Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Thursday

While the Wendy "The Villar Greuel" Campaign denigrates itself with cheap campaign stunts, Eric Garcetti gathers with former challengers, turned supporters. Plus, Garcetti gets the endorsement of the nation's largest Latino-owned newspaper chain, the Eastern Group Publications.

Former challengers Kevin James, Emanuel Pleitez and Jan Perry join Eric Garcetti yesterday in Hollywood.

As Eric Garcetti and Wendy "The Embraced Villar Greuel" prepare for tonight's first mayoral runoff debate, both campaign took divergent campaign paths yesterday, in the wake of Mayor Antonio Villar's last "State of a Fail Reign as Mayor Address".

The "Embraced Villar Greuel Campaign", on cue from Mayor Villar's "lack of education dialog" remarks, lower themselves with a cheap campaign stunt, that drew the ire of a Camino Nuevo Charter School Official, who documented Eric Garcetti's positive ties to the campus.

The school’s chief executive said she didn’t object but was disappointed when she later learned that Greuel had used the visit to attack Garcetti as a politician who would not be independent from the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA), the union supporting his bid for mayor.
“Camino Nuevo should not be used for any negative campaigning,” Ponce said. “We worked really hard to get where we are, in partnership with a number of elected officials. It was disappointing to have Camino Nuevo used as a backdrop for negative campaigning.”
Ponce said that a $700,000 federal Community Development Block Grant — delivered after a council motion by Garcetti — was critical in the construction of the soccer field. 
After opening in October 2010, she said, the field “really revived the community and brought together a whole bunch of stakeholder groups and constituents.”
Ponce said that she and other school officials are not officially supporting anyone in the mayor’s race.

Meanwhile, Garcetti was gathering in Hollywood, with his former campaign challengers, who have now all endorsed his campaign.Further, the Latino-owned Easter Group Publications re-endorsed Eric Garcetti for Mayor, we post some excerpts below.

Every city official has backed bad choices that have had deep and painful consequences for Los Angeles. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa acknowledged his bad decisions Tuesday during his last State of the City Address as mayor.A true leader is one who will own up to the mistakes, learn from them, and has the courage to go back and try to make things right, if not at least better.Asking your employees to make larger contributions toward some of their benefits is not a pleasant thing to do, but as president of the city council, Eric Garcetti asked the city’s police and fire employees to do just that, and they did. We know he did not do it alone, or maybe always as quickly or willingly as some would have liked. As council president there were many things he could have done to skirt the issues, but he recognized that we are all in this together and set an example for the rest of the city’s employees to follow.We are impressed that in the run up to the May 21 election, Eric Garcetti has for the most part remained unflappable and less strident than his opponent, a characteristic we believe will bode well for the city of Los Angeles.  

FYI, you can watch tonight's debate, starting at 7 P.M. on ABC 7.

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

Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Thursday

Los Angeles Mayoral Candidate City Controller Wendy "The Valley Villar Greuel", goes negative with "liar attacks" against Garcetti, Perry and James.

City Controller Wendy "The Valley Villar Greuel".

Oh My God!! 

The "Valley Villar Greuel" totally attempted to gag her three mayoral opponents by calling them liars.

After weeks of seeing her tired talking points of "Waste, Fraud and Abuse" face factual deconstructing by the old, new media, along with her opponents, the Villar Greuel (along with "Private Citizen/ Campaign Consultant" John Shallman), snapped yesterday.

The Villar Greuel Campaign went "Pinocchilo" in an attack mailer on opponents Eric Garcetti and Jan Perry which resulted in this retort from Perry Campaign Consultant Eric Hacopian.

“The only thing revealing about this mailer is that they just confirmed to the world which candidate is in third place,” he said in an email.

Meanwhile, another of the "Valley Villar Greuel's" opponents Kevin James held a press conference in the shadow of City Hall.

James, a former federal prosecutor, opened a new line of attack against Greuel, saying she was stonewalling in responding to a public records act request for her email with campaign advisors and Brian D’Arcy, business manager of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 18.The union, which represents more than 8,600 Department of Water and Power employees, has put $700,000 into an independent committee backing Greuel.“What do they have to hide?” James asked reporters outside City Hall. “Where are the documents?”At a morning campaign stop in Studio City, Greuel said she would need to ask her city staff whether any email between her and D’Arcy existed on her city account. But she denied stalling any response to records requests.“We’re transparent,” she said. 

Oh Plez! Gag the "Valley Villar Greuel" for good (politically) on Election Day.

** LA Weekly's Patrick Range McDonald has two election-theme missives in this week's print edition. First, is an attempted unscrambling of all the candidates in the crowded CD 13 Campaign to replace Mayoral Candidate Eric Garcetti. Second, is an excellent feature story on the Emanuel Pleitez for Mayor Campaign. Regardless of the fact that Pleitez is not given much of a chance at winning. the mere telling of his life experience is an inspiration for those growing up in similar circumstances.

