Noting the Passing of former CD 11 City Councilman Bill Rosendahl at 70

Former Cable Public Access Television Host, turned Selfless Progressive CD 11 City Councillman Bill Rosendahl, succumbs to four year battle with cancer at the Age of 70. 

The Whody Who Venice Duo of Bil Rosendahl and David "Zuma Dogg" Saltzberg.

** Blogger's Note: A day of solemn refection has surely descended on 200 Spring Street, as the news of the Passing of former CD 11 City Councilman Bill Rosendahl at the Age of 70, becomes public. Rosendahl had fought a roller coaster battle with cancer since 2012, before passing away this morning in the company of friends and family, as noted by the LA Times.

Rosendahl died early Wednesday morning at his home in Mar Vista, surrounded by friends and family, after a four-year battle with cancer, according to a statement by David Graham-Caso, communications director for City Councilman Mike Bonin. Rosendahl was diagnosed in 2012 with cancer of the ureter, the tube that connects the kidney to the bladder. The disease went into remission in 2013, but it reappeared in 2014. His loved ones were told by doctors in January that Rosendahl could pass away "any day,” Graham-Caso said, so for the last three months, they have been visiting his home, holding something of “an amazing living wake." Rosendahl is survived by his longtime partner, book publisher Hedi El Kholti.

A tireless, selfless Progressive, Rosendahl was a sincere persona who in the middle of his battle with cancer, still placed paramount the concerns of those who he could help, above self. Our bloggin memory of Councilman Rosendahl will include his befriending of our former Mayor Sam Blogger David "Zuma Dogg" Saltzberg, as exampled in the photo above.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Rosendahl Family and Friends as Angelinos join in remembering a Selfless Man of Character.

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

TGIF Brief on the Free Speech-inhibiting Los Angeles Political Machine

The fiscal cost of the City of Los Angeles restriction of Free Speech at public meetings, continues to rise as Venice African-American Boardwalk Vendor Michael Hunt is awarded $215,000 for his ejection from a Recreation & Parks Commission Meeting, which he spoke while wearing KKK garb.

 The likes of Michael Hunt (in KKK Garb) and David "Zuma Dogg" Saltzberg exposed the limitation on Free Speech by the City Clowncil Central Committee.

Michael Hunt in KKK garb, speaks before the City Clowncil Central Committee during Public Comment.

When an Act of Outrage exposes a limitation on Free Speech, the taxpayers are bound to pay, again.

The Los Angeles City Clowncil Central Committee has decided to cut their legal loses by voting to pay Venice African-American Boardwalk Vendor Michael Hunt $215,000 for violating his First Amendment Rights in ejecting him for speaking in KKK garb at a Recreation & Parks Commission Meeting.

Many can easily find outrage in Michael Hunt's Act of Speech, especially when garbed in Klan wear. Yet, Hunt, along with fellow Venice Boardwalk Merchants Matt Dowd and David "Zuma Dogg" Saltzberg rightfully brought their grievances to City Hall and via their masterful use of Public Comment time, exposed the City Clowncil Central Committee reactive proclivities that have cost the taxpayers close to $1 Million Dollars in legal fees.

Instead of the City Clowncil Central Committee embracing Speech, the City Clowncil Central Committee Strongman Herman "Mini Amin" Wesson led body has enacted protocols that discourage Public Comment via cutting back on time, agenda placement, and the shutdown of off site locations among others.

In reality, while many will focus on the Act of Outrage by Hunt, the recent actions of the City Clowncil Central Committee and the repugnant (and legally costly) behavior by the likes of CD 14 City Clowncil Central Committee Member Jose Huizar, are more egregious. Thus, if outing the nefarious actions of the City Clowncil Central Committee as a whole, or the questionable act of character of the likes of Clowncilman Huizar, requires an Act of Outrage, then onwards with your First Amendment-protected exercise in expression.

Your thoughts ..............

Scott Johnson in CD 14

BREAKING NEWS: INJUSTICE: Jury Awards Winners in Zuma Dogg Federal Lawsuit Only $1

More to come later, but here's the news as we have it from Zuma Dogg's Twitter page. Despite winning a Federal lawsuit against the city, artist/blogger/activist David "Zuma Dogg" Saltsburg, his long time business associate Matt Dowd and several other Venice Beach performers who claimed that the way the city selected public performance spaces violated their civil rights, as well as a first amendment case by Saltsburg against the city for actions taken against him during public comment by the Los Angeles City Council, the jury in the case have awarded each of the plaintiffs only $1 each in damages. Local political watchers were stunned, longtime writer/blogger Joseph Mailander posted on his Facebook page that he found the news "depressing." Saltsburg himself tweeted the decision makes the case that  "Government can break law w impunity/no repercussion."

