City Council, LACERS, and a surprise meeting with Nuch!
I went to LA City Council today to promote my group, Westside Republicans, and make a public service announcement about their upcoming events.
I was going to make comments about the May 19th election, but decided to let it drop... enough time has passed....let's move forward. I concentrated on talking about the protest outside Henry Waxmans office -- 8436 West 3rd Street on Friday, May 29th at noon.
I explained how Cap & Trade is a liberal fantasy about controlling CO2 that will cost the US jobs and growth and raise taxes on energy by over 1.9 TRILLION dollars. It couldn't come at a worse time.
Council President Garcetti admonished me about staying on topic about Council business. I told him I was talking about the economic survival of the United States. I said "that is everyones business".
Several things of interest today in City Council...
1) One of the first subjects up was about the City being "given" a street in San Pedro from the Federal Government...and being handed a few million dollars to boot! Council Member Janice Hahn seemed pretty proud about this achievement. I wish I knew more about it, but the details got skipped over pretty quick.
2) Eternal thorn and career public commentator Arnold Sachs managed to get himself booted from City Hall for a few sessions. Sachs is a City Hall denizen who is about as popular in City Council chambers as a subpoena. That said, I appreciate his efforts because he routinely protests obscure actions by the City Council that the media ignores. Sometimes, he is the only voice of opposition. But today he was a bit aggressive, calling the Council Members "criminals"...which I'm sure they didn't appreciate. Council President Garcetti told Sachs he was "out" for a few sessions. Poor Arnold...he means well. Don't know what he will do with all the free time, but to be honest...I was never quite sure why he went to City Council meetings in the first place. Sachs once admitted to me that he doesn't even live in Los Angeles.
3) Aggressive Socialists wearing red ACORN t-shirts were there demanding free housing or reduced cost housing. I was appalled by their shameless behavior. One of them said housing was their "right". Another said"give us our housing!" Yet another said that if she didn't get her reduced cost housing... "we will come after you!" Frightening. I thought it highly ironic that language like that coming from Zuma Dogg would probably end up with him in handcuffs. But for the liberals? Totally OK with it. Wearing the color RED was appropriate for them because they won't be Socialists for long. They see the end game in the distance. Is this what Los Angeles has become? A city of panhandlers with government enablers?
3) City Hall celebrity gadfly Zuma Dogg and his partner in crime Matt Dowd (Dowd had recently been booted for swearing during Council meetings) continued their colorful and spicy commentary on the Council, actually getting away with calling the Council members "losers" several times. Dowd repeatedly called Jack Weiss a "loser" while referring to the recent election results.
(As an aside, I can accept Zuma Doggs criticisms because he's originally from Cleveland, but I have never been fond of listening to Dowd criticizing U.S. politicians. He sounds like a bit of an ingrate. If he doesn't like things here in this generous country that has been so kind to allow him to live here... he always has the option of buying a return ticket on Quantas.)
4) I was anticipating fireworks to go off when they got to subject 11 in the meeting... LACERS! The bungled City retirement investments. The discussion of Zuma Doggs favorite subject was almost certain to cause him to have a meltdown...but surprise- surprise!!...the Council skipped the commentary and nobody from the public got to speak about it. They hurriedly moved to a secretive, closed session and kicked everyone out of the chambers. Very strange. I didn't like the lack of transparency there.
5) When the Council came back from the secret session, I arrived too late and missed my turn to speak about the budget. I was disappointed because I wanted to confront the Council over pandering to the Socialists. Wendy Gruel sent one of the LAPD officers to inform me that I had missed my turn. I was impressed. Wendy Gruel and I don't agree on political issues, but I admire her professionalism. She pays attention to small details and keeps her head in the game. That's important. Hopefully she will be a great Controller.
Because I had missed my turn to speak, I bolted from the Council meeting to go get something to eat.
Walking down Main Street, who do I see but new City Attorney Nuch Trutanich!!
It was very obvious to me that Nuch is busy as hell right now - he was talking on two cell phones at the same time!
He had one on both sides of his head, trying to have two conversations at once.
I waited until he was done and shook hands with him and congratulated him on his victory.
We talked for a few minutes about the transition. He sounded frustrated that Rocky Delgadillo wasn't making the transition easy for him. I told him he should go into Delgadillos office and start firing staffers left and right.
