AD 53 - Sad News and What's Next

Assembly District 53 received horrible news on Saturday that their Assemblyman Mike Gordon had passed away from a brain tumor. While we here at the Sister City love to tussle in the weeds, we stayed away from this topic out of respect for the family. As the days go forward however, we will need to start covering the news in his district, as his leadership is already going to be missed and he would have expected no less from us.

On a somber note, according to the Capitol Morning Report, the office of the late Asm. Mike Gordon requests condolence notes be sent to Rm. 2137 in the Capitol or to the district office in El Segundo.

In lieu of flowers, the office says the family suggested three charities:

National Brian Tumor Foundation
22 Battery Street, Suite 612
San Francisco, CA 94111-5520
(800) 934-2873

American Heart Assn. LA Chapter
816 S. Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 291-7000

American Diabetes Assn. LA Chapter
6300 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 966-2890.

A memorial service is scheduled for July 6 at El Segundo High School and a funeral service follows July 8 in Hollywood Hills.

Contact: Janelle Beland (916) 319-2053.

According to the Capitol Basement Roundup, the election to replace Mike Gordon will likely to be consolidated with the November 8 statewide special election, AP's Steve Lawrence writes that the race to fill the seat will be competitive, but money may be scarce with so many competing issues on the ballot.

AP also scans the field for potential candidates. "The race for Assembly District 53 could attract several candidates. Two Republicans formed campaign committees before Gordon's death to run for the seat next year: Gordon's opponent from 2004, former Redondo Beach Mayor Greg Hill; and Torrance Councilman Paul Nowatka.

Two Democrats also are considering running, Torrance Councilman Ted Lieu and Manhattan Beach Councilman Jim Aldinger."

If no candidate receives 50 percent in the first round of voting, the top vote getter in each party will head to a runoff.

In other Gordon news, the Daily Breeze reports that Gordon filed a lawsuit June 17 that alleges an opportunistic business partner took advantage of his ultimately fatal medical condition to seize control of two companies the pair jointly owned. The lawsuit accuses Treasurer-Secretary Kristen Schwenkmeyer, a longtime business partner and former top state Democratic Party official, of fraud, deceit and mismanagement.

The suit seeks the involuntary dissolution of Gordon & Schwenkmeyer Inc., the well-known political fund-raising company the two have operated together since the mid-1980s.

And for those of you wondering why I'm spending this much time talking about him, here's another timely article in today's Daily Breeze that shows where his involvement and activism touched each and every one of us. His little "pet project" was fighting for the local communities surrounding LAX and Hahn's boondoggle of funds. There isn't anyone involved in this process that hasn't heard from Gordon, and his voiced will be sorely missed.

UPDATE**
For the most recent information, El Segundo.net is by far the most up to speed on the comings and goings in AD 53 regarding both the special election and funeral information for the late Assemblyman