2011 Edition of "Super Bowl with Huizzy Contest?" brought to you by "Listgate"
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| Councilman Huizar's buddy perdicting Green Bay by four. One wonder how much Huizar is wagering on this year's game? ** PM Update: Los Angeles Times has story regarding shakeup in Councilman Jose Huizar's Campaign Team. More information wil be posted here shortly. ** Ron Kaye has his story regarding Michael Trujillo's termination as Councilman Jose Huizar's Campaign Manager. Welcome to all you lovers of football to our 3rd Annual "Super Bowl with Huizzy Contest". This year's event is brought to by Councilman Jose Huizar's very own Listgate Scandal where your combination of community influence and most important, loyalty to Councilman Huizzy, may put you on the path to enjoying an afternoon of pigskin with the Charro Huizzy Corleone of CD 14. This year's picks after the bloggin leap |
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| Councilman Huizar Chief of Staff Ana Cubas checking the lists to see if you are loyal to your councilman for Super Bowl consideration. In order to be consider for "Super Bowl with Huizzy", the like of Councilman Huizar's Chief of Staff Ana Cubas must refer to the Constituent Discrimination, errrrr, Constituent Survey Lists. For the likes of Mt. Washington's Daniel Wright (-3 and 2) and Boyle Heights Jose Aguilar (-3 and 1) y Johnny Jay Jimenez (-3 and 0). You chances of seeing Huizzy, are most likely in the mail. |
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| If you are the lucky winner of Super Bowl with Huizzy, meet your party hostesses via the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council.. If you are the lucky (and someone who contributed to Huizzy's re election campaign) and are chosen to host "Super Bowl with Huizzy" your prize includes hosting services by the ladies in charge of the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council. Margo Amador (on right in photo) may give you some inside hints how to get a new condo from her employer the Fifteen Group, which owns the Wyvernwood Apartment Complex near Soto and Olympic. You may also get some party trays courtesy of Margo's latest shill project, 7-11 who just donated $500.00 to Huizzy's campaign. |
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| Every Super Bowl party needs a party bouncer and that would be Sal Martinez (center) who would kick you out of Boyle Heights if you disagree with Councilman Huizar. Then no "Super Bowl with Huizzy" is not complete without some "homeboy security" provided by none other than former Boyle Height Neighborhood Council Presidential Candidate Sal Martinez (he lost to current BHNC President Jose Aguilar, but I digress). If your "Super Bowl with Huizzy" is a "hood gathering", who else but former homie Sal is your man to keep the peace (and keep out the Huizzy-haters). NOW OUR "SUPER BOWL WITH HUIZZY" 2011 PICKS: Julio Torres (3 and 5) of El Sereno's Our Town Magazine: The person who scored the only perfect score on the lists made public, should be the prohibited favorite. Those merchants and business owners who would attend a "Super Bowl with Huizzy" hosted by Torres, might benefit from some cheap advertising rates in future editions of his magazine. Bill Rumble (3 and 3) with spouse Carol Jacquez (3 and 3) of the Southwest Society: The "Bill and Hillary Clinton" of the Northeast Democrat(ic sellouts) have been a popular choice for hosting "Super Bowl with Huizzy" in our past incarnations of this bloggin feature. The likes of Eliot Sekuler (2 and 3) providing the spinning talking point and Tony Scudellari entertaining with ethnic humor, would make this the most exclusive of "Super Bowl with Huizzy" gathering. Sal Martinez (3 and 2** what happens after losing BHNC Presidency to Jose Aguilar) of Victory Outreach: The choice of Sal Martinez to host "Super Bowl with Huizzy" would be the "choice of choices" if the homies favorite team the "Oakland Gangsta Raiders" were playing today. And since Hollenbeck no longer has a gang unit, the homies would not have to fear LAPD breaking up this party. The Delijani Family (3 and 5)** base upon speculation dealing with the secretive Downtown List: What is a "Super Bowl with Huizzy" outtake without some form of speculation? Can you visualize this Downtown LA Super Bowl Block, errr, Square gathering with free garage (when built) and a ride on Mr. Roger's trolley to the "Rebuilt Braodway Land of Make Believe?" But what is real is the salary cost of having Jessica Wethington-McLean ($122,939 per year) to plan this Delijani/Huizzy party. Your thoughts and safe Super Bowl Sunday to all Scott Johnson in CD 14 |