Morning Briefs on the Gadfly-Hating Los Angeles Political Machine for Thursday

Some current and former members of the City Clowncil Central Committee via KFI's John and Ken Show.

Great morning to all from the "Communal City-State of Los Angeles" where fifteen members of the City Clowncil Central Committee wants to restrict your right to convey via diverse modes of communication, comments regarding actions of the special interest elected City Clowncil Central Committee that reign from 200 Spring Street. As a reminder to the Clowncil Central Committee, we post this ..........

Congress (.... and the City Clowncil Central Committee) shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances (that includes Councilman Huizar and the CLARTS Fund).  

The First Amendment must be a foreign concept to the likes of CD 11 Clowncil Central Committee Member Bill Rosendahl and Clowncil Central Committee President Herb "Mini Amin" Wesson who are exploring ways to restrict speech from the likes of John Walsh, Chris Shabel and Miki Jackson pictured above, in light of Tuesday's comments in the Clowncil Central Committee Chambers by El Sereno Resident Michael Carreon that provoked feigned acts of victimization from Clowncil Central Committee Members Paul Koretz and Bill Rosendahl. Derided by some in the "establishment media" as "Gadflys", the likes of Walsh and Jackson have been instrumental in exposing safety issues at MTA and questionable actions at LACCD respectively. Others such as Zuma Dogg, Matt Dowd, Mike Hunt and Arnold Sachs have highlighted in public (and courtroom) the free speech hypocrisy of the supposed progressives that control the Clowncil Central Committee. Now, as the Clowncil Central Committee plots its revenge against those first amendment practitioners, Hillel Aron at the "Weekly of Record" profiles those City Hall regulars who are derisively labeled "Gadflys", but in actuality are the citizen watchdogs of an increasingly fascist City Clowncil Central Committee.          

 Zuma Dogg

 Matt Dowd

 Mike Hunt

Arnold Sachs

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Its time for a City Attorney Carmen Trutanich Roast via Zuma Dogg

As a fan of political parody/satire, I would be remiss if I did not spotlight 2013 Mayoral Candidate Zuma Dogg's "Roast of City Attorney Carmen Trutanich in Council Chambers today.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14.

A Zuma Dogg Roast of CD 11 City Councilman Bill Rosendahl

This is what happen when you attempt to restrict the citizens right to their First Amendment discourse.

2013 Mayoral Candidate David "Zuma Dogg" Saltsburg is in fine form at the expense of First Amendment denier CD 11 City Councilman Bill Rosendahl.

This latest from Zuma will become a City Clowncil parody classic.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Tuesday

CD 11 City Councilman Bill Rosendahl and Zuma Dogg in more congenial times.

We start off this Tuesday morning with this bloggin public service announcement from 2013 Mayoral Candidate David "Zuma Dogg" Saltzburg.

Tune into TV 35, Tuesday at 10am, Wed at 10am, Fri at 10am...EVERY CITY COUNCIL MEETING at 10am, for the "Bill Rosendope Comedy Roast," during public comment. Have you HEARD Zuma Dogg's impersonation of Rosie? Wait till you hear what the community has to say about him. COPS not happy with him, either. His spineless, lack of leadership and constant fall-through is a REAL issue for them, from what I'm told.
MEANWHILE, thanks for confirming what I've been saying: DOWD/DOGG UNDER COUNCIL'S SKIN!

In an ideal Councilman Rosendahl world, crapping, urinating, camping and destroying public property, is a by-product of expressing your First Amendment rights, while highlighting the ills of a dysfunctional government at City Hall is grounds for expulsion.

Hecho En Mexico Restaurant. Boxed in on both sides by Academia Semillas del Pueblo properties. 

** Under the political radar to most is a growing controversy within the community of El Sereno. It appears that controversial educator Marcos Aguilar is bullying the owner of the well-liked restaurant "Hecho En Mexico" (the restaurant hosted President Barack H. Obama's sister during the 2008 Campaign and has sponsored numerous community events) over parking access near their respective properties. In recent years, Aguilar's Academia Semillas del Pueblo Charter School has purchase property directly on both sides of the long establish eatery. Complicating the situation is that Hecho En Mexico has a liquor license to sell beer, wine and liquor which makes you wonder what happen to the zoning process when Aguilar's non-profit purchase the properties (including the old El Sereno Library)?

Marcos to Huizar: "The Aztec Gods (with the help of my supporters campaign contributions) see a day when the city gives us "surplus property" on Elephant Hill for our Charter School".

After repeated complaints between Hecho and Academia over parking, Academia is now preparing to challenge the ABC renewal of Hecho's liquor license. Many in the El Sereno Community are questioning the actions of Marcos Aguilar considering that Hecho has been a good neighbor to the community and that the restaurant was established long before Academia set up its educational commune on another location further south on Huntington Drive.

