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Los Angeles City Councilman Hal Bernson sued the operator of the Sunshine Canyon garbage dump and two political consultants for libel Friday, charging that they leaked to news reporters a dossier containing false claims about Bernson's spending of public and private funds on travel.
Bernson's suit, which seeks $40 million in damages, alleges that Browning-Ferris Industries, BFI Vice President Les Bittenson and consultants Lynn Wessell and Mark Ryavec compiled and leaked a 19-page report falsely saying that Bernson repeatedly double-billed the city and his private campaign kitty for extensive personal travel.
The suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, marks the latest blow in a bitter, long-running battle between the 13-year incumbent and BFI, which has sought to expand its dump in Granada Hills over the vigorous opposition of the lawmaker-who represents the area-and local residents.
BFI attorney Bill Hutton denied that the firm had anything to do with the travel dossier.
"We haven't even seen it, much less written it," he said.
Ryavec, who said he was paid by BFI in 1990 to lobby city officials and community groups for an expansion of the dump, also denied involvement. Wessell could not be reached for comment Friday.
Bernson declined comment on the suit. His lawyer, Neil Papiano, charged that the travel report was...