Mayor Sam Scoops The LA Times; More Charges Against Blumenfield
More of the news before it happens here on the blog. We reported last week about Fair Political Practices Charges filed against 40th Assembly District candidate Bob Blumenfield by the campaign of fellow AD40 candidate Stuart Waldman. The Waldman complaint alleges illegal laundering of campaign funds by Blumenfield's father, political consultant Michael Blumenfield and the younger Blumenfield's employer, Congressman Howard Berman. Blumenfield, Sr. and Berman are accused of funneling additional campaign funds to an independent expenditure committee (IEC) that is campaigning on the candidate's behalf. Under the law individuals can contribute larger amounts to these committees than they can to individual candidates provided there is no coordination between the independent committee and the candidate. Typically these committees are formed by unions, political groups and other special interests who favor a given candidate and want to ensure their election. It is not at all common for these committees to be formed by family members and/or employers in that it's difficult to maintain the wall of separation necessary to deflect charges of coordination.A few days after our story the LA Times picked up on the thorny issue of the Blumenfield independent expenditure committee. The article mentions "Observers say they've rarely seen a candidate's family run a campaign outside the control of the candidate, although in 2001, five brothers and other relatives and friends financed a $10,000 radio ad campaign on behalf of Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge."
The latest twist in the AD40 saga includes yet another complaint filed with the FPPC against Blumenfield. According to the Waldman campaign, a television commercial (below) released by the elder Blumenfield's IEC that features video allegedly shot by the campaign.
Labels: AD40, bob blumenfield, howard berman, stuart waldman
Posted by Michael Higby @ 5/19/2008 06:00:00 AM
25 Comments:
Who cares. Go after Tom LaBonge's myriad brothers, too; ten thousand or a hundred, whatever.
You guys just go after people for the joy of it, out of jealousy, after anyone who can from those who can't.
Nothing about the guy who can make or break L A County on gangs, crime, illegals and Jamiel's law, and watching the Supervisors: Cooley. But quoting a tired day-old puff piece, which doesn't even mention his rivals.
These are "charges." Anybody can make them. Anybody can file them. Stuart Waldman is so pathetic, he needs to go after the front runner with his lame allegations and habitual filings. Stuart, on your best days you were a mediocre COS. You wouldn't cut it as an elected anything. That's why you have to resort to this kind of crap. Loser.
From Calitics:
Michael Blumenfield, the retired psychiatrist from Scarsdale, N.Y., who moved out to California to live across the street from his son, had already given the $3600 limit last year. So, legally, he could give no more.
Loophole. California has this nifty little device to get around those pesky "limits." It's called the "independent expenditure committee" with the operative word being INDEPENDENT. The deal is that someone can form this sort of committee and spend ALL they want. They just can't coordinate with anyone in the campaign.
It seems that father Michael got together with his son's present employer, Congressman Howard Berman, and opened up shop with this type of committee. The $50K seed money from him landed in the account on March 25th, just before the California Democratic State Convention, where son, Bob, would lose the party endorsement and make this committee all the more important.
Then a $5K chunk from Michael MacLeod, the Chairman of Public Interest Data in Washington DC rolled in on April 1st. This Michael chipped in another $5K May 8th. Is he a relative? From his website, we find he has a history as a fundraiser. From Newsmeat, we learn that he's a contributor to the DCCC, Harry Reid, Howard Dean, Joe Lieberman and Hillary Clinton. But what IS his connection to this far away California Assembly candidate? Inquiring minds want to know.
Then more money from dad...another $50K...another $20K. That would be $116,400 OVER what is allowed by law. But, oh yes, this is an "independent" expenditure!!! So, it gets to slip by the pathetically weak campaign finance rules.
The most surprising entry, however, has to be that MEGA contribution from Bob's employer, Congressman Howard Berman. It could be said that Howard has raised a ton of money this year for his non-campaign....no opponents in the primary...not even one Republican willing to run against him in the general. All alone with his $914,233 and no campaign of his own. Don't you just WONDER why he's collecting all that?
Well, wonder no more. There is the "independent expenditure" committee to funnel in a cool $100K. Bob is, after all, his own chief-of-staff. Well, officially "on leave" for now. But, what if Bob could get a seat in the Assembly and BE THERE when the reapportionment comes up after the next census? Wouldn't that just be peachy keen!!!
Of course, we have to really IMAGINE that there is no coordination between the campaign and the father across the street and the employer of 18 years. This IS a stretch, but, hey, can we really IMAGINE THIS???
I guess the real test is when you see a television ad with footage of the family...the little daughter...the lovely wife...the CAMPAIGN LOGO...and three endorsements. And then there is the e-mail from the campaign:
Voters are calling us about a fun, new ad that began airing recently. Since
the ad wasn't produced by us, we do not know when it airs. Supporters found
it on YouTube.
Does this strain credibility or what? Get real.
Loser Waldman spinner forgot to include the WHOLE Calitics article:
I guess the FPPC may have to take a look at this now that the complaint was filed. And who was it that filed it??? Nicole Kuklok-Waldman, wife of Stuart Waldman, one of the opponents in this mid-San Fernando Valley race. Handy to have an attorney in the family.
But, do we have the pot calling the kettle black???