But what is the real goal for Marcos Aguilar in his battle with Hecho En Mexico? Could it be that Marcos has his eyes set on "surplus city property" north of his current location? Its no secret in the El Sereno Community that Aguilar wants access to "open space". Early last decade, Aguilar tried securing open space at Debs Park for his initial charter school site but was rebuffed by community members. Currently, Aguilar's school has been working behind the scenes with SMMC/MRCA on education ideas for its just purchase five acre site on Elephant Hill. Could Aguilar crave asking the City of Los Angeles to allow his educational commune to relocate to the remaining "surplus property" on Elephant Hill, away from Huntington Drive? Thus, granting Aguilar his much sought after open space (at city cost) for furthering his connection to the Azteca Educational Gods?

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14       

Its all about the map for a future Los Angeles

The City Charter gives the City Council until June 30 to review and decide on the proposed map crafted by the 2011/2012 incarnation of the City Redistricting Committee. But new City Council President Herb "Mini Amin" Wesson is fast tracking hearings this week in the goal of wrapping up Redistricting 2012 by March 16, 2012. The haste of Council President "Mini Amin" Wesson has caught the attention of the Downtown News which stated in strong terms that Wesson should slow down the process for the good of the city. 

City Council President Herb "Mini Amin" Wesson

What are the possible ramifications of the strong arm tactics of the diminutive former Assembly Speaker turned the "Mini Amin of the Horseshoe'? Lawsuits over this backroom exercise is a given. City Councilman Bernard Parks Chief of Staff Bernard Parks Jr. tells Rick Orlov that Council President Wesson has detached African-American neighborhoods from CD 8 and moved them into the boundaries of CD 10 in the hopes of protecting his district. This charge the latest among many made by the tandem of Councilperson Parks and Jan Perry, make it more likely that the formerly consensus council of former Council President Eric Garcetti is a relic of a peaceful past.

More news on Redistricting 2012: 

** Ron Kaye reports that the LA Neighborhood Council Coalition voted this weekend to oppose the final map recommended by the Redistricting Committee. Redistricting Committee Member Hellen Kim and City Councilwoman Jan Perry took time out of their saturday to meet and go over the map with coalition members before the vote to oppose was taken.

** Zuma Dogg and this blogger shared some quality time discussing the various people and controversies connected with Redistricting 2012 on Saturday evening. If anyone in the local political know still thinks that Redistricting 2012 was an exercise is simple map drawing, then I have a building permit for the right price from Grande Associate CEO and former Building and Safety Inspector Samuel In.

**  ..... and how do some in the African-American Community view Council President "Mini Amin" Wesson's actions on Redistricting 2012? Ponder this quote and its relevancy to Redistricting 2012 as noted by PACE News Gloria Zurveen.

“While the black appointees were highly visible, they were, for the most part, powerless. And their powerless visibility in and around the bureaucratic councils added an aura of legitimacy to illegitimate acts, providing a smokescreen for dirty dealings.” — Samuel Yette Author of “The Choice” 

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14  

Witness Koreatown's Political Awakening against unjust Redistricting and Extortion

** Blogger's note: Special thanks to 2013 Mayoral Candidate/ Blogger/ City Hall Public Comment Legend David "Zuma Dogg" Saltzberg for spending time crafting last evening this four minute expose on the Koreatown Political Awakening against unjust City Redistricting in 2012. From Sunland-Tujunga in the north, through CD 4, west to Westchester, into the remaining pickings of CD 8 and back to a formerly CD 9 Downtown, many civic activists have protested the blatant backroom dealings that have defined City Redistrict 2012. But one community stands above all others in the battle for just restricting, Koreatown. Hundreds of Korean-Americans led by a new generation of leaders such as Lloyd Lee, Jimmy Chai and Los Angeles Rising Political Star, Redistricting Committee Member Helen Kim are standing up to this facade of open boundaries alterations and pulling no punches. In this explosive four minute video clip, Lee declares that Koreatown will not give contribution money any longer, in return for no services. But most explosive is the allegation made by Chai that City Council President Herb Wesson Staffer Michael Bae solicited campaign money in return for permits and read a letter into record from a Brian Chong addressed to Wesson in regards to this. Wesson denies this charge and Chong says that the letter is a hoax but many in the Korean American Community feel that the letter is real---Scott Johnson.     

Jimmy Chai stating and reading letter of allegation against City Council President Herb Wesson's Staffer Michael Bae that he solicited campaign contributions in return for approved permits. (** BTW, is that Andrew Westall walking in background as Chai makes his allegations?)

** More news on City Redistricting 2012 in the A.M., including Zuma Dogg Exclusive on memo Redistricting Committee Executive Director Andrew Westall does not want you to read.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14.

