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

"Berman vs. Sherman (with two Republicans) in the 30th CD, Round One".

LA Times

Daily News 

LA Weekly

Jewish Journal's "Berman vs. Sherman Blog" 

Its on!

The much anticipated political battle between Congressman Howard "of the Berman-Waxman Machine" Berman and Congressman Brad "Assemblyman Mike Gatto's Political Papi" Sherman, got underway with the first dialog/debate among the two congressman who would like to retain their government salary and two republicans Shelly Smith and Mark Reed, who seek to channel "David" in the battle with the democrat "Goliaths".

As hundreds looked on in Woodland Hills, Congressman Sherman wasted no time in morphing into the Parke Skelton crafted progressive counter to the pragmatic Berman. Meanwhile among the republicans, Reed was not afraid to draw the audience ire with his stance on illegal immigrants using public hospitals and extending unemployment benefits. Reed who ran against Sherman in the previous election cycle, could make the runoff if he is able to coalesce the support of the register republicans in the democratic-leaning district. but as illustrated in the print coverage above, the spotlight is on Jewish democrats.

Other news:

** City Attorney Carmen Trutanich staff are having some Sixth Amendment issues in its efforts to prosecute the member of the Flea Party/Red Rabble former occupiers of the now brownfields of City Hall.

** On the topics of the City Hall Brownfields, Recreation and Parks General Manager Jon Kirk Mukri and his staff will attend the Downtown LA Neighborhood Council meeting on Tuesday, January 10 to discuss options for revitalizing the "Red Rabble Watseland".

** The proposed $3 Billion NBCUniversal "Metro Studios@Lankershim Project, has gone up in the pipe smoke of those at MTA who sought to shill this massive project as a "net traffic reduser".

** The grass-roots CD 15 campaign juggernaut of San Pedro Native Son and LAPD Senior Lead Officer Joe Buscaino, continues to roll on and pick up support with the Daily Breeze Newspaper the latest to endorse the first time political aspirant.

** Lastly, as Buscaino's quest to represent CD 15 moves forward, his fellow "rank and file officers" are facing a more dangerous street, thanks to the California Prison Realignment that his challenger Assembly Warren Furutani supported. Thousands of "low level, non violent, non-revokeable parolees" are being release onto the streets and despite the spin from the LAPD brass, crime and attacks on peace officers will surely rise.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14     

TGIF Afternoon Political News Dump: Michael Reagan eyeing US Senate run?

The Reagan Family at its Santa Barbara Ranch decades back.

Great Friday to all as the California Republican Party Convention convenes within the confines of the Corporate Welfare City-State of AEG LA LIVE in Downtown LA. As delegates, gadflys and democratic goof balls such as Bob Mulholland make the rounds, the hot political GOP rumor and since confirmed is that Talk Show Host and son of President Ronald Reagan Michael Reagan, is serious contemplating a challenge of Senator Dianne Feinstein in 2013. Given Senator Feinstein's weaken poll numbers and her recent money issues involving Democratic Campaign Treasurer Kinde Durfee, the time may be right for another Reagan run at public office.

** On the democratic side of the political landscape, a new blog dedicated to the upcoming political theatrics in the newly-drawn 30th Congressional District "Berman vs.Sherman" debuts courtesy of the Jewish Journal. This race is shaping up to be the local political version of the Haganah vs.Irgun infighting of the Jewish Independence.

** The Daily Breeze's "South Bay Pipeline" blog has the ballot order of candidates for the CD 15 Special Election. As of now 10 candidate have been approved by the City Clerk's office with four more awaiting clearance which would bring the total approved candidate to fourteen.

** Councilman Jose Huizar and Councilwoman Jan Perry had a busy morning after El Grito, promoting their "Parklet" plan for both CD 14 and 9. Memo to Councilman Huizar, before pushing another park plan on El Sereno, should you first make sure that the needed improvements to El Sereno Park see their proper resolution?

** The Downtown News is reporting that the "Downtown Business Improvement District" (BID) has voted to remove its Executive Director Russell Brown who also served on the Downtown Neighborhood Council. Brown will be replaced by Roberto Saldana who was the recent in-house counsel for Downtown Managment which is a major real estate concern owned by Australian Holocaust Survivor Joseph Hellen (who paid for CD 14 City Council Candidate Rudy Martinez's downtown billboard).

** Coming up later today, we will have a round up on the contested Assembly races locally, plus we are hearing rumors that an exploratory committee has been set up to challenge a "certain infant assemblyman".

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14