Seems Stuart has his own little "Independent Expenditure" committee cranking out the bucks for him too. This one is called the "CA Alliance for Progress and Education" (one wonders what KIND of education they had in mind when naming this as well as what KIND of progress). It's been around a lot longer and has more candidates in the stable. One funder for this committee is Blue Shield of California to the tune of $25K---which goes to show you where SOME of the huge profits from health insurance go. Others have included the California Dental Association and the Californians for Civil Justice Reform. Total going to Stuart??? A cool $306,979.81 which he, of course, knows nothing about either. Money does make the political world go round. And this race is certainly starting to spin. Too bad the mainstream press isn't covering local politics this year.
So, fellow Californians, are we ready to get off of this squirrel cage and demand some serious reform in this system? As it's now arranged, the ethically challenged dive through these loopholes that were arranged there on purpose to fool the people into thinking that there really is some level of accountability, and there is NOT. Consider how often you have taken the time to really research where the money is coming from to buy the campaign propaganda that sells you your candidate each election. And next time the issue of public financing comes up, and it will, please make sure you aren't fooled again by the corporate interests who fund the anti- campaign.
ETHICS IN OUR CANDIDATES--EITHER THEY HAVE THEM NOW OR NOT. THEY DON'T GROW THEM ONCE IN OFFICE.
For those of you who just HAVE to check this out yourself:
Through the Secretary of State's website enter these in the cal-access search link:
Valley Democrats for Change, filer ID# 1305598
CA Alliance for Progress and Education ID#1283921
http://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/P...
shows the money flowing in from Bob's employer and dad
http://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/C... .aspx?id=1305598&view=late3
shows it flowing out to the various tv commercials/media buys/envelopes and the 410 form listing the treasurers
http://www.strumwooch.com/prof...
This is the website for the treasurer, initially Beverly Palmer, and now Aimee Dudovitz. Both of them are associates. The main partner in the firm, Fredrich Woocher, is listed as the assistant treasurer.
http://www.stuartwaldman.com/C...
This is the complaint filed with the FPPC. The complete filing is linked under this page.
http://www.opensecrets.org/pol...
Howard's current $ tally
http://www.youtube.com/user/va...
the Bob and family ads from youtube
http://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/C...
Stuart's special friend committee
Nice to know the two leading male candidates for the seat are already in somebody's back pocket. Healey's got more balls than either of them.
Mayor Sam's evergreen endorsement of Waldman shows that Stuart isn't anywhere near as "progressive" as he continually claims. Nice endorsement from VICA, Fat Stuey!
Nice to see Stuart, Bob, Laurette and Lloyd all posting here.
So what if Waldman's wife is an attorney? He is too. However you haven't seen Waldman trot out his family in ads like Bob has.
Too bad cause even though Stuart is no pretty boy his wife is way hotter than Bob's wife. How did the fat boy angle that?
Ah, the worm turns.
No wonder Howard is investing so heavily in Bob.
He needs Bob to make sure Howard's seat doesn't go Latino.
Either that or Bob is a really shitty employee and Howard can't get around to firing him.
Noone will vote for Stuart. Bob wins. Perhaps after the election Stuart could join Homeless Dave in begging for money outside Starbucks and run a blog noone reads like Higby or Elliott.
Democrats are so obnoxious.
All of the AD40 candidates should just quit and let Michael Blumenfield buy the seat for Stuttering Bobby.
It's an AD40 tradition started by Larry Levine.
Very cool observation by 10:46. Wow. Really? Ya think?
Dumbass. What do you expect from a political blog?
Memo to:
Higby
Waldman
Levine
Blumenstein
Re: AD 40
No one (not noone) cares.
Thank you,
A reader
Do any of the AD40 candidates know what Chamberlain did in 1938?
Are we witnessing the birth of the 80 FAKE BLUMENFIELD INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE COMMITTEES?
Michael Trujillo supports Bob.
It's all about re-apportionment and who gets more Jews: Berman or Sherman.
WHY DID YOU CUT A LONG AND INTELLIGENT AND NOT IN ANY WAY OFFENSIVE ANSWER TO THE Q ABOUT CHAMBERLAIN?
WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? CENSORSHIP IS THE LAST RESORT OF COWARDS AND FOOLS. SO NOW WE KNOW WHAT YOU ARE, pretty sad. Makes no sense, either.
Does Bluemstein think he is very chic parading his Black wife around town? Will that get more Democrat votes? Sad.
Canoga Park Memorial Day Parade May 26, 2008
Monday, May. 26th -
Come support BOB BLUMENFIELD who is supporting the VETERENS in the
CANOGA PARK MEMORIAL DAY PARADE!!
Higby, my bad on the Chamberlain comment: I found it on your Open Monday thread; confused by the guy who double-posted the q.
Bob is a pathetic nothing who couldn't get elected on his own. But with his dad's money he can buy a spot in the state legislature. . . and we wonder why the nitwits in sacramento can't get anything right. Bob will fit right in....
“The vote to overturn Bob Blumenfield’s endorsement was a very important development,” defiantly proclaiming that “Blumenfiedl was the chosen candidate of the Waxman-Berman-etc. machine and his endorsement was brought to the floor of the convention where Stuart Waldman . . . . made a pasionate argument against the “machine” and stacked endorsement caucuses.”
Regardless of Blumenfield’s association with Berman/Waxman, no true Progressive would want to support Waldman, who, for example, is PRO-DEATH PENALTY, is in favor of keeping the MICRA caps for attorneys and its 30 year old limits on medical malpractice recovery for injured victims in California, and has no problem with AIPAC. To me, that’s not very Progressive. Let’s think about what a candidate actually stands for, and then act accordingly."
Why doesn't Waldman put his commercial on You Tube?
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