The "Red Rabble on the South Lawn" vs. Zuma Dogg continues

Zuma Dogg is getting under the crusty skin of the "Red Rabble on the South Lawn". Ron Kaye chimes in on Zuma's latest interaction with the Red Rabble and BTW, what was that about Huizar and the CLARTS Fund?.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14 

LIVE!! from Occupy LA, its City Hall Public Comment "Hall of Famer" Zuma Dogg

Via the LA Weekly's "Snarky One in Solidarity" with the "Red Rabble on the South Lawn", we bring you this latest from City Hall's Public Comment "Hall of Famer" and 2013 Mayoral Candidate David "Zuma Dogg" Saltzburg.

From the "Snarky one in Solidarity" with the "Flee Party,

"Awww yeah, Zuma Dogg!" he shouted into the faces of half-lidded campers through his megaphone this morning. "I'm here to occupy Occupy, y'all!" (... and was this blogger to witness Classic Zuma?)

..... more from the Snarky One.

Basically, ZD is super pissed because Occupy L.A. hasn't gone through proper procedure to obtain a special permit (including fee) for their daily audio setup on City Hall steps. Turns out he's a stickler for permits. Also, park preservation: "Oh my god, the grass is totally dead," he said earlier today, filming the ground. (The only thing thing he and Mayor Villaraigosa have ever agreed on.) "Wow, the grass finally reflects the city economy itself -- dead as dirt."

 ..... and last seen via the Snarky One.

Wow. Now he's just getting in a bunch of shouting matches and causing general mayhem at the mini-city. We'll let you know if he gets arrested or anything. Just another day on the nasty front lawn of 200 North Spring Street! (TGIF.)

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

Morning Briefs on the "dueling" Los Angeles Political Machines for Friday

In the words of the Jewish Journal blog on this looming race "Two Jews, One District".

This is going to get brutal ........... and expensive.

Lets "cut and paste" some of the comments from the Los Angeles Times story on this looming "political jihad".

From ....... Michael Berman, the strategist behind the Berman-Waxman axis who is running his brother's reelection effort, calls his brother "a leader" and Sherman a "backbencher." Not nice.

From Gerry South on Howard Berman  "Ber.man hasn't had a campaign in years, and a lot of these longtime incumbents are really, really rusty." ..... especially when the machine dilutes competition.

Lastly from "Parke". Parke Skelton, scoffed at suggestions by some that his client defer to the senior congressman by getting out of the race. "These districts aren't Spanish land grants," Skelton said. "Nobody owns them."

Let the campaigning commence!

Meanwhile in Venice .................

The fight over new restrictions on the Venice Boardwalk is causing Zuma Dogg's coverage to go viral as his blog traffic graphs highlight. Funny to note in his tweets that CD 11 City Councilman Bill Rosendahl asks CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar, how it feels to have ZD sniffing around your Neighborhood Council.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

** Updated Mayor Sam Exclusive: Did Councilman Huizar retaliate against Eagle Rock's Colombo's Steakhouse for supporting Rudy Martinez for City Council?

"

Councilman Jose Huizar has a "long list" (6,000 voters +) of those who are not loyal to him.

Colombo's in Eagle Rock.

**Afternoon Update: Colombo's received their permit yesterday but because of the lateness of the approval, their festival plans have been altered. Further, Rick Coca stated this to Tom Topping, Rick Coca (press deputy CD14) says that Vic had operated the beer garden without a permit for all the previous years, and CD14 thought there were plenty of opportunities for people to drink on music fest night without a "beer garden" 

Colombo's Intalian Steakhouse General Manager Vic Parrino is apparently the latest person (** as Kevin James noted) in CD 14 to experience first hand the vindictive side of CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar. Joining the ranks of the Historic Downtown BID, LA-32 Neighborhood Council, Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council "Former President" Jose Aguilar and surely others, Perino is finding out first hand that if you don't support the "Huizar Way", well, "business may suffer".

Boulevard Sentinel Newspaper Editor Tom Topping send this blogger the following message a couple of days ago which we reprint in full below.

Hi scott. Headline: Huizar withdraws support for business who supported his opponent in last election. ... I'm at ER chamber meeting. Vic parrino, manager of colombos restaurant in eagle rock, wanted a special ABC permit for serving alcohol during music festival. He got needed police support for his application but CD14 withheld support. Vic recorded a very negative robocall, soliciting people to demand huizars resignation for alleged criminal wrongdoing. 

