Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Thursday

Newly-elected CD 4 City Councilman David Ryu remains true to his outsider political persona ........., and his colleagues stay faithful their Special Interest benefactors as the Korean-American Councilman's proposal to ban Business and Union Campaign Contributions goes wanting for a second signature.

The Euphoria of Victory meets a stonewall of political reality for CD 4 City Councilman David Ryu.

Please pause as we get a Second Signature to approve our Morning Briefs .................................. 

Ryu!! That took longer than normal this A.M. due to wandering the halls of the cybersphere in search of someone who agrees with our bloggin premise, in supporting new CD 4 City Councilman David Ryu's "Outsider Persona".

But as the first Korean-American elected to the Los Angeles City Clowncil Central Committee is learning, adopting an "Outsider Persona" can quickly become a solitary pursuit ............, especially if policy initiatives run counter to the established Status Quo.  

Thus, it should come as no surprise that Councilman Ryu's proposal to ban Campaign Contributions from Business and Unions fail to garner a second signature from his Clowncil Colleagues .........., and who was the responsible party for putting the "Outsider Persona" in the "Policy Corner" for bucking the Status Quo? From the LA Times .............. 

Among those who raised concerns was Andrew Westall, a policy aide to council President Herb Wesson. Westall told Ryu aides that the proposal would be premature because city ethics officials would soon make recommendations about group donations, according to Wesson spokeswoman Vanessa Rodriguez.   

Lesson learned .......,, no "Outsider Persona" shall buck the Absolute Authority of City Clowncil Central Committee Strongman Herman "Mini Amin" Wesson.

** While LA City Clowncil Central Committee Strongman Merman "Mini Amin" Wesson was putting a "policy lockdown" on the "CD 4 Outsider Persona", another perceived "Political Outsider, City Controller Ron Galperin", was getting another dose of political reality as the "Boss D'Arcy Rizzo-controlled" Board of Trustees, who oversee the Joint DWP IBEW Job Training and Safety Non-Profits, rejected the City Controller's recommendation  and kept $11 Million dollars in surplus money, in a "Rainy Day Fund".

** Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell, who received united support from the Political Machine in his resounding victory over indicted former Under sheriff Paul Tanaka, is sure to draw the ire of the rabid, illegal immigrant rights activists, as he continues the Sheriff Department's cooperation with ICE.

Your thoughts ..............
Scott Johnson in CD 14

Mid-day Brief on a LA Times Editorial Scheme for Monday

In supporting an accidental act of interactive, editorial musing via "The Old Gray Hag on Spring Street (aka LA Times)", we offer up our own "bloggin letter branding" of the various LA City Hall politicos.   

"The Old Gray Hag on Spring Street (aka LA Times)" in her younger days.

** Blogger's Note: Surprise, surprise for this start of the bloggin work week as the Editorial Board of the "Former Fishwrap of Record", now a mere talking points regurgitator of democratic policies, strayed away from their appointed duties of agenda journalism and stumbled into a Act of Interactive Dialog regarding the job performances of our various elected leaders. We here at Mayor Sam, have always espouse being interactive with our cyber audience. Thus, we whole-heartedly join along with "The Old Gray Hag on Spring Street's" attempt to reconnect with its remaining readers and offer up our own "Letter Brands" of those elected by the Special Interest's largess---Scott Johnson. 

1. "ee" for Mayor Eric Garcetti:

This refers to the "ee" in our most recent "Gar-Soft-ee" branding of the Rhodes Scholar's proclivities for middle-ground softness when it comes to taking a hard stance on a specific policy issue, as highlighted this past weekend in a Times story on "Gar-Soft-ee's" absence of stance on President Obama's Pacific Trade Pact.

2. "B" for CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar:

With no apologies to the UC Berkeley Graduate (who happen to attend Princeton University), before getting his Law Degree from UCLA, "B" does not stand for his GPA or his Boyle Heights (soon to be Hill Drive in Eagle Rock) home. In political and personal reality, "B" stands for B-E-T-R-A-Y-A-L as denoted by his latest acts of communal betrayal regarding Hazard Park and his stance on billboards.