Labels: "COUNCILMAN LAST SEEN AS JOSE HUIZAR", Listgate, Outtakes from CD 14
Posted by Red Spot in CD 14 @ 2/06/2011 10:02:00 AM
63 Comments:
Constituents in CD14 are livid over the Sleazy Huizar flyers mailed out with OUTRIGHT LIES. Huizar is claiming to be responsible for the new police station at HOllenbeck. THat is such a damn LIE. He had nothing to do with it and never ever spoke out for the new station. The station was built because of Prop Q funds from taxes. Next lie is Huizar says he's responsible for more cops on the streets. LIE Huizar and City Council CUT LAPD's BDUGET $100 million. Because of council LAPD has less then 500 officers on the street and Hollenbeck has been cut over 125 cops. So Huizar claiming all these LIES is outrageous
Hey, 10:38
Tough darts, incumbents get to take credit for what happens while they're in office. If they get BLAMED for what goes wrong, then that's the only silver lining to the gig.
(Robert, isn't it? You've posted this 65 times on other blogs, same ranting, under that name?)
So here's the REAL damning slick mailer question, since I believe your surnam is also Hispanic... Why on RUDY's latest mailer does he intentionally try to make Huizar' s SKIN color look about 10 shades darker than it actually is?
Look for yourself?
http://ethics.lacity.org/pdf/campaign_literature/13822FBI.
Why would one LATINO do that to another?
Because the RICH GLENDALE REPUBLICAN trying to BUY this race has to rely on racist voters on the far right - one's who like to believe that the DARKER your skin is, the MORE criminal you probably are.
(Like the ones who post here about 5 times every thread that everything wrong in the City is because of "MEXICAN" electeds who are in bed with the MAFIA).
Google the 1994 TIME magazine cover of O.J. Simpson's DARKENED mug shot - the only TIME cover ever pulled by its publisher because of the HUGE racial backlash it produced.
Perverse. Malevolent.
This is WORSE than the Jimmy Hahn crack pipe ad, TEN-times worse, and right up there with Daddy Bush's "WILLIE HORTON" (Black man's comin' to GET you), scare tactics.
(And I won't even get INTO the way they EDITED the Times headline and article to hide that fact that it was RUDY who said Huizar is under investigation, NOT the Times, which just reported his lies.)
That mailer also includes a GROTESQUELY edited Times headline that now just reads: "HUIZAR PROBE TARGET" (conveniently removing the "Rudy says..." the MAIN idea of the story).
But all the lies are expected. It's the "BEWARE THE DARKER ONES... they're the MOST criminal," undertow that is SO very low, as to be criminal.
Slinging mud is one thing - it's expected here, but playing into RACIAL/ETHNIC sterotypes to create fear and distrust, by another LATINO is worthy of only condemnation.
Voter turnout will probably be really low. With two lying scumbags to choose from , why bother.
GOSH, or gee willikers, Mr. Higby...
"Yes, Red Spot, what's the matter."
What will we do now about pumping the L.A. Times Rudy endorsement as being holy writ from heaven, now that they've also endorsed Mitchell Englander?
"Not to worry, Spot, we'll do what we alway do: spin, equivocate, deflect, and ignore anything we can't just make fun of."
And, whatever happens, blame Parke Skelton?
"Yup!"
Go watch the Game, Spit. It's not like you're posting anything NEW here.
Oh please, 11.25, you are letting your mind play tricks with you. CD14 is an overwhelming Latino community!
You Huizar supporters don't know what to make up next. Well, can we expect the poor widow of the slain cop trotted out? No, I don't think even the Huizar campaign is so heartless and shameful!
