Paul E. Fisher, Esq. Suspended by CA State Bar & Other News

Many developments have occurred since the last post here. Since no billboards have draped 10801, our job was done.

A few notable actions against the cohorts that posted illegal signs on 10801 are as follows:

Paul E. Fisher, attorney for World Wide Rush (individual that harassed and threatened Dr. David Allan back in 2009) has had his license suspended on account of convictions of rape and other felonies. Read about it here. Also here is the current status from the California Bar Association on Paul E. Fisher.

In an unrelated matter, here's a complaint filed Feb. 22, 2010 by the State of California and the City of Los Angeles for multiple violations against Barry Rush of World Wide Rush, Frank Rahban and Paul E Fisher.

To stay current with the latest on the billboard issues of Los Angeles, we direct you to the website Ban Billboard Blight.

DR. PHIL'S SIGN COMES DOWN IN 6 DAYS

We give CBS and Dr. Phil credit here. Their ad went up against the 10801 building last week, and with all the negative feedback from the public, they ordered it to come down.

Paul Fisher, attorney for World Wide Rush states in the article printed below: "We would not have posted a sign if we were not absolutely certain that it was not a hazard".

Mr. Fisher said the sign met all state and local fire safety standards.

We would like to know what does that mean? If we can get that documentaion from Mr. Fisher, we would be glad to post it. In a previous sign (Tropacana O.J. Ad -- Pepsico, Inc.) that went up on the 10801 building, the Los Angeles Fire Dept. cited the building for 2 fire code violations and put the building on a fire watch. Then when they put up another sign (CBS - Dr. Phil Show), the LAFD again cited them for fire code violations and put the building on a fire watch.

How many citations from the LAFD does the building owners and World Wide Rush have to receive before they stop putting up these hazardous signs that risk public safety? To see the fire code violations, click here.

Has Mr. Fisher had any conversations with the Chiefs or Captains.of the LAFD? We suggest that you contact Chief Fry at 213-978-3575 and he will explain the dangers that your sign poses to the occupants of 10801.

Here's the latest from the Associated Press:

Outcry spurs removal of `Dr. Phil' billboard

By Robert Jablon, The Associated Press

Updated: 02/20/2009 10:16:13 PM PST -- For Article link, click here.

An enormous advertisement for the "Dr. Phil" show was removed from the side of a West Los Angeles building after tenants complained that it blocked their view and might be a fire hazard.

At the request of show officials, the 60-by-100-foot ad was removed on Thursday night from a building on National Boulevard in West Los Angeles, less than a week after it was erected.

"We simply responded to the concerns of the tenants," Theresa Corigliano, a spokeswoman for the show, said Friday. "We would rather have folks view our show, than to block their view."

The billboard company that placed the ad on the six-story building took it down at the request of CBS and the show, said Paul Fisher, an attorney for World Wide Rush LLC.

Corigliano said she received three e-mails from tenants. However, Fisher said he understood that the network and show had received "quite a bit of e-mails and correspondence and phone calls" from people who believed the vinyl mesh sign was a fire hazard.

Fisher said the sign met all state and local fire safety standards.

"We would not have posted a sign if we were not absolutely certain that it was not a hazard," he said.

The Pennsylvania-based company has been locked in a battle with the city over so-called supergraphics, the wall-sized ads placed on the sides of more than a dozen local buildings to serve as enormous billboards.

The ads can cost more than $100,000. Fisher said that the "Dr. Phil" sign was supposed to remain up for 90 days. Because it was taken down sooner, Fisher said, the billboard company will not charge the advertisers for putting it up. He estimated the loss at tens of thousands of dollars.

City prosecutors are investigating supergraphics that allegedly went up in violation of a 90-day city moratorium on the giant signs that went into effect in December. More than 20 criminal charges have been filed against World Wide Rush, alleging fire code violations and other offenses from a juice ad that preceded the "Dr. Phil" sign.

The moratorium was put in place while the city considered new regulations to limit billboards. The Planning Commission was scheduled to consider the rules on Thursday.

WOW! ANOTHER ILLEGAL SIGN GOES UP

Here's the time line of what happened this early morning at 10801.

I arrived at my office the night before 2/12 at approx. 10pm. I came back from a meeting and came back to the office to unload my gear. Earlier that day, to my disbelief, the owners put up super high intensity flood lights at the top of the building -- see previous post with the obvious fact that they were planning another HOOT for the building and prepared to have it lit for viewing during evening hours.

I sat down to write a post to this very fact and heard loud noises coming from outside the building. I took the elevator down to check out my suspicion. There she blows -- heavy equipment lined the parking lot with a HOOT rolled up at the building entrance. I heard of illegal HOOTs going up all over the city and they did this under cover of darkness late at night. I immediately called the police (now 11pm) and told them of this illegal activity and they said they will come down there to check it out.

The workmen shut down their operation for the time being and called their boss. Paul E. Fisher, esq. shows up on the workmen's behalf and we have a chat. He told me bottom line that he was in the right and he had papers to prove it. So we all waited for the police and they finally came at approx. 1am, Friday 2/13/09. They were really nice officers and we had a great discussion. I gave them the real scoop and they were all ears. They wished to remain anonymous and I will respect their wishes -- No need to pull them through the muck.

Mr. Fisher was armed with a permanent injunction to show to the police -- See Letter and Documentation From Owner. The officers told me they could not stand in the way. I said is there anything I can do... They said I can talk with their supervisor. Sure enough, another police car was summoned and once again Mr. Fisher flashed the injunction and the ruling fell in favor to allow this HOOT to go up.

So here ya go...


Workmen prepare to put CBS HOOT up.



There's that cool architecture getting covered by Dr. Phil and CBS.



There she blows!




I must admit -- these guys are good.




Finishing touches on this Picasso.




There you have it!! First we're squeezed by Pepsico and now Dr. Phil's got us on the couch.

Wow -- Live and learn. This story is unbelievable...

I started this blog with the help of many vocal tenants in disgust of what the owners did.

What they did to the tenants, to the local neighborhood, to the city of Los Angeles. See the top side bar if you are new to this story.

It's been a learning experience and a real eye opener.

I started this blog as a protest against injustice. We didn't know who to target, so we addressed the owner(s). But at that time, we didn't even know who the owners were. The blog is a great time line and if you follow it, you will see this very fuzzy story become crystal clear.

There's 4 perpetrators here that twists and turns through the story. We will start from most offensive to least:

1. Big time corporations fueling the charge and will do what ever it takes to get name recognition to the public.
2. L.A. City Gov. sending mixed messages and not having their act together in the business of regulating billboards and supergraphics. Paul E. Fisher, esq. on the scene gave me his last final comments of the evening when I asked for it: Jack Weiss, council member has been ingenuious regarding this whole bilboard debate. Now he's up for City Attorney and wants to look tough. Putting politics aside, since I've been covering this case, Jack Weiss and city officials have come to the rescue. Frankly I don't give a hoot what happened in the past -- I'm interested in what is going on now and who wants to deal with this mess.
   
3. Signage companies -- In this case, World Wide Rush. I've listed WWR third, but it's possible they are right up there with number one -- They don't seem to care about the urban landscape.
4. The building owners -- In this case it's Frank Rahban and his cohorts. They will participate in this illegal activity because the fines can't come close to the money that will come in. Sources tell us that the sign at 10801 can bring in as much as 100k a month.
   

In closing, I'm appalled at the owners actions -- They have COJONES.

Los Angeles heed this warning.

Do whatever you can legally to remove this HOOT -- or else every building owner in the city will want to participate and soon the City of Angels will become the City of a NASCAR Jumpsuit.