3. "dD" for City Clowncil Central Committee Strongman Herman "Mini Amin" Wesson:

Regular observers of the normal trice-weekly shows of the Los Angeles City Clowncil Central Committee under the John Ferrraro Clowncil Chambers Big Top, will readily agree with our letter branding of the reigning "diminutive Dictator" ......., who's not running for mayor.   

4. "AB" for City Attorney Mike Feuer:

If you thought we were going "Gar-Soft-ee" on our "AB" letter branding of the former discount client of "Private Citizen, Political Consultant  John Shallman", rest assure that our "AB-109" branding of the co-author of the state legislation which is one of the root reasons for LA's recent crime rate increase, is not one you want bestowed upon your political self.

5. "U" for City Controller Ron Galperin:

Some of us in our less-mature, educational youth were given this "U"-branding for being uncooperative in executing our stated assignments. In that spirit, we must brand first term City Controller Ron Galperin with a "U" for his uncooperative follow through, in conducting a promised audit on the CD-14 CLARTS Amenities Fund. In lieu of recent indictments involving the Chicana Services Action Non-Profit (who used public money for a certain City Councilman 2011 Campaign Fundraiser), Mr. Galperin would find it prudent to audit allocations from CLARTS to various "Connected Non-Profits" to insure that funds were properly dispensed.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14



Hey Dennis Que Paso, Are You Boss D'Arcy Rizzo's Shilling Bato?

Who did KCAL/KCBS Investigative Reporter David Goldstein find with IBEW/DWP/City Hall Strongman Brian "Boss D'Arcy Rizzo" as his irascible persona minces few words in calling the audit of the Joint DWP/IBEW Safety-Job Training Non-Profits politically motivated?    

Who that in front of "Boss D'Arcy Rizzo" and KCAL/KCBS David Goldstein? Hint, think alter ego "Denise"?

 Hmm. Is that ex CD 3 City Councilman Dennis Zine doing some undisclosed work for his former City Controller Campaign Supporter?

** Blogger's Note: Never underestimate KCAL/KCBS Investigative Reporter David Goldstein's ability to find a sub plot within an exclusive report, as witness with his exclusive chit chat with IBEW/DWP/City Hall Strongman Brian "Boss D'Arcy Rizzo". The fact that Goldstein was able to get the uber irascible City Hall Strongman to comment on camera regarding the recent audit of the Joint DWP/IBEW Job and Safety Training Non-Profits was an exclusive feat. But Goldstein also scored a bonus scoop in finding a certain former CD 3 City Councilman and a failed City Controller Candidate Dennis Zine, in the company of "The Boss", as they exited an apparent "working lunch" at Taylor's Steak House. Zine's outing in the company of "Boss D'Arcy Rizzo" is bound to raise discerning eyebrows as he retains a visible profile with his recent appearances on the KRLA 870 AM Randy Economy Show and in keyboarding opinion missives for City Watch ........, which includes his latest "City Controller’s Grandstanding DWP Audit is the Real Waste of Ratepayer Dollars". Since perception can be accepted political reality in Ciudad de Los Angeles, especially when caught on camera, with binder in hand, leaving a "filling power lunch (judging from the respective girths of Zine and Boss D'Arcy Rizzo)", then followed by a perceived bitter, former Controller Candidate's hit piece against his victorious challenger, now City Controller Ron Galperin, we have this simple question for Dennis (to the tune of the Texas Tornado's great song "Hey Baby Que Paso") ........, hey Dennis que paso, are you (or still) "Boss D'Arcy Rizzo's" (now consulting/shilling) Bato? Maybe that can be the topic for a future Randy Economy Show?---Scott Johnson. 

"Hey Dennis Que Paso, Are You Boss D'Arcy Rizzo's Shilling Bato?"

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

TGIF Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine

Saturday Evening KRLA 870 AM Talk Show Host and Investigative Reporter Randy Economy will have the Attorney for the Wife of murdered City of Bell Garden Mayor Daniel Crespo Eber Bayona in studio tomorrow between 8-9 PM.

KRLA Saturday Evening Talk Show Host Randy Economy.

** Blogger's Note: With a beautiful President's Day Holiday Weekend upon us, please pardon the bloggin break to recommend that you spent a quality hour tomorrow night listen to a must-hear hour on the Randy Economy Show on KRLA 870 AM from 8-9 PM. In studio will be the Attorney Eber Bayona represent wife, turned alleged trigger women Lyvette Crespo, who allegedly gunned down her late husband, City of Bell Gardens Mayor Daniel Crespo. As the parties involve await whether the District Attorney will file charges, some interest surprises and relaxations, may be disclosed for the first time---Scott Johnson. 

