This Veterans Day Tom LaBonge Raises Red Tape Not Yellow Ribbon in CD-4
Tom LaBonge (CD-4) and the Los Angeles City Council have launched their latest obstructionist stunt.
This time around, they’re targeting Los Angeles’ veteran community on Veterans Day. The LA Times gives its take here.
David Weiss is a former Marine and represents a coalition of prominent LA veterans group. Weiss submitted a routine community plan on the veterans’ behalf to commemorate Veterans Day by draping the Hollywood Sign in Labonge’s district with a yellow “Support Our Troops” ribbon.
Over the years, draping the sign has become a longstanding tradition that draws attention to a variety of causes.
Weiss says his proposal has received support across the board because it is a tremendous opportunity to demonstrate nonpartisan support for our troops at a time of war with zero cost to the City.
The Hollywood Sign Trust and the Chamber of Commerce both enthusiastically approved Weiss’s proposal and his group’s agreement to self-fund the project, but Tom LaBonge and the rest of the Council are determined to prove that getting things done in LA isn’t about process or what’s fair and appropriate or even how many reputable organizations have lined up behind you.
In this Council it’s about who you know, and LaBonge doesn’t seem to know our veterans.
LaBonge was Weiss’s last stop in a months-long approval process, and Weiss says when he met with Councilman LaBonge, he received approval quickly.
The meeting ended with a handshake; yet ever since, Labonge has been hiding behind bureaucracy and red tape. LaBonge has refused to bring the veterans’ proposal before the Council for consideration. Instead, Weiss says LaBonge opted to “run out the clock” and hasn’t even dignified the veterans with a workable response.
This morning, Weiss and some of his backers gathered on the steps of City Hall and expressed frustration with their biggest obstacle: Councilman Tom LaBonge and his failure of leadership.Weiss has redoubled his efforts to see the proposal through by Christmastime.
His group has also vowed to unseat Tom LaBonge in the March 2011. They’ve thrown their support behind Tomas O’Grady’s bid to represent CD-4.
According to O’Grady, red tape doesn’t stop with the community’s commemoration proposals – he’s seen community members in Weiss’s position too often slapped down by a system they don’t understand, and their representatives in the Council are at best silent on where they should turn. In Weiss’s case, LaBonge seems to be actively obstructing the process.
A website produced by the O’Grady camp says, “Every single day in Los Angeles home builders, small businesspeople, and restaurateurs run up against a system which has no system…This is something else again. In a time of two wars, it feels downright unpatriotic and mean-spirited not to acknowledge our troops in every way possible.”
Developing…
Watch for David Weiss and Tomas O’Grady tonight (Nov. 10) on KTLA, NBC, and ABC local evening news.
Tune into The Kevin James Show on KRLA 870 at midnight for interviews and further coverage.
Labels: CD4, david weiss, hollywood sign, tom labonge, tomas o'grady
Posted by Alexandra Wolter @ 11/10/2010 03:38:00 PM
37 Comments:
This is outrageous!! Anything American the city council don't like. If they were smart this would be positive publicity for Los Angeles cause with these clowns all we get is negative. Every single person email your council member and tell them this needs to get passed. How many times do they pass things without going through proper channels. I bet LaBonge is not a Vet. Shame on all of them. We need to help our Veterans get this honor.
Wow Alexandra... not working for John Thomas, are you dearie?
Alexander, do you have a clue about how to just the "after the jump" feature on the blog yet?
It's annoying to have to scroll threw your latest ninny-like commentary when you don't understand the simplest things.
Perhaps you can tell us what the big chaos was at today's city council meeting.
You DO follow city council, right? Well what was it about and how was it resolved?
Hmmmmmm?
W.C?
(Who cares?)
Oh baloney. Higby,why are you hiring
shills like this writer to basically post press releases for the candidates they work for? This is disgusting. Even the first comment is a phony! good lord.
And we should care about this because?????
I love LaBonge's quote in the LA Times piece: "He was a very enthusiastic individual."
Like enthusiasm is a disease.
No Tombo. Lethargy, ineptness, corruption...they're diseases.
Nice work Weiss and O'Grady. Thank you for your service!
DUMP ALEXANDRA WOLTER THE SHILL!
Dear Alex:
You make me long for the posts of Haikula.
Now SCRAM!
Love,
Daddy
Wolter is a shill!
Wolter is a shill!
That first comment is such bullshit, that you just KNOW it was her or Higby, which may be his writing altogether.
Sad.
I've known Alexandra Wolter for many years, and she is a warm, wonderful person.
I betcha "Alexandra Wolter" is a female penname for WALTER ALEXANDER!
You're so full of crap, Wolter!
Alex makes Phil Jennerjahn look intelligent.
No, wait, did I just write that?
These comments are funny because they're true!
Alexandra, do you get the impression that you've got no credibility here? For me, it's that you're annoying. But for the others, it seems like credibility is the issue.
An Important clarification Yellow Ribbon V Red Tape!
My Mission is was and always will be to honor our Fighting Forces and Veterans. As I have two times in decades past. I am not political...This is not a political act. It was supposed to be an anonymous gesture done for the city, by the city that has been hung up in red tape.
Tom is not my enemy, nor is the city I grew up in. Tomas heard about the project and its struggles and it resinated with him. He offered to help and in this project which has eaten 11,000 cell minutes, 220 emails, 50 faxes and time I did not anticipate, help is something I am happy to have.
