Former Los Angeles City Councilman Mitchell Englander was sentenced Monday to 14 months in prison for lying to federal authorities about his dealings with a businessman who provided him $15,000 in secret cash payments and a debauched night in Las Vegas.

U.S. District Judge John F. Walter said arrogance and greed drove Englander to “brazenly” cover up his misconduct for more than a year. He rejected Englander’s explanation that he’d simply been trying to protect his reputation, saying the former councilman tampered with a witness and obstructed a federal investigation.

“There’s simply no adequate explanation as to how he totally lost his moral compass and committed this crime,” Walter said at a hearing on Zoom. He imposed a $15,000 fine — the amount contained in the envelopes Englander accepted in casino restrooms.

The original full article can be found at latimes.com

(Photo: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)