I said "They know they are out of power now and that's politics. When your man loses, the whole support staff and assistants crowd gets tossed out." I told him that I would love to have the opportunity to march into City Hall and replace some of the deadwood...some of the bad government employees.
"Fill out an application" , he said, joking and laughing as he walked away.
Nuch is a great guy. A lot of people in this City are counting on him.
I hope he does a great job.
Posted by Phil Jennerjahn @ 5/27/2009 09:33:00 PM
31 Comments:
Phil,
Thanks for the commentary, and I agree that ZD and Dowd often lose credibility because they take activism a little too far.
I don't agree with your comment about Dowd "... he always has the option of buying a return ticket on Quantas."Are you suggesting that immigrants, and of course I mean legal immigrants, have less of a right to complain of the way the country/city is being run?
That sort of xenophobia undermines your credibility, and I suggest you immediately apologize here and now for making such a rash statement.
Perhaps you were consumed by the heat of the moment and "lost it," much in the way that ZD and Dowd apparently do? How would you like it if we said "Get a return ticket if you don't like it?"
Be a man and apologize to Dowd.
Phil, it used to bug me with you calling liberals "socialists" but I do sort of get it. It's your word for anyone who wants a handout and anyone who hands out. Anyway I enjoy reading your experiences with the city pols.
Phil:
If you're going to play the game, learn the rules.
Garcetti was right. You were off-topic and wasting people's time. During public comment time, you're only allowed to speak on items that are under the jurisdiction of the City Council but not on the agenda.
But more importantly, if you want to run for office again, and be something more than a joke, don't waste your time hanging around City Hall waiting to speak where nobody can hear you. Go out into the streets and meet people. Collect supporters. If you can't raise the money for your next race, you'll need supporters.
LACERS? Why? What happened? Did something happen with LACER pension money?
I hope that Trutanich does NOT follow rash advice like "I told him he should go into Delgadillos office and start firing staffers left and right."
That's guaranteed to cost the city (us) millions of dollars. It's a stupid a suggestion as the proposed billboard ordinance that Trutanich managed to get the city to postpone.
These things need a reasoned and legal approach - it's the difference between having a political photo-op whore like Jack Weiss, and a professional. Weiss made rash decisions that ended up costing millions. Trutanich is right to take the time to study the problem and come up with a legal solution.
Spare your advice Phil, and don't waste time filing out an application unless you want to add another failure to your record.
Phil, why do you think that Matt Dowd doesn't have the right to speak about local politics in the city where he lives? That's why people are leery of you. That was not a cool thing to say about him.
It was really dumb advice about firing all the attorneys there AS IF they are all Delgadillo supporters. Some of them have worked there for a long time. You don't really think they all approve of Rocky, do you? Maybe many of them are stoked about getting a new boss. I don't know about you sometimes Phil. You just seem a tad too naive. Or something.
You are definitely a newb. Without a doubt. You certainly couldn't try to fool someone into believing you're capable. You have to know the rule about Public Comment on an item that is under the jurisdiction of the Council, but not on the agenda. Yet, you said something about the nation's problems affecting us. Well, maybe so but not in a City Council meeting. You have a lot to learn.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dowd knows WAY more about City politics than you, Slim Jim Jennerjahn. So stay on topic or STFU.
Anyone know if Dowd blogs?
I meant no disrespect to City Councilmembers when I called them all "losers." I know they do not like to be called disrespectful names, and I was not trying to. I was simply trying to come up with an accurate moniker to describe their involvement in the $7 BILLION loss of pension fund money in one budget year. So since they LOST the money, the only name I could think to call them was, "losers."
But if they win all the money back I will call them, "gainers," even though that will be IMPOSSIBLE, since when you invest in shell firms and bottomed-up real estate projects the money is already in off-shore accounts of the people Villaraigosa associated with.
"...and I agree that ZD and Dowd often lose credibility..."
NO WHERE does it suggest that ZD often loses credibility. SO WHO ARE YOU AGREEING WITH?
Anyway, I think I've had enough of anonymous blog spin on this blog.
10:23
Not apologizing to Dowd. He has made comments about me. I really didn't say anything that bad about him.