Following up on Topping's message, it was confirm that Parrino had gone to the Eagle Rock Chamber Meeting and express his dismay that the Special ABC Permit that Colombo's had to sell alcohol at past Eagle Rock Music Festivals, was withdrawn after intervention by Councilman Huizar's Office. Further, it was true that Parrino recorded the Robo Call in question during the heat of the campaign. But what dismays those that were contacted on this controversy, is the fact that Councilman Huizar would still choose to use the power of his office to retaliate against a business of an opposition (Rudy Martinez) supporter, long after the end of the campaign.

More later ...............

** Bonus Coverage on the dubious ethics of the "Huizar Way" via a Zuma Dogg Exclusive on "CRA/Huizar/ CASA 0101 Outreach Contract".

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14  

Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Thursday

Zuma Dogg stating the facts to CD 11 City Councilman Bill Rosendahl.

City of Los Angeles political historians would be advise that any future works on the Mayor Antonio Villar Era at City Hall would be incomplete without mention of three Venice Beach Boardwalk Merchants who took their grievances to City Hall and became civic legends. Matt Dowd, Michael Hunt and an incenses salesperson/ sidewalk performer who's moniker "Zuma Dogg" will forever be preserved in local civic history, shook up City Hall and left their mark, especially in the "public comment records" and on the payout ledgers of the city treasury.

Now after the dust has settle and grievances had been resolved by counsel, CD 11 City Councilman Bill Rosendahl's latest attempts to impose rules on the sometimes anarchy of the Venice Boardwalk, has prompted Zuma Dogg to give notice that he will put Rosendahl on the spot  for any illegal actions that impinges on his constitutional rights of expression. Meanwhile, in addition to given notice to Councilman Rosendahl, Zuma Dogg has another endeavor in the works, more on that later.

OTHER POLITICAL NEWS AFTER THE JUMP:

Read more »

Breaking News! Zuma Dogg Endorses Chris Essel in CD2 Race

David Saltsburg, aka "Zuma Dogg" has just announced that he is throwing his support behind Chris Essel in the race to fill the CD2 seat vacated by Wendy Greuel.
Here is his statement:

Sorry that Krekorian and Essel made it into the run-off, but those are the two options and I do not agree that you can just sit out and not vote. You have two distinctly different candidates and a decision must be made.

So now we have a fresh slate, and I am not going to take the easy way out and just say, "Forget it...not going to vote/say anything."

And people know I have been kicking the tires on Chris Essel because I wasn't taking a good look at her during the primary because I was supporting another grass roots canidate (me).

And I have already made the decision I am not going to support Paul Krekorian and I have given the reasons why. So for the purpose of this blog post, I am going to focus on reasons why I guess I have to come out and say it...why I am supporting Christine Essel in this run-off.

People tell me I am supposed to "play both sides" and try and set up meetings with both sides; and don't say anything yet; and don't give it away for free; and see what you can maybe negotiate, first and all of that.

And if anything good comes out of my support down the line, then that would be nice and I'm sure a lot of people would be happy for me.

BUT the MAIN thing is...neither canidate, nor any candiate could get me to support them publicly if I didn't feel comfortable.

And Zuma Dogg suffers from "the-clock-is-always-ticking, frenetic energy syndrome."

Kevin James was hammering her in REAL TIME, this week on his radio show.

The other candidates are making their decisions as we speak.

Other opinion leaders in the community are making their decisions as you read this.

And I know it would be easier for me to say nothing, at this point, and see how things play out, and calculate things and not offend people who will be mad at me for being supportive of Ms. Essel because of the Central City board position, the people who donated to her campaign, and her support from Wendy (yes, some of us think that's a negative) and the whole Anti-Essel sentiment out there at the ZD community activist level.

But again, it is surprising to me, as well, that I feel it is important that Chris makes it into the seat over Paul. And I am factoring in all those things that turn off people like ZD in the general election.

So what was it then that has caused me to look at the money and connections of both candidates and go with Essel.

(Gag alert): She just impresses the hell out of me as an outstand career woman and has a good vibe and energy and I admire her as an individual.

And she tells me she wants to do all the good community-based things she said during the campaign and I am just going to have faith that the short year and a half term will cause her to actually take on the challenge of representing the community spirit, at least MUCH MORE than we are used to seeing in the horseshoe.

And again, I wasn't SEEKING out to support anyone, and was maybe not going to get involved, even though I think YOU, as individuals need to make a decision for yourself and vote. I just wasn't going to be public and get involved and go into "Zuma Dogg" mode for either of these two.

But first, Chris was very warm and friendly to ZD during the forums, even though I would hammer her at times. Now the other Big 3 were nice and friendly to ZD, too (Paul and Tamar), but Chris really put out the most "down home" vibe and just that pure joyous personality that people like ZD and Tamar and Wendy have to fake and put on. A lot of times people are nice to ZD but it has a fake, political vibe and you know they would loosen my brakes if they could get away with it.