My Team is not trying to do ANYTHING but put a Californian Salute our under appreciated VETERANS and their FAMILIES on an old friend...the Hollywood Sign
Sincerely,
David Weiss
USNA 85, USMC 86
Higby where are you? Aren't you ashamed to post contents from Gatto fans, LeBong heads, Phil Jennerjahn and drunken ex-bloggers slamming folks who want to honor our veterans?
Alexandra don't listen to the usual cast of losers - the only way they would be happy is if a ribbon honoring Islam was the point on the story... they are too invested in business as usual and keeping their staff jobs in city hall . . . sad that our tax dollars support these simpletons but I guess that is what happens when you never elect anyone new . . .
Ali Wolter = John Thomas
I don't know which is worse. Higby letting Joe B. hijack this blog or allowing John Thomas to use it as his own garbage dispensary play tool.
Damn it Higby! Wise up, grow a pair and dump Thomas.
Though I don't care for Joe B's politics, I find John Thomas to be an unbearable little shit that is just mucking up this fine blog with his own self serving propaganda. I mean seriously, the coward hides behind a woman Higby!
Whatever Thomas is paying you, it's not worth it!
"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" - Mark 8:36
Thank you for this post, Alexandra. What a sad state of affairs, A very sad affair to post about. And sad that all the vitriol here is aimed at you instead of La Bonge.
Where the hell is the moderator? Do these evil people commenting here really deserve to have their comments posted?
Why is everyone so angry all the time, and why do some of you have to curse? This guy O'Grady seems to be shaking it up and if the result is that vets get their yellow ribbon on the sign, then why is this so bad?
WTF??? we have a bunch of immature, juvenile adults posting and attacking a woman because she is exercising her 1st amendment right. Grow up children shows how insecure and UnAmerican you are. I received this post via email and its circulating throughout the city. This is a travesty that our city council members are ignorning our Veterans who by the way are the heroes of our country. City Council honors FOREIGNERS and give them a Day or week and yet they can't HONOR OUR VETERANS. This is typical BS from La Bonge. Everyone organize and slam them. This issue is NOT about a candidate, its the right thing to do. Its shameful that a CD4 candidate has to even been fighting to get this done. We will fight and help you Tom
Mailander RIGHTLY slams Pigby and Wolter for this latest sham of a post:
"Veteran's Day without a Bow, part II: John Thomas got a little clumsy with his O'Grady-leave-behind and his publicist put it up at MayorSam even after the story had already appeared at the Times. But tv coverage is the only way to displace a seated Councilmember, and the helpful PS--"watch for David Weiss and Tomas O’Grady tonight (Nov. 10) on KTLA, NBC, and ABC local evening news"--is a wave to LaBonge that the O'Grady camp understands the task at hand."
Los Feliz Forward in da haus.
Some might wonder why would the Gatto goons and Mulholland Mailander even care if Mayor Sam is blogging props to Tomas O'Grady but there is a clear strategy.
Their goal is that Hancock Park Tommy get four more years of banana bread eating, Catholic church gutter cleaning and bouncing around Griffith Park showing his pasty white legs. Then the buffon is termed out to run for Congress.
If someone else gets elected then that does not leave an open seat in 2015 that perhaps some soon to be termed out Red Spot's infant ASSemblyman could run for.
I'm a Stephen Box girl as I really like his views on sustainability and transit. But if O'Grady or one of the other candidates won I would not be sad.
Is this seriously an issue worthy of our attention given the current circumstances of the city? This doesn't even come close to the radar.
I am a veteran, but this issue is less about honoring our veterans than it is about how City Hall works, or doesn't work.
It also points out how difficult it is to have an intelligent conversation on this blog. It is dominated by people who would rather name call and insult each other. Pick any thread, toss out the name calling posts, and see what you're left with.
If this were a community meeting they'd call the police and close down the meeting.
O'Grady = SHILL SHILL SHILL
The last thing you want is this guy in office.
9:26am Stephen Box wife. LA Bonge staffers posting today
I am sad that the Griffith Park Blogger Gatto Wackos feel that their own interests are less important than tossing out the biggest dumbass to ever serve in elected office in LA.
And good afternoon to Mr. O'Grady, or, if you will, Master O'Grady for the sot not only spoke up for our veterans but also is a real treasure to the ship he sails. (Whispers confidentially) The bloody sot is an Irish farm boy! (Clears throat and continues) Such an accomplishment indeed!
But let’s not talk about that. Let’s talk about something else, shall we? Yes, lets. The efforts of a punch drunk blogger and a certain soon to be indicted elected official we all know and do not love. (Navigator motions to Captain Jack; Captain Jack Sparrow nods) Right, then. Perhaps we could search Los Feliz. Or you could always ring the doorbell and ask for him yourself but would he show up?
(Whispers to Mayor Sam) My lord Mayor, rest assured that all of this information can be found quite easily upon the internet. If a pirate can find it, anyone can find it. Savvy?
Cpt Sparrow, Are you talking about the Subway to the Sea vote?
Billboards, grandfathered up the wazoo, Cpt Jack? Mark Siffin?
Phil, if you would like for your comments to appear on this blog, then allow comments to appear on your own blog. Fair is fair. Thank-you.
Ha-Ha! Nice JoeB! Phil can dish it out but he sure can't take it in! Thanks for setting the enemy of free speech straight!
O'Grady is an idiot on a good day, he rants and raves if he does not get his own way. At best O'Grady is unbalanced. so he makes LaBonge look like Mr. Benevolence. All we can hope for are intelligent voters to listen to Steven Box.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home