10:56
I was slightly off topic, but I was talking about an elected official here in LA who is trying to destroy the economy. At least I wasn't talking about a lost dog or how I got a parking ticket.
Zuma@11:16
One of your best posts ever.
Sarcasm suits you.
11:46
Millions? Unlikely. Those people are out of a job in just a few weeks. Unlikely any jury would hand out rewards regarding the totally natural turnover after a political election cycle.
3:06
Dowd can say whatever he wants. But if he really wants to work so hard to change things for the better, why didn't he do it in his own country?
Let's get something straight here, guys. You cannot lose what yuo never had.
Thus, I agree with Schmaltzburger/ZD that he did not lose credibility.
He does not have any, and he never did have any. He is unlikely to gain any based upon his present behavior.
He is nothing more than a loudmouthed clown who is a psychotic attention whore.
He lives for the two minutes he gets as a citizen to spout off on issues he really doesn't understand, in the remote hope that, like the million monkeys on the million typewriters, he may actually say something vslid.
Guys, if it weren't for that fool and those of us who cannot abide his inanity, half the posts around here wouldn't exist.
What if Higby, in a rare showing of statesmanship, banned both Schmaltzburger, or Elliott, or Zuma (whatever his real name might be) as well as comments like this reacting to his stupidity??
This blog would improve by an exponential factor.
How about it, Michael?
Phil what do you do for a living that presently pays for your bills.
You are the only Republican I know who is unemployed yet still dresses in a suit.
It was funny how garcetti slapped you down from promoting your "events" in city hall any further.
I'm not the only one who wouldn't mind seeing Matt Dowd deliver a knuckle sandwich to the nose of Phil Gendergone. Maybe it'd make Phil's voice a bit more manly. It was great to see garcetti shut down phil's promoting his "event" at city hall! Ha ha
ZUMA DOGG SAID: I meant no disrespect to City Councilmembers when I called them all "losers."
BULLSHIT, Dave. You are the most disrespectful person ever to set foot in that place and that includings all of the current whack pack.
All you try to do is burn up ever single second of your time even if it means you have to talk gibberish.
Slim Jim is trying steal Zuma's public comment fame/
I agree with the other poster - Matt Dowd should feed you a leather boot Jennerjahn.
Phil,
Running into someone in a hall way isn't a "meeting."
Once again you try to make a fool of yourself if you try to make nothing into some thing.
People running into YOU in the hall way don't call it a "meeting with Phil" First of all, no body knows your name, but even if they did, running into you in an elevator isn't a meeting.
you really look like a moron when you say such things. go to city hall on friday and tell people about your "meeting" and watch them laugh in disbelief.
oh my goodness. "his own country" ????
thank you Phil for being very clear about how discriminatory you are.
I lived 21 years in New Zealand, first of all, and then 19 in Australia, before realizing at age 40 that I wanted to move to the United States.
but let me clear, those other two countries do not have a Bill of Rights, and Equal Protection, and many freedoms and rights that come with the Constitution.
I'm also a major fan of American guitars and Leo Fender, the guitar icon. I chose to be here because of some things that many take for granted and are losing.
That you paint me as some kind of lesser person than you or anyone because I have an accent from a country that you perceive as well off, maybe?
If I had a Mexican, or Chinese or Russian accent would you still not like to hear me criticize Jack Weiss.
or is it purely because I took one look at your cheesy greasy two bit life size glossy pin up posters that you thought would guarantee your win in the election for Mayor of Los Angeles, and I decided not to even talk to you???
and then you came in last. rotflmfao
Mayor Sam is rolling around in the aisle too because you keep making up these posts, and then you get hammered. its serious comedy, and yet you don't even see that.
and so to correct your comment, it would be Air New Zealand that I'd be getting on.
and you also mean a 'one way' ticket, surely. [on qantas] a return ticket would allow me to fly back. geeze.
also, and this is just because i like attention to detail.. there's no U in QANTAS.
its Queensland And Northern Territory Airline Services. QANTAS.
Yea - Yea - Yea - and Yea -
to each of your eight points 8:13 am.
Couldn"t have said it better myself.
LMAO. I think Phil will think twice before trashtalking about Matt Dowd again.
"cheesy greasy two bit life size glossy pin up posters "
AAAAAAAAHA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!
