EXCLUSIVE: Los Angeles County Assessor Candidate Prang Sued Over Ballot Designation

EXCLUSIVE: Los Angeles County Assessor Candidate Prang Sued Over Ballot Designation

 

By Randy Economy

Los Angeles County Deputy Assessor Omar Haroon, a candidate for the County Assessor seat, will hold a press conference at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, March 24, to discuss the filing of a lawsuit to prevent West Hollywood Councilman Jeffrey Prang from using the title “Los Angeles County Deputy Assessor” as his ballot designation in the upcoming June 3^rd Primary election.

The news conference will be held outside of the Stanley Mosk Courthouse at 111 N Hill St in Los Angeles. Haroon told Hews Media Group-Community Newspaper on Friday that he will be “providing details on the lawsuit and answer all questions from members of the media.”

Haroon told HMG-CN that Prang “is a top aide to indicted Los Angeles County Assessor John Noguez, continues to serve at Noguez’s pleasure and is misleading the public by claiming to be a Deputy Assessor on the ballot designation.”

“Prang serves as a Special Assistant to the Assessor. His job title requires him to conduct investigations and perform staff or public relations assignments for the Executive Office of the Assessor.  He is misleading voters intentionally,” said Haroon.

“LA County deserves to have an assessor who’s actually qualified to do the work,” Haroon said.

Prang is also a current longtime elected member of the West Hollywood City Council and has worked in the past as a top advisor to previous Assessors Kenneth P. Hahn and Rick Auerbach.

The legal challenge to Prang caught his campaign consultant off guard on Friday afternoon.  “We are not aware of this legal challenge, so it is hard for me to have an immediate reaction,” Ross Bates told HMG-CN in a phone conversation on Friday afternoon from an airport in Northern California.

“These type of things happen in campaigns.  This isn’t surprising.  Jeff has worked under two past Assessors, but if we have to change his ballot title to Special Assistant, I am okay with that,” said Bates.

Haroon called Prang a “career politician.”  He also took a swipe at John Morris, who is running for Assessor, and who is a Deputy District Attorney for LA County DA Jackie Lacey.

“A deputy district attorney has no qualifications or understanding of the office,” Haroon said.

Haroon will be represented by Benjamin Davidson of the Law Offices of Benjamin Davidson, P.C. at the press conference.