Outtakes from CD 14: "CLARTS Fund Transparency Held Hostage, Day 96, The Stonwalling Continues"..... and other CD 14 News.

Hola and happy TGIF from the "Cut and Paste Republic of CD 14", where on any given day, political exploitation is a given, especially near re-election time.

On the subject of political exploitation, CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar is a "five-star practitioner" of image crafting. especially if the taxpayers or a certain CLARTS Fund foots the bill.

Lets be serious here, what other council district in Ciudad de Los Angeles has three straight days of Fourth of July festivities, where constituents can celebrate the nation's most sacred day in the shadows of Huizar banners, posters, and signage?

Where else can you hear, see and watch your councilman parade himself in front of the assemble masses, while staffers canvass the audience for any protential political interlopers?

And what council district allocates fireworks resources based upon protential voter turnout and contributions to a re-election campaign? That would be CD 14 and who or what pays for all of this? That is not readily transparent.

For months now, political observers and diligent journalists have sought out the public records how Councilman Huizar funds these commuinity exercises in image crafting. Some have speculated that Councilman Huizar is hording the financial resources of the CLARTS Fund, as some sort of political slush fund, that will be use as a vote buying fund for his re-election campaign in 2011.

The latest to inquire about the CLARTS Fund is Los Angeles Garment and Citizen Editor and Publisher Jerry Sullivan, who devotes column inches to the issue, in his latest edition. And what response did Sullivan's inquiries get from the office of Councilman Huizar? Silence.............

From the Garment and Citizen.

E-mails obtained by the Garment & Citizen indicate that representatives of Huizar acknowledged more than four months ago that documents detailing spending from the CLARTS Fund are public records and subject to public scrutiny—but they have not released them. The e-mails inidcate that an initial acknowledgement came on February 25 in response to a request from Carlos Morales, editor of The Voice. Ana Cubas, who currently serves as Huizar’s chief of staff, said the council office would need 30 days to respond to Morales’ request.

That timeline has come and gone with no disclosure. A more recent request for the records by the Garment & Citizen has drawn no response from Huizar’s office.

As Sullivan notes in his latest "Dat, Dat, Dish Column", this issue regarding the lack of transparency, will surely galvanize the CD 14 activists to support a challenger to replace Councilman Huizar, who will return openness and transparency to CD 14.

4+12+14=3: That might look like some crazy math, but not if you consider the equation from the vantage point of Ron Kaye’s “Clean Sweep” campaign, which is seeking viable candidates to challenge incumbents in the 2011 City Council elections. Word among politicos has the Clean Sweepers zeroing in on three of the seven seats that will be on the ballot early next year, with incumbents Tom Labonge of the 4th District and the 14th District’s Jose Huizar on their radar—and a search ongoing for a horse to back in the open race for the 12th District. Word on the street says the number of Clean Sweep targets could grow, since the City Council’s performance amid hard times appears to have helped take Kaye’s quest from quixotic to quite doable (see related story, “Huizar Won’t Say on CLARTS Fund,”

....... and judging by the interaction between El Sereno and Eagle Rock activists with announced CD 14 Candidate Rudy Martinez at "Huizzy's Fireworks Tour de CD 14" that process is well underway.

OTHER CD 14 NEWS:

** On the "Politics of Fireworks", a few CD 14 activists had the salient observation that Boyle Heights and El Sereno were given the "economy size show" compare to Eagle Rock, who were the benefitories of the political kindness of Councilman Huizar. One person pointed out that the Eagle Rock show was double the length of the El Sereno and Boyle Heights shows.

But we can gladly report that the duck population at Hollenbeck Park, did not endure any tragic deaths compare to last year.

And lastly, our thoughts are with the former CD 14 constituents of Lincoln Heights, who were deprived of fireworks this year at Lincoln Park, due to the inaction of the Action Slate of the Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council. LHNC Board Members were seen at the El Sereno Show, but according to a very reliable source, a "executive board member" of the LHNC, opined that he rather spend LHNC money on Lincoln High School band uniforms, than an inclusive community fireworks show. Stay tune for future developments on the new LHNC.

** Would someone please forward me the memo where republicans, need not apply for neighborhood councils in CD 14? That is the one of the accusations that has been disclosed in the election challenges to the recent Neighborhood Council Elections in CD14, as reported in the Eastern Group Publications.

Community Activist Manny Aldana was the subject of a hundred page complaint courtesy of Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council Secretary Margarita Amador, that call upon DONE to disqualify him from being re-elected to the BHNC. Maybe this had to do with the fact that Aldana was the "republican challenger to current Assembly Speaker John Perez in 2008. Or maybe it has to do with Aldana being one of the original signers on the Recall Petition of Mayor Antonio Parkervillar? Smells political to me.

Then we have this other grievance from again Boyle Heights, as noted the EGP story.

On another note, last week Yolanda Gonzales, a BHNC founder, filed a grievance alleging that the old board was intentionally holding up the swearing-in of new board members because the new chair is a registered Republican, a complaint Amador called irrelevant. (Note the lack of a denial)

“I think that’s why a lot of people don’t want to be a part of Neighborhood Councils,” Amador said, noting that no background checks are done on candidates. She says anyone, including criminals and people who just want to build their resumes to run for a higher office, can be elected to the council and administer tax dollars. (Note the abundance of spin)

BTW, did Assemblyman Hector De La Torre author a law where convicted felons could not run for public office?

** If you are in a giving mood. that newest "connected non-profit" Legacy LA, is hosting a Casino Night this evening from 8 PM until midnight at the Hazard Park Armory. Via text from "Monique" "Hey!! Legacy is having a Casino night this FRiday, 6/9 from 8PM -midnight. $30/ticket or $50/couple. I'm selling tix, so hit me up! We need ur help!" Wonder if LA Rec. and parks is a willing partner in this endeavor?

Your thoughts..............

Scott Johnson in CD 14