of the Council threw their support behind Trutanich and Weiss was frequently criticized for his close relationship with Villaraigosa, whose popularity had fallen and who had won reelection in March by a much lower margin than expected.[30] Weiss was also criticized for accepting money from Benjamin Reznik, a lobbyist with a long history of suing the city.[31]
Community involvement
He has served as a member of the UCLA School of Law Alumni Association Board of Directors, the Cesar Chavez Foundation, and the Pacific Council on International Policy.
Awards
During his career as a public servant, Weiss received numerous awards including:
- 100 New Democrats to Watch by Democratic Leadership Council[12][36]
- Humanitarian Award from the Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women[2]
- Environmentalist of the Year Award from the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters[2]
- Distinguished Community Leader Award by UCLA Center for Community Partnerships[1]
- Civic Leadership Award by Santa Monica Baykeeper[37]
- Civic Leadership Award, Peace Over Violence[38]
Personal life
Weiss resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Leslie Kautz, a former Pentagon policy analyst who is a co-founder of an investment advisory firm. The couple have two children, Jacob Wolf and Mollie.[1][39]
References
- ^ a b c d "Rosenfield Distinguished Community Partnership Prize 2005 Distinguished Community Leader". Archived from the original on 2010-07-23. Retrieved 2010-07-08.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Jack Weiss | Truman National Security Project". Archived from the original on 2012-02-27. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
- ^ "To the Promised Land Immigrants in California and Israel" (PDF). Milken Institute. 2003-07-16. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-04. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ "City Attorney Candidate Issues Full-Term Challenge".
- ^ "FAQ". BlueLine Grid. Archived from the original on 21 July 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
- ^ "BlueLine Grid". Retrieved 24 August 2014.
- ^ Stuart Pfeifer (28 January 2010). "William Bratton launches global security firm Monday". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
- ^ "Money & Company". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ McGreevy, Patrick (2001-06-20). "Hayden Blasts City Hall as He Admits Defeat". The Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Pierson, David (2002-05-24). "Council Committee Backs New School Board Map". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-07-15. Retrieved 2014-01-07.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ a b maloney.house.gov/documents/olddocs/Homeland/weiss.pdf
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-27. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Zahniser, David (2008-07-09). "Trash tax doesn't just hire police - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved 2010-08-03.
- ^ "06-0600-S1 (CFMS)".
- ^ a b "Weiss Seeks Ways to ID Ammo Buyers". The Los Angeles Times. 2006-10-07.
- ^ Jack Weiss (October 2002). "Preparing Los Angeles For Terrorism" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 February 2006. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
- ^ "Los Angeles delegation to Israel". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ a b "5th District's Jews spar over City Councilman Jack Weiss | Community Briefs | Jewish Journal". Archived from the original on 2008-10-06.
- ^ Zahniser, David; Reston, Maeve (2009-05-15). "Weiss campaign is a crucial test of Villaraigosa's clout". The Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2012-10-25.
- ^ McGreevy, Patrick (2003-08-30). "Campaign Against Westwood Project Builds". The Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Casden Properties Vice President, 14 Others Plead in Illegal Campaign Financing Scheme". Archived from the original on 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
- ^ Reston, Maeve (2009-05-11). "Donations to Weiss are hard to sort out". The Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2012-10-25.
- ^ "Laundered Elections (special report)". KNBC.
- ^ McGreevy, Patrick (2006-01-13). "Connell Gives Up Donor Funds". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-03-02.
- ^ Willon, Phil; Reston, Maeve (2009-01-13). "Antonio Villaraigosa, Jack Weiss and Wendy Greuel campaigns rake in funds". The Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Westside foes serve new recall notice on Weiss". The Los Angeles Times. 2007-05-31.
- ^ "Jack Weiss Recall Stumbles - Page 1 - News - Los Angeles - LA Weekly". Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
- ^ "Weiss, Trutanich to Square off in May Runoff - cbs2.com". Archived from the original on 2009-03-05. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
- ^ Zahniser, David; Reston, Maeve (2009-05-21). "Trutanich defeats Weiss in L.A. city attorney's race". The Los Angeles Times.
- ^ David Zahniser and Maeve Reston Weiss' defeat a stinging blow to City Hall ally Villaraigosa May 21, 2009 LA Times
- ^ "2003 National Marrow Donor Awards Recipients". National Bone Marrow Donor Program. 2003. Archived from the original on 2010-09-24. Retrieved 2010-10-01.
- ^ "People". UCLA Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for Israel Studies. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
- ^ "New blogger has advice for next chief".
- ^ "Memo to Chief Bartow | L.A. Weiss | Jewish Journal". Archived from the original on 2009-11-03.
- ^ "DLC: 100 to Watch :: 2003". Archived from the original on 2011-06-21. Retrieved 2010-08-28.
- ^ "Ironhead founder Jack Weiss announces retirement at Saturday's event, weekend results". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
- ^ Giggans, Patti (2005-10-21). "Speech for LACAAW's 34th Humanitarian Awards Benefit". Peace Over Violence. Archived from the original on 2010-11-28. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ "Los Angeles City Councilman Jack Weiss Prepared Statement for the House Democratic Task Force On Homeland Security" (PDF). US House of Representatives. 2009-05-24. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-08-06. Retrieved 2010-08-06.