Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Porn Producer Max Hardcore Indicted on 10 Counts
()
Max Hardcore aka Paul Little was indicted by the Feds yesterday on 10 counts of obscenity in a Florida court.
The ultra-hardcore (and downright violent) producer / actor / director was swept up in the actions of a post-9/11 administration who has launched an aggressive attack against adult entertainment. Little's Altadena studios were raided two years ago by the Feds which lead to these charges.
A Justice Department spokesman said the prosecution was an outgrowth of a government anti-obscenity initiative started in 2001 under former U.S. Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft. "Whenever a new administration comes in, it has to make a decision on what resources to put where," Justice Department spokesman Bryan Sierra said. "And one of the things they took a look at in 2001 was to investigate and prosecute these types of crime because of the expansion of the Internet."
The Bush administration has significantly increased the number of pornography prosecutions in recent years, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a data-gathering and research organization associated with Syracuse University.
Though the federal prosecution of white-collar crimes, gun offenses and police brutality cases is down nationwide, the number of pornography prosecutions has grown from 500 to 700 a year between 1999 and 2001, to 1,300 to 1,400 annually over the last three years, said David Burnham, co-director of the clearinghouse. - LA Times
Support for LAist comes from
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
UCLA and University of California leaders are fighting Trump’s demands for a $1.2 billion settlement over a litany of accusations, including that the campus permits antisemitism. -
Wasteland Weekend is all about souped-up rust buckets, spikey costumes and an ‘ideal apocalypse.’ -
The Shadow the Scientists initiative at UC Santa Cruz strives to demystify astronomical research. -
Some submissions to the Pasadena Humane Society were made by extremely talented artists. The others … tried their best. -
Isolated showers can still hit the L.A. area until Friday as remnants from the tropical storm move out. -
First aspiring spectators must register online, then later in 2026 there will be a series of drawings.
Best of LAist