And have you forgotten, Huizar has raised more money than Martinez? - mostly from out of the district developers. And your spin is that Martinez is buying the election. No, Huizar is allowing rich developers to buy it for him.
12:25
THANK YOU FOR SAYING...
"No, Huizar is allowing rich developers to buy it for him.
That confirms what I believe, too. That Huizar will win.
I'll go watch 3 hours or pre and stop worrying.
Very nice of you as a obvious fan of the GRAVE-ROBBING GLENDALE REPUBLICAN Rudy Rich to put me at ease.
(Now if someone will just please ask him, why he saw fit to DARKEN HUIZAR's complexion many shades in his latest lying flyer.)
Why is that necessary? Aren't the words damning enough?
Why play the Time/Simpson, Bush/Willy Horton card, so many years after they were both universally criticized.
Yeah, I got the "darkie" Huizar slick, too.
-- Interesting in other ways, too. Image where Huizar is suddenly Ethiopian is also made to look like its some sort of FEDERAL court where Senators are grilling this sinister-looking Huizar. They even slap an FBI logo on the wall, to look like he was called to appear in DC.
When it's obvious the picture was taken at some City commission meeting and then photo-shopped into looking like it came out of a 1940s Police Gazette.
-- The layout of the slick, using snipped, out-of-context Times quotes, fractured headlines and obscuring the rest with frowning photo and "we deserve better" taglines is almost a DEAD ringer for ones the Villaraigosa camp put out about Pacheco years ago.
PAYBACK. Oh yeah, for sure. Pacheco's had that burr under his thin skin since Skelton first hit him with it and this is his chance to get back.
I'm thinking maybe Tricky Nicky is working as Rudy Rich's design consultant, and using old attack ads against him as the carbon-copy models (only without the skin darkening dirty trick).
12:25
Look at the ad yourself.
The photo treatment is unmistakable.
I got it in the mail the same day as one of Huizar's own, and put the photos side-by-side.
The slick from Martinez does make Huizar's skin look much, much, MUCH darker.
That's not mistaken, and it wasn't accidental by any means.
12:56, that's some statement from you - approving of out of the district rich developers buying CD14 for Huizar. I can't even imagine Huizar agreeing with you. But it's all academic because Martinez is going to win.
Are there any photographs of Huizar with a white person? (And I don't mind what shade of white you have.)
1:51
What century are you from?
Huizar, like all other Latinos, is "white" as well.
God what ignorant bigots follow the misadventures of the Red-faced SPOT, here.
Send Vera, Mago, Diana and Sal to Weight Watchers...
The MEAT is dead...LONG live the veggie burger.
HUIZAR FIRES TURD-jillo...
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/02/huizar-campaign-consultant-fired-for-vowing-to-put-a-political-bullet-in-opponents-forehead.html
(THANK YOU Jose, I was really getting tired of having my amatuer squibs on your behalf here look SO much better than MT's paid-for slop).
If I wasn't broke from Super Bowl bets, I'd send your campaign $500 as a thank you!...
Now let's get a REAL pro in there, and send little Mikie back to the minors, where he belongs. Major missteps all along the way -- not as bad as Rudy's people, but he IS in the minors.
Trujillo has been canned.
Sounds to me like punishment for not getting the Times endorsement.
Gee, what will Scott do without Trujillo to bash here anymore.
Look out Parke. Both barrels of Scotts pop-gun will now be aimed at you.
POP... fizzzz.
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For this race to get to this point is beyond crazy. All the negativity needs. to stop. I just got this emailed.
Huizar campaign consultant fired for vowing to "put a political bullet" in opponent's forehead
A campaign consultant for Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar was fired Sunday after he told supporters in an e-mail that the campaign was planning to “put a political bullet” in the forehead of Huizar’s opponent in the March 8 election.
LA Times
Surely Huizar and Skelton have been privy to Trujillo's emails - and now, only after The Times expose, has action been taken.
For years, Truillo has written and acted like a little thug, and all the time not a peep out of his masters - Huizar and Skelton.
I am not only sickened by Trujillo's exceptionally violent language but by the hypocrisy of Skelton.