** KPCC Frank Stoltze provides a written narrative on the ongoing battle between the Villar Greuel for Mayor Campaign and the Los Cerritos News duo of Randy Economy/ Brian Hews. Some of the nasty exchanges.

“This is very strange behavior from someone who claims to run a tight ship,” Hews said online.  “She claims to be the city’s chief auditor, but a review of her record shows she’s really just L.A.’s chief campaigner.”Earlier, the LCCN obtained records of Greuel’s schedule that the paper said was evidence Greuel's controller's office staff illegally worked on her political campaign on city time. Greuel said they were off the city clock at the time.The Greuel campaign also hit back at the newspaper by obtaining and releasing the arrest record of the reporter who did the story.“It was the lowest of the low,” Hews said. "This was a split-second decision that turned out to be an error on our part,” Greuel spokesman Dave Jacobson said.  “Distributing materials highlighting someone’s substance abuse was a mistake."  It's worth noting it takes more than a split second to obtain and distribute an arrest record.

....... and it won't take that much longer to Vote for Kevin James on Election Day.

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

MayorSam Exclusive: Pleitez Accuses Garcetti of Courting Anti-Immigrant Donors

Pleitez: Slamming Garcetti
Donors

In an exclusive to MayorSam, we've learned that candidate for Mayor, Emanuel Pleitez plans to present accusations against fellow mayoral candidate, Eric Garcetti, that the Councilman has taken campaign contributions from "anti-immigrant" donors in Arizona.

With both Pleitez and Garcetti, who both make note of their Latino heritage on the campaign trail, seeking to grab as much of the Hispanic vote as possible, such revelations against Garcetti could be damaging.

In presenting the allegations, based on data culled from campaign filings, Pleitez is pointing the hypocrite finger at Garcetti, who was taking the donations while at the same he supported a Council led boycott of the State of Arizona over it's controversial immigration reform bill, SB 1070.

Eric Garcetti is a great dancer!

Among the donors Garcetti is reported to have received contributions from:

Jack Selby - Selby is a Paradise Valley, Arizona financial consultant who has donated heavily to both the Presidential and Senatorial campaigns of Republican John McCain. In the last Senate election cycle, when a primary challenged McCain took a hard right turn and issued strong support for AB 1070, Selby maxed out on contributions to McCain, so much that McCain had to refund contributions made over legal limits. Selby donated $500 to Garcetti.

James Harrison - Harrison, a construction manager from Fountain Hills, Arizona also gave $500 to Garcetti. Harrison is an active contributor to the campaigns of John Shadegg, a now retired Congressman and Paul Gosar, currently a Congressman out of the Kingman area. Both Shadegg and Gosar have advanced controversial legislation for a border fence.

Michael Meldman - Meldman is the CEO of Discovery Land Company, a recreational development company. He gave Garcetti $500. He too maxed out on contributions to McCain. As well, Meldman gave a $1,000 contribution to Ben Quayle, the son of the former Vice President, who was elected in 2010 to Arizona's 3rd Congressional District, succeeding Shadegg. Quayle advocated a controversial birthright citizenship proposal and ran campaign ads claiming President Obama is "the worst President in history." Quayle was defeated in 2012 by Democrat Raul Grijalva.

Pleitez plans to make these allegations at a press conference this morning.

What will these folks think of Garcetti playing with SB1070 Supporters?

Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Wednesday

Another old "Cut and Paste Campaign Proposal" by the Villar Greuel for Mayor Campaign?

Was it right for the Villar Greuel Campaign to resurrect a Huggy Bob Hertzberg 2005 Mayoral Campaign leftover proposal?

Hmm, we wonder if "Private Citizen/ The Villar Greuel Campaign Consultant John Shallman would disclose the going rate for cut and pasting past campaign proposal?

As the "Old Gray Collectivist Hag on Spring Street" reports on the latest "Oh Plez Moment" from the Villar Greuel Campaign regarding its proposal to expand LAPD by 2,000 officers. The Jan Perry Campaign released this statement, taking to task the Villar Greuel Campaign's proclivities to "cut and paste" past campaign proposals as fresh ideas.

Statement: Councilwoman Jan Perry’s Response To Controller Greuel’s Public

Safety Plan

This plan is just a cut and paste job of a proposal put out by Bob Hertzberg’s failedmayoral campaign of 2005. The truth is that we already spend 70 percent of the citybudget on police and fire and future, will most likely dedicate more than 25 percent offuture revenue to public safety.The greatest threat to the future of public safety spending in Los Angeles is our city'sstructural budget deficit, which is driven by the city’s out of control pension system thatWendy has consistently supported. In fact, she has actually opposed any reforms to thepension system.I think Wendy's plan is more of a reflection of her failing campaign, and what shepromised to police and fire unions behind closed doors in exchange for their endorsementof her campaign.For reference, link to Hertzberg Wikipedia page:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Hertzberg#2005_Campaign_for_Mayor  

** The candidates for City Attorney, turned a KPCC "radio forum" into a testy exchange of attacks and counterattacks yesterday. Meanwhile, we hear that officials of Bet Tzedek were quite taken aback by our exclusive coverage of their questionable contributions to the Mike Feuer Campaign..

