Betty Pleasant and her Shady Friends

We've documented many times that "journo" Betty Pleasant has a major obsession with Councilman Bernard Parks who she view as responsible for all the troubles in the 8th District.

Betty is a classy sport who once told Phil Jennerjahn to tell me that she said "He can kiss my ass."

Practicing the old adage that the enemy of my enemy is my friend Betty has offered kudos to two potentially questionable figures whose only merit for Classy Betty is that they are somehow opposing  Parks.



First off Betty is quite excited that Forescee Hogan-Rowles has filed to run against Parks as he seeks re-election next year.  Hogan-Rowles is the President and CEO of Community Financial Resource Center, another one of those connected "non-profits" we hear so much about.  A check of City records shows that CFRC has received many City contracts some of which are in the seven figure range and because the City has not made available contract documents it is hard to determine what the money is being spent on.

Betty might also want to check City of LA Ethics Commission records from the last time Hogan-Rowles ran for the Eight Council District seat.  Hogan-Rowles was found by the Commission to have violated City campaign rules that would have required her to pay over $50,000 in fines but because she settled with the Commission Hogan-Rowles received an administrative penalty of $1,650.00.

But if Betty's friend Hogan-Rowles raises eyebrows another longtime Parks critic that Pleasant has pulled to her maternal bosom potentially comes with even bigger baggage.

Damien Goodman is an activist who has fought for several years against construction of the Expo Light Rail Line in South Central.  Frequently Goodman emails us his screeds about the rail line and often critical of Parks.  His latest such diatribe, a point by point refutation of a Parks email blast, caught the eye of Betty who loved it.

Betty referred to Goodman as her "baby brother in kick-butt activism."

Betty may have been even more correct in that statement than she thought.  Especially the "kick-butt" part.

The Sister City has come into information that on May 9th of this year Goodman was arrested by the LAPD on charges of domestic abuse.  His live in girlfriend claims that Goodman had asked her for $20 for food which she did not have.  Later, apparently still upset at the woman (even after she had brought him a plate of food from a church function) she alleges that Goodman spit in the woman's face, calling her a "bitch," grabbing her wrists and eventually punching her in the face.

The woman said that Goodman attempted to keep her in their house and took away her phone and computer to keep her from contacting police or her family. She was able to get away and return to her family.  Later the woman, who claims to have been dating Goodman for three years, returned with police to retrieve her belongings from his home.  Shortly thereafter police received a tip as to Goodman's whereabouts.  The tipster put Goodman on the phone after which he told police where he was.  The girlfriend identified him and he was arrested and booked for cohabitant abuse.

We tried to reach Goodman to get his side of the story but he has yet to respond to our request.  If and when he does, we'll bring it to you.