Whatever Trujillo was planning for Monday, I hope this little stunt is cancelled by Skelton and Huizar.
FBI 1
Huizar 0
that is how this election will end.
Rudy better get himself some security!
Alatorre and TELACU are not going to let this district go!
6:55 p.m.
AND STOP CALLING ME SHIRLEY!
"Surely Huizar and Skelton have been privy to Trujillo's emails - and now, only after The Times expose, has action been taken."
You're another one of those LAUSD products, aren't you?
Did you even READ the Times story (assuming you can read), or did you "decide" already how to turn this against Huizar?
The bad e-mail was sent FRIDAY, the Times reported the firing late SUNDAY, and Trujillo was canned sometime in between. How in blue blazes is that an "EXPOSE".
Will the Times "EXPoSe" tomorrow morning that Green Bay won the Super Bowl???
The Times did NOT "expose" this, they reported the appropriate actions taken by Huizar after the fact.
And it's absolutely not a "surely" that either Huizar or Skelton (another consultant), would have seen every e-mail Trujillo as the day-to-day campaign manager would have sent to campaign workers.
Does the CEO of the company you work for (99-cent store?) see every internal e-mail sent to workers down the line, from every middle manager?
Simpering Hater ninnies...
Trujillo,
You are letting this get to you. Jeezus...you're like an undercover agent who is undercover too long. Looks like you're the loser out of this all. I think you'll be taking a vacation for a while anyway.
One of the bloggers here was complaining about Rid Spots' "bomb Huizar" text and photos in recent weeks, related to Tucson shooting.
Good things Huizar's camp has more of a soul than this blog.
They took appropriate action.
Red Spot reloads.
BUH-bye MEAT
BUH-bye Rudy Rich
Thanks both of you for playing.
Thanks for the drama.
Enjoy the fleeting gory.
Find new lines of work. (Maybe Rudy Rich could use a chauffeur).
One of the first places to try and make an issue of the CLAKRS bars, and then the useless out-of-date lists, this blog remains about the only place where those items still seem to be an issue.
They get brief one-liners in "real" media, but way below the point where they matter anymore/
They're just held up as examples of how dirty this race is (I wonder why?)
Well, SHIRLEY, I seemed to have hit a nerve.
Are you telling me that neither Huizer or Skelton knew what was planned for Monday? Surely, SHIRLEY, Parke and Huizer received a copy of the plans for Trujillo's Monday stunt!
I can believe the CEO of IBM doesn't get copies of every email circulating in their HQ, but this is a little campaign, SHIRLEY. Huizar the boss, Parke the strategist and Trujillo the hatchet boy who REPORTS back to Huizar and Parke, and a few volunteers who man the phones and the like.
Of course, Huizar and Skelton received copies - surely.
7.20? The "hater" appears to be Michael Trujillo
Of course Park and Jose knew about the email. Mike would have never sent it without permission. But they were all talking in their strategy meeting about how it would be a political bullet! But after the email went out and complaints came they fired Mike to save face for the campaign. This is dispicable in this time weeks after Arizona to use any phrase regarding a gun. Jose should resign from the campaign and from office for such a remark. And anyone who hire Park is an idiot!
7:49
GAWD are you DENSE.
And, you STILL haven't read the article.
PAY ATTENTION.
Trujillo was FIRED for the e-mail sent Friday to a few dozen campaign staffers and volunteers that talked about the "political bullet" in the forehead.
His FIRING had nothing to do with ANYTHING planned for Monday. And GEE, yes, the others probably did KNOW about a press conference, but he was NOT fired for THAT! (Are some of these words too LONG to understand?)
This is all DIRECTLY out of the Times story, tonight. At LEAST Zahniser understood why he was fired, and HE didn't pretend it was something else.
His firing also had nothing to do with CLARKS bars, constituent LISTs, or FBI waterbaord interrogations of Huizar at GITMO!
It makes COMPLETE sense that Huzar and the other consultant, took action as SOON as they were made aware of the inappropriate e-mail, but NOT that he would have copied them in it.
