Play all audios:
A San Fernando Valley tire store owner who secretly paid $71,500 to settle a lawsuit that accused him of pilfering the campaign signs of City Councilman Hal Bernson’s political rivals has
demanded the return of his money. In a letter released Friday, tire store owner Alan Fox demanded that former 12th District candidate Walter Prince return the money because Prince had
divulged that their Aug. 16, 1994, settlement obligated Fox to pay $71,500 to Prince, former candidate Allen Hecht and a campaign-sign firm. Robert Ehrlich, Fox’s attorney, said the terms of
the settlement were supposed to be confidential, but they were published in a Dec. 29 Times article, damaging his client severely. Ehrlich said the apparent source of The Times story was a
campaign statement filed by Prince with the City Ethics Commission. Prince, the owner of a janitorial service, said Friday he was required by law to disclose the settlement after he decided
to turn the money over to his campaign finance committee. Prince and Hecht accused Fox of tearing down hundreds of their political signs before the April, 1991, election. MORE TO READ