** Memo to City Controller Ron Galperin, what are your office's issues in executing promised audits? First, IBEW Strongman Brian "D"Arcy Rizzo" stops cooperating with the agreed-upon review of the books for the DWP-IBEW Joint Safety/Job Training Non Profits, why? Supposedly because someone was taking "too much notes". But you also have seem to forget that promise you made at a LANCC Meeting to audit the CD 14 CLARTS Fund. Meanwhile, a California Public Records Act request on CLARTS received the following response via the staff.

2.) A line item expenditure on all recipients of CLARTS Fund allocations for the 2013-2014 Fiscal Year.

ttached please find a document from the Office of the Controller pertinent to item Number One of your request. 

Regarding item Number Two of your request, please be advised that this office finds that "unusual circumstances" exist with respect to the request, as that term is defined in California Government Code section 6253(c). "Unusual circumstances” exist because of the need to compile data, to write programming language or a computer program, or to construct a computer report to extract data.

In addition, pursuant to California Government Code 6253.9(b), “the requester shall bear the cost of producing a copy of the record, including the cost to construct a record, and the cost of programming”.

Should you wish our office to proceed with data extraction, please notify this office of your request and the cost of programming will be calculated and communicated to you. Please note that a check payable to the City of Los Angeles for the programming fee must be received by this office prior to data extraction.

If you have any questions, please contact me at (213) 978-7291.  
Kevin McNeely
Senior Management Analyst II

Office of the Controller
 

......., so much for a timely accounting on CLARTS from Controller Galperin.

Your thoughts ..............
 

Scott Johnson in CD 14                                                                                 

Morning Briefs on Appeasing the Boss D'Arcy Rizzo Political Machine for Wednesday

Appeasement in Our Time at 200 Spring Street as the Los Angeles City Clowncil Central Committee, with help from City Attorney Mike Feuer and City Controller Ron "Neville" Galperin sent a proposed settlement of the litigious Boss D"Arcy Rizzo's IBEW/ DWP Joint Safety and Job Training Non-Profits Audits, to the DWP Commission for approval.

From City Controller Ron "Neville" Galperin's Facebook Page: "The agreement protects ratepayer money by requiring the trusts to cooperate fully with my office’s audit before any money is released to them. I believe these actions will make the operations of the trusts transparent and guarantee that the trustees are accountable to DWP ratepayers".

But the discerning observers are musing about the lack of details as noted below .........

Paul Hatfield: The IBEW should not have a say in who represents the city on the trusts' boards. That is a conflict of interest. This settlement should be killed on that basis alone.

Jack Humphreville: Ron Galperin has done a very good job. But why can't we see the agreement? After all, we are the slobs paying the bill. Do you trust City Hall?

Jose G. Castillo Mba: Why doesn't the IRS revoke their nonprofit status??? This is tax payer monies we are talking about!! There should be a criminal investigation if fraud has been committed.

Comments aside, Galperin gives its his best Neville Chamberlin (sans a transparent document to wave at the discerning masses) as reported by Rick Orlov in the Daily News.

 “(We) crafted an agreement that finally brings transparency to the two ... trusts jointly managed by the Department of Water and Power and its largest union,” he said, adding that he looks forward to being able to finally audit the trusts.

Yet, with the details lacking for the public to ascertain, ratepayers, like Winston Churchill in 1939, can't be faulted for questioning the true facts behind the City Clowncil Central Committee Strongman Herman "Mini Amin" Wesson's led efforts to appease, whoops settle with "Boss D'Arcy Rizzo" as exemplified below.

Leonard H Horowitz: Ratepayers will not trust DWP, mayor and unethical city council until the two DWP safety non-profits are audited from 2003. No new rate increases until Brian D'Arcy is removed from union, working Californian's & safety non-profits. In the old days they would have been tarred and feathered and then thrown out of town. 