If you believe Huizar gets copied on EVERY e-mail sent by anyone that works for him, you don't live in the REAL world (and he SURE wouldn't need as many staffers as he has, if he MICRO-managed that much).
Can you haters, just for ONCE admit that Huizar did the RIGHT thing here, and got rid of a subordinate that stepped OVER the line, once he found out about it?
That's exactly what any responsible boss would do.
(But I suppose now the idiotic recant HERE will be that he has HUGE tuirnover in his campaign staff).
SHEESH, no wonder you're all supporting the RICH REPUBLICAN FROM GLENDALE with his HIGH SCHOOL diploma.
At least he won't ever say or so anything too complicated for you toe UNDERSTAND!
8:34 p.m.
I'll agree with you just as soon as Hibgy bans Red Snot from Mayor Sam's for talking about "BOMBING' Huizar, repeatedly here.
Huizar has an entourage of FAT uGLy women campaigning for him as well as staffers who are just God ass ugly. Jessica "FAT" Wethington-McCow is #1. Gee she isn't worth $122,000 per year from taxpayers. Many of us in the entertainment business see her as one desperate loser who cannot make it anywhere.
JESSICA "FAT" Wethington-McPig looks like an Obese dude in
women's clothing.
I want to thank JOSE for the mailer which I recieved. It never mentioned a thing about Eagle Rock. We have a terrific annual Music Festival and Art Walk. Our Women's Club has a Home Tour. And we have a summer Music in the Park program. Plus other programs put on by local organizations annually that our community residents participate in and enjoy. Maybe he needs to be reminded that Eagle Rock is in the CD 14 district! Oh I forgot, we're not on the list!
More updates elsewhere, while Mayor Sam's remains silent on the poltical demise of one of his original cohorts. . .
TURD-jillo says he resigned, he wasn't fired.
He was rooting for the Steelers to win.
Wow, BAD weekend, all around MEAT.
I'm going to have to check those out at my favorite gun store...
"political" bullets, must be a new brand name.
8:52
Really, really?
Maybe you should get a subscription to the Blvd. Sentinel. I understand they run group announcements.
Most political mailers don't and if he had mentioned specific groups and activities in his campaign mailer, then there's an angry Huizar-hater here, I believe named "Robert" who would have slammed him for taking credit for the work of community groups.
So, you see, your message makes no sense.
8:39
We are not the idiots here. Let me educate you on campaigns. NOTHING GOES OUT IN A RACE WITHOUT APPROVAL. AND THAT MEANS JOSE AND PARKE APPROVED OF IT. NOW YOU'RE TRYING TO SPIN THE MESSAGE CONTAINING "BULLET TO THE FOREHEAD" REMARK LIKE IT WAS NOTHING, PLAYING IT DOWN SAYING THE EMAIL ONLY WENT TO STAFF AND CAMPAIGN WORKERS... WELL THAT BIRD DOESN'T FLY ON THIS BLOG!
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"Mr. Huizar, I'm going to send out a lunch order for the campaign staff.
"Would you like to be copied on it?"
How about the phone sheets for volunteer calling. Should I fax those over to you,too, to double check?"
Pfaaaaah!
It's all fun and games until the Times publishes the story. Trujillo is finished in politics. Huizar soon to follow. Great job Red for all your work!
8:39
Sigh!
(Too damn dumb to help!)
Wallow in your ignorance, and continue to believe that the councilmember who represents 300,000 people and employs dozens a City hall and dozens more in his campaign, gets copies of every e-mail sent.
He probably checks the air in the tires of all their cars, too. And, tucks them all in bed at night with a fairy tale (like the one Rudy Rich tells about the flying, transporting, stolen polic badge).
Sigh!
I are not iggorant!
Dumping Trujillo is the best news the Huizar campaign has had in weeks.
From my one interaction with him about a campaign event, I was seriously underwhelmed.
Huizar caught with his pants down! Trujillo was his hate filled pit bull! You cannot spin this as a positive for Jose! It's over.