Next I predict Phil will write the "Last Word about Matt Dowd".
Matt Dowd rocks, and Phil is an idiot who doesn't believe that he is the butt of everyone's jokes that he dresses up in daddy's suit just to finish in last place.
It would be great if Matt clocked him in the nose. Phil, you have no fucking idea about the great comment of the subjects that Matt has, and that Higby just lets you post here because you are a magnet for negative attention.
You got, what, a tenth of the votes that Zuma got? Meanwhile, tell us what you do to pay your bills. It appears that other than your birthday clown gig, you are unemployed. A republican who is unemployed! Yeah, we'll all go to your event that Garcetti banned you from making from now on. Loser.
Phil, did you kiss his ring?
You do know that meeting someone in the hall and jabbering at him isn't a real meeting, right? Anymore than going into the lobby of the Times to call upstairs on the house phone to announce that you're ready for your interview is an interview?
Now that he's gotten elected and used your nitwits for blogging he has no time for you. And zuma has become a liability for him.
See, he'll do anything to get elected but now he's trying to put on a more civilized face and it was nice knowin' ya.
Don't forget to submit that job application.
8:36
What is with the unreasonable concern with what I do for a living? It's nothing illegal, if that's what you want to know.
I freelance at multiple jobs.
Not rich, not poor. In the middle.
9:22
Why do you read Mayor Sam if you know nothing about politics? I met Nuch several times during the campaign when we spoke at different events.
Matt Dowd@10:37
Matt, I don't dislike you... have no opinion on you, really...I just think you should do something else besides criticizing the City Council members everyday. I mean, I go down there SOMETIMES, but not all the time. You and Zuma and Arnold Sachs practically live there.
I don't care if you immigrated here.. that is fine. Just take it easy on City Council. They are a bunch of bungling bureaucrats... that is true.
But complaining to them doesn't seem to help very much.
12:43
I have seen Matt make excellent critical comments at City Hall, so I'm not unfamiliar. I just think he could have better things to do.
Wait a second phil. All YOU do is promote your own organization when you go to city council.
Matt at least is trying to bring about change.
You NEVER get up and talk about anything other than YOUR group. That does nothing. You have accomplished no change. Matt has. You're an idiot with a high pitched voice, and "freelances" for a living, which is a bunch of crap. You can't even describe what it is that you do. Obviously, you are unemployed and don't have a vocation.
That's why people like me, and some others apparently, are asking. To test your veracity, which is obviously challenged.
What good is to be a citizen if you do not do anything for your own country? Most people that vote do it because of the “Party” they belong to and not because they KNOW the facts or their allegiance to the party is stronger than common sense. The Council members and the Mayor are “citizens”. How many of them are selling pieces of this country to special interests “Pay to Play”? Do they really love this country? Do they respect the rights of the citizens? Have they kept their OATH of Office? You can call yourself a “citizen” that does not mean you act like one.
“Do not ask what your country can do for you but what can you do for your country” President John F. Kennedy
Phil,
I'm not one of the people who've been asking here about your occupation.
My question is:how can you be so dense not to realize that a politician needs to be transparent ?
If you don't lay your cards out on the table when you are running for office, who will you find that is equally dense to vote for you? The answer is obvious in the election results.
People kept asking you during the campaign and unbelievably you refused to answer. If you can't answer very basic questions, people can't trust your judgment about anything beyond that either.
It's that simple, Phil - why is that so hard for you?
11:13
Like many people here in town, I'm a member of the Screen Actors Guild. But work in that field is sporadic and unpredictable.
If I don't get 51% of my income in any given year from the studios, is it necessary to list my occupation as something else?
THE REAL TRUTH IS THE COUNCIL, MAYOR AND GREUEL DON'T CARE ABOUT THE YOU THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY. THAT'S WHY THEY KEEP CUTTING YOUR SERVICES AND RAISING YOUR FEES. AND THEY NEVER CHIP IN FINANCIALLY TO HELP OUT. NICE RACKET!! BUT SOME OF YOU WILL CONTINUE TO WORRY ABOUT RESPECTING THEM, BUT WHAT ABOUT RESPECTING YOU AND THE CITIES TAXPAYING CITIZENS!!
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