Mid-Day Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Tuesday

OH MY GOD! WHY WAS I NOT TOTALLY INFORMED?

In the words of LA Weekly's Editor Jill Stewart, we have another City Controller Wendy "Valley Greuel" " Pul-eeze Moment" as the aspiring candidate for mayor, feigns another moment of civic shock regarding the latest bribery expose to hit the City of Los Angeles.

Responding to a Sunday LA Times story on a LA Housing Department employee who was soliciting bribes for approvals on residential projects, the "Valley Greuel" and others among the City Council expressed concern about the lack of disclosure on the latest bribery scandal. But its the "Valley Greuel's" comments that wins the first prize for "over the top pandering"."In order for my staff to guard taxpayer dollars, departments must be required to report any and all instances of fraud, waste and abuse so that I can closely monitor the city's resources to stop these egregious acts," wrote Greuel, who is running for mayor.

In the spirit of guarding tax dollars, we present these recent questionable city financial deals for review by the "Valley Greuel".

** Councilman Herb Wesson's $2.6 Million "bail-out" of Harold & Belle's.

** Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy "Discount Purchase" of 25% of the $9 Million dollars Elephant Hill Property for $500,000.

** CRA/LA "Outreach Contract" with CASA 0101.

Surely, we will see the "Valley Greuel" reporting on these transactions in the near future.

OTHER NEWS AFTER THE JUMP.

** Can we gauge how much the son of recently retired Fire Chief Millage Peaks loved his "Herb" via the LA Weekly's "Bloggin Snarky One in Solidarity"? According to KNX news radio, the FBI affidavit for Peaks' bribery case alleges that he paid a TSA "about $5k to get several lbs of pot" onto his Sunday flight out of LAX.

** Meanwhile the Weekly's "Bloggin Commandante" Dennis Romero, again shows his uber-sensitivity to all thing immigration as him and other immigrant rights activists take umbrage at Presidential Candidate Herman Cain's "Electrocuting Immigrants" comments.

** Can you guess what congressional race will be the costliest in the nation? Look to the Valley.

** Sign of the moment in the CD 15 Special Election Campaign for Joe Buscaino, as his supposed "front-runner status" invites these comments from "some erroneous blog". Buscaino always figured to do well in San Pedro, where he has even taken on the notion in the past of becoming its "honorary mayor"--a title of his own devising. Not so fast as this past Spring 2011 Daily Breeze article notes.

It's election season in San Pedro.
No, not the race for a new congressional representative. For real San Pedrans, the race to watch is the one for honorary mayor. (whoops, someone got his facts wrong)
In what's become a rite of spring every two years, candidates line up to vie for the town's top mock seat, organizing car washes, pancake breakfasts and harbor cruises to raise money for charity. (Here is the video of two of the candidates)

.... and which blog reported this false information about Joe Buscaino? Link here. 

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14