9:02
Well then I guess we'll have to make sure his name and the city is no longer listed as a suporter of these events. For sure Jose's off our list!
And next time you answer me, do your homework first. This mailer was paid for by the City of Los Angeles. Not paid for by the Committee to Elect...
8.39. Try to follow this, Shirley. You would agree that the email with the grotesque sentence had a subject matter. The "Campaign Manager" Trujillo could have been sending staffers an email about what flavor donuts they would like at campaign HQ. I suppose that's possible and, if it's the case, probably he would not have thought to copy Huizar or Skelton. But would you expect donuts and "political bullets in the forehead" in the same email?
But say it was on a more important matter. A major initiative being undertaken by the campaign. Isn't that possible? Wouldn't Campaign Manager Trujillo copy his bosses - Huizar and Skelton - if it was an important email?
But let's say you are right, Shirley. The email was sent to a few dozen campaign workers on Friday. The Times article said Trujillo was fired on Sunday (first line - see I did read it). Why did it take Friday, Saturday and Sunday before Trujillo was canned?
I think Trujillo was only fired after David Zahniser contacted Skelton...and if Zahniser never knew about the email, Trujillo would still have his job. That's why Skelton should do the right thing a and resign.
cc: Jose Huizar
Mr. Huizar, I have been blogging supportive messages here about your campaign for a number of weeks (and you were RIGHT, they did say I was that nut TURD-jillo sometimes).
I did not realize until the dancing old woman and children from Rudy Rich's campaign starting joining in, that I was supposed to COPY every message to you so you could decide whether to keep me on at out agreed upon rate of 1.3 cents per word.
I'll make sure to cc: on EVERYTHING from now on, cross my heart and God save the Queen.
Please don't fire me. I need the 14.46 I've been netting each week to support my bad sushi addiction.
Thank you,
Intern Blogger #26
9:20
Let's make this brief and simple.
If you've read any of Zahniser's stuff before, he's always very careful to include details about how the paper learned about stories, like saying that Rudy Rich had told them about the FBI contacts, and that Huizar's people had raised the issue of the police badge, and saying RIGHT off that Rudy's people sent them the constituents lists.
If he had contacted the campaign (Skelton, or?), anf THEN Trujillo was canned, the STORY WOULD HAVE SAID THAT. Point blank, no mincing words.
He would have wanted it known that his contacts had preceded any action by the campaign.
He never says, "after we received the e-mails from a source" or "After the Times contacted the campaign."
Because it DIDN'T happen that way.
He would have it your invented scenario was what took place.
I know that would help you hate Huizar more, if it were true, but only campaign hacks get to edit news articles like that, to lie to constituents.
9:13
Since you brought it up let's talk about his oversized staff and the high salaries some of them are paid.
Don't you think it would have been a good idea for Jose to cut costs in his office since the city is in such a financial mess. And starting with himself for the jobs he and his staff are not doing! They don't understand when a public inquiry is madein writing they have 30 days to respond... WE'RE STILL WAITING!
Actually he should continue to pay you though since your such a persistant blogger... Are you council staff or campaign staffer?
9:19
You'll be missed. Mildred.
Enjoy lunching with the losers.
cc: Mr. Huizar
Okay, I blew it, a couple others tonight were from me, too.
Do you want me to make a list of the times and dates?
What... OH, right, you said before -- NO MORE lists. (I forgotted).
This 27.5 cents worth of blogging is on the house.
OH, and Mildred is mad. We'll have to find a voter to replace her. Or 500.
-- Intern Blogger #26
P.S. Should I also be copying Mr. Skelton on this? I know they turn the light out early up on his Holy Hill.
Ron Kaye's story has the actual email in it - along with the list of recipients. So you can see who got it.
http://ronkayela.com/2011/02/huizar-fires-trujillo-over-ema.html
9:32
Keep waiting; please hold your breathe until you turn blue and have a temper tantrum, too
That'll speed things along.
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The e-mails Trujillo's message went to, this draft anyway, seem to be mostly the personal (not City Hall), e-mails for Huizar's CD14 staffers -- which, true to form in past campaigns (for all - Pacheco, Villar, etc.) make up a good portion of the top volunteers.
