Eric Preven, one of Los Angeles County’s most prominent citizen watchdogs, has died at the age of 63, his family said.
A well-known advocate of government transparency, Mr. Prebun was a keen observer of local meetings, well-versed in the state’s public records laws, and developed a reputation as a reliable thorn in the government’s side.
Mr. Preven died Saturday at his home in Studio City of a suspected heart attack, relatives said.
The word “gadfly” is often used about local governments to refer to people who never miss public meetings. But politicians and their families say the term does not fully convey Priven’s legitimacy.
“I may not agree with him, but (he) didn’t shoot from the hip. He was going to do his own research,” said Superintendent Kathryn Berger, who has watched Preven testify for more than a decade. “He tried to let the facts speak for themselves.”
In 2016, Preven and the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California took the case all the way to the California Supreme Court, which ruled that the public has a right to know how much the county is paying outside attorneys in closed cases. Three years later, he successfully coerced the city into public testimony, claiming he was illegally barred from involvement in the Studio City development.
Many attendees at local government meetings tend to drift off to areas that have little to do with the issue at hand. I never took precautions.
Instead, he has fine-tuned the art of presenting several minutes of logical arguments on everything from budget shortfalls to seemingly excessive settlements. He may have made the cut, but he always had a point to make.
And he never missed a meeting.
“We are grateful for this significant reform in the probation department,” Plevun said last Tuesday, after supervisors finished reprimanding the agency for degrading programs in juvenile detention facilities. “The idea that we’re paying for these programs and they’re scheduled and nothing is happening is terrible.”
A native of New York, Preven moved to Los Angeles to work in Hollywood and appeared on television on shows such as “Popular” and “Reba.” According to his family, his path to local activism began 15 years ago when his mother’s two chocolate labs were removed by county animal control after a fight with an off-leash dog.
Plebun, a dog lover known for throwing parties with members of the local dog park, thought the lab’s removal was unfair. He went to the supervisory board meeting and told them about it. Then he went again. And again. And again.
Long after the dogs were returned, Preven returned.
“He listened to the meeting and started looking at the agenda and was just stunned by so much that he saw,” said his brother, Joshua Preven. “He was very furious about it.”
Plebun passionately advocated for the public’s right to know what was going on in local meetings and closely tracked changes in City Hall staff. He was known for texting local government reporters early on weekends, asking why someone quit City Hall, and self-deprecatingly sharing his latest blog post on local news outlet CityWatch.
“I’ve been digging deep into my own belly button lately,” he texted two weeks ago with a new article about the famous architect behind him in the foothills of Studio City.
He often sent weekly emails to Times editors and reporters about the successes and shortcomings of their reporting. County politicians and officials received similar messages about their governance.
“Maybe he has a short temper,” said his brother. “When he came to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors and we met, we were able to really tap into that stubbornness.”
Prebun diligently used the California Public Records Act to uncover valuable records buried in institutions that received little scrutiny. Doin Harrison, the county’s top attorney, said he filed so many records requests with Animal Welfare and Control that the county appointed an attorney just to deal with them.
“Eric was the epitome of an avid voter and critic of local government, persistently questioning and challenging government officials,” Harrison said. “As his interest in county government grew, so did the scope of his requests. So my office decentralized the handling of his requests because no one person could cover all the subjects he investigated. He was a true watchdog.”
Supervisor Janice Hahn said she and her co-workers were closely monitored by Preven when she was a City Council member.
“Eric Preven never let those in power forget who we were working for. … He pushed us, he challenged us, he had an opinion on everything from the biggest issues of the day to the mundane contract votes that are all too often overlooked,” she said. “Some people looked down on him, but I always thought there was truth in what he said.”
Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, whose district includes part of Studio City, said she takes her role as a resident seriously and religiously participates in county meetings.
In addition to his brother, Pleven is survived by his sister Ann Pleven, his mother Ruth Pleven, his father David Pleven, and two children, Isaac Lukes Pleven, 28, and Reva Jay Pleven, 26.
Plevun ran for office several times, running unique campaigns for mayor, city council, and county supervisor. He raised little money and was not allowed to participate in many debates, according to his brother, who helped him as his campaign manager.
“We had no idea what the hell we were doing,” Joshua Preven said. “But he kept showing up.”
Times writers Dakota Smith and David Zahnizer contributed to this report.