Here's how I started to get sucked into feeling good about Chris Essel:

Chris was making the rounds calling the other candidates and community opinion leaders and asking for their support in the run-off.

She asked me, flat-out, "Can I count on your support?" I said, "HELL NO, you can't COUNT on it," but since you asked, let's talk and I'll see how you feel.

So I called her later in the evening to set up a time for coffee somewhere...but you know me...I couldn't wait, so I just started firing away questions, asking her what I was curious about.

I ended up typing up highlights from the conversation in my blog post from Friday where I wrote a speech in her voice of the things that impressed me most. Things about her career achievement that didn't come out in the primary.

Chris needs to work on getting fired up and sticking up for herself and selling people on her career path and achivement as a woman rising through the ranks in Hollywood at Paramount.

So later in the evening, after the phone call with Chris that really impressed me, Kevin James was on the air, just before 11pm, and was hammering Chris, once again, for not appearing on his show, and he was hoping she wasn't going to dodge him, this time (in the run-off) -- and it was going south, real quick.

So Zuma Dogg calls Chris at 11pm on her cell phone, and she picks up, and start in, at frenteic Zuma Dogg pace, "Kevin is HAMMERING you on the air...are you going to go on the debates, this time? You HAVE to...if not...(blah, blah, blah)..." And I add, "You gotta call in!"

It didn't occur to me that she might have been sleeping at 11pm the night after the election wrapped up, and she said, "Not right now, I'm sleeping."

SLEEP...WHO CARES...BETTER TO SPIN SOUNDING SLEEPY, THAN TO CONTINUE TO GET HAMMERED UNTIL YOU SOUND FRESH.

So I said, "So what! Call in!" But...I have to remember...not everyone can do interviews in their sleep like Big ZD, so I said, "Well can I call and tell him you'll do it, so he'll stop saying you won't."

She gave me the green light and told me I could call in.

So I called Kevin and they are working it out and Chris says she will be on Kevin's show for the run-off.

SO THAT'S GOOD!!! ZUMA DOGG WAKES HER UP AT 11PM, AND SHE LISTENED TO ZD AND THE OTHER CANDIDATES WHO TOLD HER SHE SHOULD DO IT, AND SHE AGREED!!! AND...ZUMA DOGG WOKE HER UP AT 11PM, AND SHE IS STILL TALKING TO ME!!! Imagine if I called Wendy at 11pm at night on her cell phone.

I think it's a very good sign that I already like Chris a lot more than I ever liked Wendy and even before Wendy REALLY hated me....she was never warm and nice to me and never would accept feedback, like this.

So I think the fact that Chris is NOT a career politician; and kind of green in some GOOD ways means she may be a little more vulnerable in having to rely on the community and will need to do a lot for the people during this short term. And if she turns out to be insincere, we can vote her out in a year and a half.

AND THE PEOPLE HAVE TO KNOW...Zuma Dogg is always EXTREMELY skeptical listening to ANYTHING a candidate has to say during an election, and I'm pretty harsh in my scrutiny and that's what people LOVE about me.

BUT SOMETIME, that can cause you to throw the baby out with the bathwater, and that is something I am ALWAYS...MOST CAREFUL not to do. And when I see other people doing it, it sometimes makes ME look harder (which I did with Chris, since she asked me to) and I was pleased at what I have seen so far, so the guy who hates to be bamboozled, DOES have to do what he HATES to do in politics....HAVE A LITTLE FAITH that the person before is the sincere, warm person who intends to do what she says.

I always have negative nicknames for other people, and Chris' new on is "Samsonite" cause she's got a lot of baggage. And in the future, I'll address some of the concerns I had that I have to get over in this election, because this is supposed to be about positive things about Chris, in this post, without attacking Paul Krekorian...but again, that factors in. Because if it was Chris Essel versus Pete Sanchez, I would probably be pushing hard for Pete.

But it's Essel vs Krekorian, and Zuma Dogg is supporting the outsider, grass roort candidate in this election: Chris Essel. I hope it doesn't come back to bite me in the butt in two years if she stinks as a CM. But the things I am concerned about with Chris are problems you have to deal with when you have a upscale, classy lady on your hands.

And seriously, Chris IS the outsider, grass roots candidate. She's just sucessful at it because she raised a lot of money and has the endorsement of the previous councilmember. OF COURSE a candidate like Chris is going to go for Wendy's endorsement. I heard Wendy DID wait because Lisa Sarkin and some others were thinking of running. But when some of the others didn't run, Wendy went with Chris. It's not like Wendy called Chris and said, "Chris, Wendy Gruel. I need someone to take over for me and do everything I say and be my puppet and screw the community."

If Zuma Dogg is finally seeing Chris for the outstanding business leader that she is, at least as a career woman...I can't blame Wendy for endorsing her.