WORKING ON THEIR OWN TIME (don't anyone call the FBI, for God's sake).
9:13, I am a resident of CD 14 and you are right...I do not copy Jose Huizar on my emails. Why should I, I am not his campaign manager!
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9:49
Okay, I'll forward your anonymousn post for you so he doesn't get mad.
He HAS to see every e-mail.
That's a MAYOR SAM rule.
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After re-reading the email, and checking out the names of all the recipients, I hope all these city workers show up to the press conference on our dime... just sayin"
they were invited to attend a campaign conference during working hours... very interesting...don't they work 8-5 like everyone else?
Today marks the three year anniversary since Jose Huizar didn't fly to Florida for the Superbowl where he didn't pick up a suitcase full of cashola for Wyvenwood.
MORE BARRIO POLITICS WHAT A WASTE OF TIME!
Mitch Englander breaking and entry
Featured in “LA Observed”
Let's break into Jimmy's office
Kevin Roderick • February 25 2004 10:31 AM
Here's an odd story out of Los Angeles City Hall by David Zahniser in the Breeze. Seems that Alex Padilla, the president of the City Council, and the chief of staff to councilman Greig Smith were spotted last weekend shooting video inside the closed -- and locked -- suite of Mayor Jim Hahn. They didn't have permission to be there, says Hahn's office, but had talked City Hall guards into unlocking doors for them.
Padilla and Mitch Englander explain the after-hours entry as innocent, "part of their effort to shoot a satiric video for an upcoming American Diabetes Association fund-raiser in which Padilla will be a featured guest. Padilla had the mistaken impression that he was allowed to go into Hahn's office and has already apologized to the mayor, Padilla spokesman David Gershwin said. 'There was no harm intended.'"
The mayor's sister, councilwoman Janice Hahn, calls it a "childish prank" that showed lack of respect on Padilla's part. Englander retorts that "some people have a sense of humor, some people don't...it ruffled some feathers, but that's what spoofs usually do."
Count Hahn's communications deputy Julie Wong among the un-amused. The guards who let Padilla in are being investigated. "It's a matter of security, and we want to make sure that concerns about getting into the mayor's office are addressed," Wong said. "If they had asked, we would have met them here and let them in."
City Hall Prank Results in Inquiry
Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles
February 26, 2004|Jessica Garrison | Times Staff Writer
Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn said he felt "a little violated." Council President Alex Padilla said he was very sorry, but meant no harm.
Meanwhile, the city has launched an investigation into why security guards allowed Padilla -- and a video camera -- into the mayor's personal office without permission last weekend.
Welcome to Videogate, the newest scandal to rock Los Angeles City Hall.
As first reported Wednesday in the Daily Breeze, the incident began as a well-intentioned prank on a rainy afternoon last Saturday.
Padilla said that he and Mitchell Englander, a top aide to Councilman Greig Smith, had gone to the mayor's office to capture some footage for a spoof video. The video will be shown at a fundraiser for the American Diabetes Assn., at which Padilla will be a featured guest. (To preserve the joke, Englander declined to explain for the record exactly why he and Padilla needed to be in the mayor's office.)
Trouble was, Hahn's office is locked on weekends. So Padilla and Englander persuaded security officials to let them in through not one but two sets of locked doors.
As they were on their way out, someone from the mayor's budget team spotted them. (The budget team was working away that day, grappling with the city's $250-million projected shortfall for next year.)
The budget team called Chief of Staff Tim McOsker, who was so concerned about the security breach that he drove in from San Pedro.
Now, the city's General Services Department has placed one security official on administrative leave while it investigates.
"It was a mistake," Padilla said, adding that he had thought someone in the mayor's office knew he was coming in, and that the mayor was justified in being upset. He added that one "silver lining" to the debacle might be the discovery that there are "loopholes in our security."
Hahn, for his part, said the issue had raised some concerns among his security detail.
"I think my personal office ought to be my personal office," he said. "You do feel a little violated."
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