Mayor Sam Exclusive: Blogger Prohibited from Emailing "Disempowerment LA" Staff

In a blatant violation of the First Amendment Right to Petition a Governmental Entity, "Disempowerment LA" has place an Email Ban on a "Certain Stakeholder/ Blogger", for merely stating concerns about possible Brown Act Violations and inappropriate allocation of Public Funds. 

Deputy City Attorney Darren Martinez (standing at podium) during DONE Training.

When DONE General Manager Grayce Liu needs to silence perceived trouble-makers (that her political bosses want checked), First Amendment-breaking legal consequences may impact her ethical standing.

 

Dear Mr. Johnson,

Due to the graphic materials included in your email.  Our Office will no longer read or review your correspondence.  You may present any concerns in writing via US Mail to the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment at  200 N. Spring Street, Suite 2005, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

Darren R. Martinez
Managing Deputy City Attorney -
Neighborhood Council Advice Division,
General Counsel Division

Office of the City Attorney
(213) 978-8132

** Blogger's Note: ......., with no apologies to Deputy City Attorney Darren Martinez and DONE General Manager Grayce Liu, your attempt to silence and inhibit discerning Stakeholders/ Bloggers from exercising the First Amendment Right to petition any Governmental Entity, to address concerns, obtain documents and blow the whistle (formally) on inappropriate fiscal expenditures, will BRING ON a legal challenge.

Its readily apparent from the punitive, arbitrary actions of "Disempowerment LA's" General Manager Grayce Liu, that months of California Public Records Acts Requests, along with exposes that have highlighted Disempowerment LA's coordinated actions against those perceived as political trouble-makers, that an unethical act of retribution, with litigious ramifications would be forthcoming from the former Failure Mayor Antonio Villar DONE GM appointee.

For the record, this bloggin Stakeholder was merely bring to the attention of DONE staff possible Brown Act Violation pertaining to the LA-32 NC's attempt to grant $1,000 to the Hecho En Mexico Restaurant for 80-100 people at the November 1, 2014 Dia de los Muertos Event (** you can read the email to DONE and view the attached "graphic material" after the jump). 

Besides the possible Brown Act Violations, the new El Sereno Community Arts Organization (made up of ex LA-32 NC Arts and Culture Committee Members, who quit via the infamous Boyfriend/ Girlfriend Art Project Debacle), did not originally provide a line item budget, causing concerns from board members.

Further, concerns were raised via the Facebook Page Photos of Artist Andrew Cervantes, whether NC Funds were going to be awarded to a group with questionable artistic values, especially when working with children. 

Thus, as you can ascertain from my initial email and Deputy City Attorney Darren Martinez (who's Union is Marleen Fonseca's employer EAA) response, offense was taken by DONE Staff ........, and a whistle-blowing, bloggin Stakeholder will have his legal response soon---Scott Johnson.

 



Good Morning Ms. Covarrubias and Empower LA Staff,

I hope this email finds yourself and staff well this A.M.

I would like to bring your attention to an Agenda Item from the last General Board Meeting (Oct 1, 2014) of the LA-32 Neighborhood Council as posted below.

 

20. Discussion and possible action – Motion “Pending removal of exhaustive efforts, That

the LA32 NC co-sponsors with El Sereno Community Arts a Dia De Los Muertos event with funding of $1000.00. (motion submitted by Membership Outreach Committee).

 

Now on the Special Agenda for tonight's Special Meeting of the LA-32 NC General Board, the following items appears on the agenda as posted below

 

3. Discussion and possible action – Motion to reconsider "That the LA32 NC co-sponsors with El Sereno Community Arts (ESCA) at Dia De Los Muertos event with funding up to $1000.00 payable to Barrio Action and by providing tissue paper, glue and glitter that’s currently in LA32NC Public Storage and the using LA32 easy up and chairs with the stipulation of receiving an itemized list from ESCA prior to funding."

4. Discussion and possible action – Motion "That the LA32NC co- sponsor with El Sereno Community Arts at Dia De Los Muertos event with funding up to $1000.00 to be paid to Hecho en Mexico for food to be provided at the Dia De Los Muertos event on Saturday November 1, 2014. In addition, for use at the event LA 32 NC will provide glue, glitter, and tissue paper that is currently in the LA32NC Public Storage and the use of LA32 easy up and chairs."

One can surmise that since the October 1, 2014 Meeting of the LA-32 NC, some sort of dialog (obviously not in an open meeting venue) has taken place between the department and members of the LA-32 NC to change the language of the original Motion.

** Thus, as a formal request under the rights accorded me via the California Public Records Act, I am requesting all emails, phone records, invoices and notes pertaining to the $1,000 Funding for the Dia De Los Muertos Event.

Further, as an LA-32 Stakeholder, I must express my strongest concerns regarding the allocation of taxpayers-provided arts supplies to the El Sereno Community Arts Organization in lieu of the photos (please note the sexually-graphic nature) via the artist Andrew Cervantes, who spoke at the Oct 1, 2014 Meeting.

In addition, the now revised Motion, that the LA-32 NC provide $1,000 to the Hecho En Mexico Restaurant to provide food for this event, is lacking in details (line item attachment) how the money will be spent.

Please note that this issue alone has serious "subjective perception implications" for Empower LA, when one notes via documents obtain in a previous CPRA request (attached below), that the co-owner (and former NC President) Connie Castro has had meetings with DONE staff in the past, which were not disclose to the former board.

Bluntly, open government advocates should be concern how recent fiscal issues approved by department staff are being place on recent LA-32 NC Agendas without open meetings and community comments, considering that the board is still on Exhaustive Efforts. Thus, meriting further investigating.

With respects,

Scott Johnson

LA-32 Stakeholder

Artist Andrew Cervantes working with youth and adults (using LA-32 NC-provided arts supplies) at Barrio Action Youth and Family Center. Below, he plays with ........