Not to say she is going to tell Wendy to go screw herself, either.

But I think with Chris, she's a sincere and nice person who doesn't have that "juice" running through her like Wendy, Garcetti, Zuma, Krekorian, Alarcon.

So in this case all we can do is support her, be all over her the second she walks in the door, she seems to be listening to things I am trying to tell her.

So maybe we have a "Good" Wendy in Chris. And if not, then she get the Academy Award for suckering Zuma Dogg. She can't be THAT good. She may have worked at Paramount, but it was on the financial/business side.

I know a lot of people may be surprised I feel this way, and I was told to wait, but I don't like to hold back and be calculated in this stuff. It's not about YOU and what YOU get out of it. If the position of Councilmember is important to the future and the lives of the people...then the clock is ticking and no time for game playing on my end. And I HATE when people pull certain "cards." And ZD NEVER picks a candidate on if they are a man or woman...but man, this is THE "Girl Power" candidate if I ever saw one. And luckily not JUST because she is the female candidate. What can I tell you, now ZD got way too sensitive and his feminine side came out too much from all of you ladies who made ZD your little "fixer upper project" during the candidate forums. YOU TURNED ME INTO A SENSISTIVE YOU KNOW WHAT!!!! LOOK AT THIS!!! Oh no...where's my AC/DC "Back in Black" LP.

Mayor Sam's CD2 Ramblings for a Sunday Afternoon

Candidate Chris Essel can't name any public schools in CD2 but Tamar Galtzan is apparently having trouble figuring out what communities are part of the District. Residents in the City of San Fernando - not only not part of CD2 but not even part of the City of Los Angeles - report getting mailers from Tamar's campaign requesting support and donations.

Truly anyone can start a blog. Paul Hatfield whose ownership of homes in Valley Village and Lake Tahoe has insipired yet another. Yet that doesn't mean the blog is accurate when he accuses me of being part of the Paul Krekorian "camp" and participating in a Krekorian ordered attack of controversial candidate Mary Benson. You may remember that Benson made a remark about the homeless at a recent candidate's forum some attendees found "cold" and distasteful. Hatfield's post is inaccurate in that Krekroian's campaign was not involved in the post. I was alerted to Benson's comments by Mayor Sam Blogger Phil Jennerjahn who attended the event. If anyone has read Phil's posts you can be certain Phil is far from being in Krekorian's "camp." Crybaby losers like Hatfield and Benson are so not ready for prime time no matter how much they hate developers.

Chris Essel, the one candidate that most of CD2 seems to be united in opposition to, is apparently doing lousy in capturing much local media attention. Only six results for Chris Essel pop up in Google News Search with the most recent story having run over a week ago. Essel does slightly better with blog coverage but almost all of it is negative and from the usual sources such as here, Ron Kaye, Zuma Dogg's blog, etc. Whoever is getting paid for PR at the Essel campaign may need to give a refund.

Besides serving as a neighborhood prosecutor and school board member Tamar Galatzan fancies herself a mechanic. In a recent interview with Streetsblog Los Angeles Trustee Tamar says her pressing issue for transportation in LA is to repair the "mechanical glitches and late arrivals" or LA's trains.

Misc CD2 Crap for a Saturday Night

Zuma Dogg says that supporters of Tamar Galatzan are urging him to back down on his anti-Galatzan rhetoric as it is hurting her chance. Do they think he cares? Uh, he's running against her. The Doggster sums it up at his blog saying "Do not call Zuma Dogg and be a big crybaby saying how Zuma Dogg is going to split the vote from Tamar "Goes Along" Galatzan and allow "Empty Vessel" E$el and Krackorian make it into the run-off together. TOO BAD!"

Writer Paul Hatfield (via Joe B's CD2 Blog) disects where the votes in CD2 lie and says the key battle is who is going to get most of the rest of the pie after Paul Krekorian eats about a third of it.  He agrees that Zuma Dogg is a potential spoiler but that Galatzan is as well.  He opines however that Galatzan and Essel are vulnerable and that it's not out of the question that Zuma Dogg, Frank Sheftel or even Michael McCue could conceivably outpoll the Mayor's two favorite candidates and be in a run-off with Krekorian.  Most interesting in Hatfield's analysis is that he feels Zuma Dogg actually servers to increase voter turnout.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday

For years many citzens have complained about the mega-fee waivers the City of Los Angeles gives to events such as the Oscars and Grammys.  Now, following the uproar over the millions of dollars spent by the City on the Michael Jackson funeral those days may be over.  The LA Times reports that in September the City Council will consider forcing the organizers of these events to pay for security, traffic control, etc.  About time.

CD2 Candidate Frank Sheftel takes the time to sit for an interview at LAStreetsblog.  In addition to discovering Sheftel is against a plan to lease out the City's parking meters Sheftel says he sometime rides a ZIP 750 Electric Scooter to work.