......, but in 2014, the City Clowncil Central Committee, along with Mayor Garcetti, City Attorney Mike Feuer and City Controller "Neville" Galperin, disclose no documentation on the latest act of appeasing a City Hall Bully.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14



Morning Briefs on Kevin James inside the Political Machine for Tuesday

Hey!! Has being inside City Hall changed Kevin James?

Mayor Garcetti on LA Times Missive, its true ......., I made a City Hall Insider of Kevin James.

Bloggin announcement!! Kevin James has officially left the Radio Studio ........, for the Inside Culture of 200 Spring Street.

Read more »

Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Monday

If you are Steve Veres, who is seeking to become the first local politico in recent memory to serve on two different City Clowncil Central Committees, its never too early to raise money (and set aside cash for future campaign debt) ..........., especially when you are a client of "Private Citizen/ Campaign Consultant" John Shallman.

See CD 4 City Clowncil Central Committee Candidate (via the San Fernando City Clowncil Central Committee and LACCD Board of Trustees) Steve Veres smile now, before potentially-becoming the latest client debtor of "Private Citizen/ Political Consultant" John Shallman.

Nice of Steve Veres Boss and soon to be State Senate President Kevin De Leon, to lend his name to this "future Shallman Campaign Debt Fundraiser".

No one can claim that this blogger does not have a kinder and gentler side ......, on rare political occasions.

When now to be California State Senate President Kevin De Leon was dumped on the couch (allegedly) of Mt. Washington's  Mr.and Mrs Carol Jacquez (the "Bill and Hillary" of Northeast LA Democrats) by former Assembly Speaker (and fellow San Diego transplant) Fabian Nunez, to become the LA Political Machine's designated Assemblyman, an ambitious San Fernando Politico helped soften the carpet-bagging transition, through quality Constituent Services that embarrassed a certain "Princeton Graduate, turned Dear Charro Politico".

Now nearly a decade later, the former San Fernando City Council Member, who day-lighted as both a Assemblyman and State Senator Kevin De Leon Staffer (while moonlighting as a LACCD Board Of Trustee in an exercise of political resume enhancement) Steve Veres, needs all the monetary help he can garnered in seeking to become the first politico in recent memory to serve on, two, City Clowncil Central Committees ......, and we want to help.

In the spirit of giving, we offer the following ideas to stimulate fundraising for his soon-to-be-costly campaign to replace Tom Lebonge come 2015.

** First, silent auction a signed autographed photo of Kevin De Leon establishing domicile (allegedly) on the couch of Mr. and Mrs. Carol Jacquez, who would later be named the Assembly District's "Woman of the Year".

** Sell signed videos of Steve Veres celebrating the San Fernando Recall Victory of those who would later meet the same political fate. 

** Giveaway single use plastic bags, signed by Betty Pleasant, produced in the City of Vernon.

** Auction off payouts from the City of Vernon Environmental Reparations Fund to the top-bidding Connected, Community-based Organizations (think Legacy LA).

** Autographed copies of the soon to be San Fernando Political Novella Bestseller "Oh Mario (the Tonto) y Maribel (the Sancha)". 

Believe us, we care.

** OTHER NEWS:

** With the exception of our 2014 Ass Clown Awards, sightings of the former CD 1 City Councilman Ed "Density" Reyes have been fleeting to say the least. But as Mayor Eric Garcetti touts the nearly $1 Billion Dollars in federal money heading west for LA River Revitalization, the supposed Planning Visionary, is the subject of a one, two,  three part KCET Profile.

** Beloved Los Angeles Journalist and Civic Activist Ron Kaye takes a break from retirement to keyboard a missive regarding the dismal state of voter participation in last week's "Greece on the Pacific" (formerly the Golden State) Primary Elections. 

** Surprise, surprise, months after the likes of the new incarnation of the DWP Commission, City Attorney Mike Feuer, Mayor Eric Garcetti and City Controller Ron Galperin united together in calling upon IBEW/ DWP Boss Brian D"Arcy Rizzo to account for $40 Million Dollars in taxpayers money, allocated to the Joint Safety and Job Training Non-Profits, Boss D'Arcy Rizzo is on the distracting, counter attack. Meanwhile, we would like to remind the First Term City Controller of a promise he made at a past LANCC Meeting to audit a "certain CD 14 Councilmatic Fund" as noted in the approved LA-32 NC Resolution below.

