The One and Only 43rd AD Debate between Gatto and Kirkorian tomorrow night in Glendale

The only 43rd Assembly District Debate before Election Day.

 Poor Infant Assemblyman Little Mikey Gatto does not like debating opponents.

 Little Mikey may need a stiff drink after Election Day.

Republican Challenger Glendale School Board Member Greg Kirkorian.

** Blogger's note: This blog's admiration for the Silver Lake stay-at-home Infant Assemblyman Mike Gatto, has been well chronicled at various newspapers, other blogs, in legal documents and of course, here. Thus, you can rest assure that this blog will be on hand tomorrow evening in Glendale when the Infant Assemblyman makes his only debate appearance with Republican challenger Glendale School Board Member Greg Kirkorian. Kirkorian in the June Primary garnered 45% of the vote with a campaign budget of less than $10,000. Since then, major money and endorsements have flowed into the campaign. The newly-drawn 43rd District, which leans more to the center, makes this race a possible Republican pick up come November---Scott Johnson.

As a public service to 43rd AD voters, we link to the excellent five-part series of posts by Garen Yegparian on Asbarez.com, regarding the true "Grimy Gatto", enjoy!!

2012 Election: Grimy Gatto, an except ...........

The residents of California’s 43rd State Assembly district are children of misfortune now because of who represents them, Mike Gatto.Grimy Gatto is a member of the Democratic Party, so, by and large, the Republicans in the district are bound to be dissatisfied with him. Unfortunately, the Democrats in the district also have cause to be dissatisfied with him. As to the Armenian community, the largest to be found in any of California’s 80 assembly districts, the reasons for dissatisfaction are legion.

2012 Election: Grimy Gatto II, an excerpt .............

Now let’s move on to an example of how Gatto has been busy taking advantage of (and in the process exacerbating) divisions in the Armenian community. You’ll remember that back when Mike first ran for Assembly, it was a four-way race- Sunder Ramani, Mike Gatto, Chahe Keuroghlian, and Nayiri Nahabedian. Many of us remain convinced that Chahe participated in that election strictly to divide the Armenian community’s vote and CAUSE Nayiri to lose. This allowed Mike to win. It was the only way he could win. So he had an interest in dividing the Armenian vote. In this scenario, the Hnchags in our community, through their Armenian Council of America PAC enthusiastically supported Mike BY SUPPORTING CHAHE. Of course, they had to get a payoff, their thirty pieces of silver. This came in the form of “behested payments” *(see below for explanation) secured by Mike Gatto for two Hunchag affiliated organizations, Armenian Education Benevolent Fund and Nor Serount Cultural Association, from the AXA Settlement Claim Fund (yes, the same fund that is now mired in recriminations between the two factions of lawyers on that case). You can see for yourself at http://www.fppc.ca.gov/cosponsor/2011-Assembly.xls. The way to tell this is a “thirty pieces of silver” situation is that these organizations, while totally legitimate, are not much of a presence in the 43rd Assembly district that Mike Gatto supposedly represents. If he really wanted to support the Armenian community in his jurisdiction, there are many other organizations that do much more to serve this community, which he could have helped to fund.

2012 Election: Grimy Gatto III, an excerpt ...............

Things seem to get done and written that benefit Mike Gatto politically. I’ve noticed, however, that he’s really good at keeping himself at some remove from those. His fingerprints are not to be found at the scene.The easiest example is a blog, whose name I won’t give so not to publicize a website that is replete with libelous statements. This blog is totally anonymous. No one knows who owns and publishes it. Most of the material published supports Mike Gatto or attacks those opposed to him. There is some other material, but only enough to make it seem like a legitimate publication, rather than the Gatto mouthpiece it really is

2012 Election: Grimy Gatto IV, and excerpt ................

Let’s start with an example of Mike’s public pronouncements being not quite consistent with one another as he pursues undeserved credibility. Regardless of what your position is on the I-710 extension, you’ll see how Gatto trips up over his own insecurity.In March of 2010, when asked his position on the 710 issue, Mike told the Glendale Sunroom Desk that he was still researching the matter of the 710 tunnel proposal. Yet in a letter-to-the-editor Gatto wrote regarding an article that he said misrepresented his position on the 710 question , he claimed “I have been, and continue to be, opposed to the extension of the Long Beach (710) Freeway in any form.” Really? That wasn’t his position a short time before, as proven by the first article I cited.

2012 Election: Grimy Gatto V, an excerpt ..............

But Gatto’s duplicity and unpleasant tactics don’t end there. Shortly before Greg Krikorian, Gatto’s opponent in the race for the 43rd Assembly seat, filed his papers to run for the position, he started getting phone calls. At the time, Greg’s parents were going through some health issues, and Greg was busy helping them. Yet Gatto was “persistent,” even telling Greg’s wife Christine it was “an old friend calling” when he phoned Greg’s home fairly late at night. When they spoke, Greg was left with the impression that he was being threatened. 

..... its time to return mature, responsible leadership to the 43rd AD.

Glendale Candidate Forum - Mike Gatto and Greg KrikorianThe GHCC and the Glendale/Burbank League of Women Voters are partnering to sponsor the Glendale Candidate Forum.The forum will take place on Thursday night, October 25th at 8:00PM in Council Chambers at Glendale City Hall.The forum will host the candidates for CA 43rd Assembly District - Mike Gatto and Greg Krikorian.

When	Thu Oct 25 8pm – 9pm Pacific Time
Where	In Council Chambers at Glendale City Hall (map)