Zuma Dogg, also a candidate for CD2, challenges fellow challenger Tamar Galatzan to a debate while accusing her campaign handlers of using material from his blog for her talking points. In the meantime revelations that the LAUSD is considering property tax increases is not helping Galatzan's campaign. In the meantime Zuma discovers his residence in Studio City is just blocks from candidate Chris Essel's rented CD2 apartment.

Speaking of Essel she's now raised more money than all the candidates combined.  And she's done so with the contributions of great CD2 denizens such as Barbra Streisand and Vlade Divac who are well aware of what Sunland-Tujunga, West Van Nuys and North Hollywood need.

Random Musings on CD2

The big news of the weekend was the number of candidates for CD2 that dropped in on Sunland Tujunga's historic Watermelon Festival, long seen as the CD2 version of the Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner in Iowa. On hand were Chris Essel, Tamar Galatzan, Paul Krekorian, Michael McCue, Frank Sheftel and others. A number of observers took note that candidate David "Zuma Dogg" Saltsburg was not in attendance leading to much speculation while at the same time some Mayor Sam readers told us they saw Zuma Dogg campaigning at events in Studio City and outside various Studio City businesses. Stay tuned.

Would Sunland-Tujunga be thrown under the bus if Chris Essel were elected? Our insider is telling us that Essel is quitely deal making so that if elected CD2 would be gerrymandered to include her Brentwood based estate while at the same time surgically remove Sunland-Tujunga from CD2 and place it in Richard Alarcon's CD7. This would allow Essel to terminate the lease on the Studio City apartment she's renting that was described to us as being less than desirable for someone of Essel's social standing.

And finally is Tamar Galatzan attempting to follow a Chicago style of politics? The mommy bloggers appear to be out in force in opposition to their cohort. We hear rumors that Tamar is attempting to silence several mommy bloggers who challenge her policies as an LAUSD member and is using some strongarm tactics to do so. One mommy blogger has gone as far to create a list of the "Top Ten Reasons You Should NOT Vote for Tamar" including "People with two full-time jobs should really focus on those jobs, and not seek a third," and "She's unelectable in Sunland-Tujunga because of two little words: Home Depot."

From the campaign trail of David "Zuma Dogg" Saltzburg, CD2 Candidate

A little story from the campaign trail:

I'm still not 100% sure why, but at the last minute possible to file, David "Zuma Dogg" Saltzburg decided to run for Los Angeles City Council District Two. Trying to help someone that had been a friend of sorts, I gave Zuma a lot of money -- a lot for my particular means, that is -- so that he could get enough signatures to run. I helped him get signatures, and assisted him financially with his living arrangements. I put in a lot of time helping him when time was something I didn't really have. I wasn't the only one to assist Mr. Saltzburg successfully making the ballot, but I did contribute.

Why would I do that? I did that simply because he asked. He'll say he didn't, I'm sure, but it came down to a number of phone calls hinting all over the place that people in CD2, myself included, should pick up signature sheets from him and get signatures for him. If you read his blog, I'm sure you'll remember these sorts of pleas even if they are taken down.

What has been the result of my misguided assistance? People can pretty much see the all-out assault he's made at me since he got on the ballot. A lot of Mayor Sam bloggers and friends have received some insane phone calls from the CD2 candidate in the past couple weeks, too. The one made to Ron Kaye was documented indirectly in one of the candidate's blog entries, which was then taken down after some feeling of remorse somehow crept in through the cracks. Last I checked, there are a couple there aimed at this blog, much of which rants about a candidates' forum at which Mr. Saltzburg wasn't even present. Yet somehow the entire discussion of said forum is 100% about him in his mind, with everything either completely for him or against him - it seems that in this fanciful struggle, no middle ground exists.

It's very odd that a lot of people on the receiving end of Mr. Saltzburg's recent onslaught are many of people who have given the gentleman quite a bit of personal, moral, and financial support over the years. More curiously, the all-out assault doesn't seem to be slowing down, but quite the opposite in fact as the campaign continues.

At the risk of sounding like a cliche factory, I suppose this really and truly does just go to show that no good deed goes unpunished. In fact, the punishment continues if tonight's crazed response to some simple observations I made is any indication.

(As to why this is being allowed to return on this blog after it was ordered restricted, Mayor Sam will have to explain that.)

Well, not only does this tale confirm the cliche, but more importantly it also goes to show the state of mind of David "Zuma Dogg" Saltzburg, CD2 candidate. Unlike David, I will let you decide whether someone with this state of mind is someone you want representing you in City Council.

So...what was that I wrote not-too-terribly long ago about a lot of us being co-dependent whether we wanted to be or not?