We hope that City Controller Galperin does not channel the former City Controller "Villar and Boss D'Arcy Call Greuel" in ignoring request for transparency in auditing the CLARTS Fund.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Morning Briefs on Reshuffling/ Reinventing the Los Angeles Political Machine for Hump Day

Links galore on the Reshuffling/ Reinvention of the Los Angeles City Hall Political Structure.

New Los Angeles City Controller Ron Galperin, seeks an higher order regarding fiscal data processing. 

Great blogging Hump Day as the calendar (along with the assorted requisite "100 Day Analysis Missives") reminds us that some time back, we past the 100 Day Mark on the supposed reshuffling/ reinventing at City Hall, after the latest election cycle.

The likes of new Mayor Eric Garcetti and City Controller Ron Galperin are espousing their respective grasps of the power of technology, in making government more assessable to the average Angeleno. Mayor Garcetti want you to know how your local government is performing. Thus you can bloggin click here to view (** hopefully, it works like "spoll check" in spelling out the real performance of your favorite department, but I digress). Not to be outdone, City Controller Ron Galperin unveiled his new website "Control Panel", which is suppose to be an electronic door opener to viewing how your public money is allocated. 

Downtown News Editor and "Reigning Scribe of Wit", allocated some work time to go X-box on Controller Galperin's "Control Panel" and the results is an excerpt from his latest "Regardie Report".

Despite the data overload, some interesting nuggets exist in ControlPanel. I dug around in the muck last week, uncovering a handful of facts that won’t make the city better, but do make it more amusing.
For example, a lot of people like to know how much someone working for the city earns. I’m as guilty of six-figure jealousy as the next private-sector employee without an amazing taxpayer-abetted pension, but I’m also curious about how little some people make.
That’s why, after looking at Galperin’s rundown of 2012 DWP pay and figuring out that GM Ron Nichols earned $349,000 last year, I scrolled to the bottom of the looooong list. There, I learned that someone with the job title of “service representative” made $6.23 in 2012 (yes, the decimal point is in the right place). The second poorest DWP earner of the year was a construction pipefitter who raked in $10.98.
This sparks all sorts of questions: Did the service rep sign up for a $25 an hour job and get canned after 14 minutes? How many pipes did the pipe fitter fit for his almost $11? Were these people paid in cash, check or bubblegum? I’d love an answer to any of these questions, but the database doesn’t have it.

Wonder where is the category regarding the expenditures on a certain CD 14 Discretionary/ Amenities Fund (CLARTS) and how $1.5 Million was spent in "salaries transfers"?

** One of the looming byproducts in the reshuffling of the City Clowncil Central Committee in the most recent election cycle, has been the reduce presence of "Political Estrogen" within the Horseshoe. KPCC Reporter Alice "The City Maven" Walton, recently moderated a discussion on the waning influence of women in City Hall with a panel that included for Clowncilwomen Wendy "The Villar Greuel", Joy Picus and the current, token female Clowncilmember Nury Martinez.

** The topic of City Hall General Manager's reshuffling is on the mind of "MSNBC City Watch LA" front person Ken Alpern, as he muses on the recent, predictable departure of Department of Transportation General Manager Jamie "Hummer" De La Vega and his replacement by now former Recreation and Parks General Manager Jon K. Mukri. (** who now has served as GM in three city departments, General Services, Rec & Parks and now DOT).

** The effort to reinvent the CD 4 City Clowncil Seat from the LaBonge Persona into Carolyn Ramsey, is in need funding as the Griffith Park Wayist notes. We wonder what the Wayist thinks of the leadership change in Rec. & Parks?

** ........ oh lastly! CD 4 voters may want to avoid remaking their Clowncil Domain into the next political incarnation of a certain former "Silver Lake Stay at Home Politico" known as the "Infant Assemblyman", in lieu of these past comments regarding Montebello's Tom Calderon.



“I’m proud to endorse Tom Calderon for Assembly,” said Assemblyman Mike Gatto. “We need more legislators like him, who are intelligent and savvy, and willing to put in the long hours necessary to pass legislation that repairs our schools, stimulates our economy, and gets our state’s residents back to work.”

...... the only thing the Calderons know how to stimulate is FBI Stings.

Your thoughts ...............
Scott Johnson in CD 14