** Latino Mayoral Candidate Emanuel Pleitez is attempting to move beyond the perception that he is a mere protest choice by outlining a seven step economic plan during a presser at LA Trade Tech College.

** Ron Kaye has a great follow up on the ethnic cleansing proclivities of Assemblyman Slobo Mikey Gatto. With the California Democratic Party now investigating Slobo Mikey's actions at the recent 43rd AD delegate selection process, Slobo Mikey may have BIG political problems ahead.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Talk About Money in Politics

Mayoral candidates Kevin James and Emanuel Pleitez have been excluded from a debate scheduled for this evening, hosted by the Community Coalition (whatever that is) in South Central.

Why? According to a press release from the Pleitez campaign, it is because both he and James
have not yet raised $1 million in campaign contributions.UPDATE: The Community Coalition has given no valid reason at all as to the exclusion of Pleitez and James, according to John Hill of the Pleitez campaign.


On the heels of the LA City Council a day before passing a proclamation bemoaning the Citizens United decision and big money in politics, this "community based organization" puts out the welcome mat for only those candidates who have raised millions in special interest funds.

The Community Coalition's Facebook page states that their mission is to "help transform the social and economic conditions in South LA that foster addiction, crime, violence and poverty by building a community institution that involves thousands in creating, influencing and changing public policy." A rational person might assume that mission should include having as wide reaching a discussion on community issues and how to solve problems touching our neighborhoods.

In considering the exclusion of James and Pleitez - who by the way is a former Obama administration official and a left of center progressive of Latino extraction who can't be easily dumped into the "angry Republican white guy"category they easily throw James into - one need only scratch the surface of The Community Coalition's funding by unions and other special interests and it's cozy relationships with the status-quo elected officials all responsible for LA's "decade of decline." 

Yes, it's silly season, folks! 

Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Thursday

Mayoral Candidate Kevin James continues to garner positive media coverage while the "Villar Greuel" creates press via laughable audits.

 Mayoral Candidate Kevin James

Great read in the A.M. via LA Weekly's Hillel Aron on the upstart mayoral campaign of Kevin James. The continuing positive coverage of the James Campaign will surely cause consternation from the likes of "Private Citizen/Political Consultant" John Shallman, who's current client City Controller Wendy "The Villar Greuel", is the candidate that stands to lose the most from increase support for the former US Attorney/Talk Show Host.

Former Republican turned Democratic Politico City Controller Wendy "The Villar Greuel" (right in photo).

Meanwhile, can we give a collective "No Duh!" to City Controller Wendy "The Villar Greuel", who's latest "ahhhdit" of DWP lobbyist contracts concludes with the obvious that competitive bidding is a must when awarding contracts for lobbying work. Of course, this comes after the fact that the connected Mercury Public Affairs completed their work and the likes of former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez made more disposable income. We would hope that this latest "ahhhdit" garners another "Wendy Watch" debunking.

** We should note that the "Villar Greuel" running mate Emanuel Pleitez has reached the contribution benchmark for matching funds.This fundraising achievement means that the former Wilson Mule turned Democratic Donkey will now gain access to future mayoral debates to tout his "true Latino roots" over the "Jewish Latino" ties of City Councilman Eric Garcetti.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14 

Morning Briehs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Tuesday

Mayoral Candidate Eric Garcetti does a Ramona Gardens Christmas

The Fifth Annual Gabriel Acosta Christmas Celebration in Ramona Gardens. Photo via Eric Garcetti Twitter page.

Memo to CD 14 City Councilman and Wendy "The Villar Greuel" supporter Jose Huizar, your city council colleague and mayoral candidate Eric Garcetti, came in deep into CD 14 to help former RG gangster Gabriel Acosta celebrate his Fifth Annual Christmas Miracle for the youth and families in Ramona Gardens.

Reports from those on hand was very positive of Garcetti, who served pancakes to the gift-bearing  bikers and worked the crowd for over an hour. As you can tell from above, Garcetti rode in on a fire truck ans was warmly greeted by the community.

It is safe to say that many RG voters will remember Eric Garcetti come election time in March.

** The Daily News rightfully outs the City Clowncil Central Committee for allocating DWP and Sanitation money to feed the wasteful money beast that is the proposed Children Museum near Hanson Dam.

** LAPD Chief Charlie Beck and Mayor Antonio Villar had time for some media pandering yesterday to announced stepped-up visitation of K-5 school campuses by LAPD, in wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy. The two also took time to implore residents to give up their firearms. But as the under-reported death total continues to rise in regards to the failure of AB 109 mandated prison realignment, now is the time to have firearm protection from thousands of so called "Low Level, Non Violent Offender Paroles" now roaming the streets. 

** Surprise, surprise, mayoral candidate City Controller Wendy "The Villar Greuel" wants to let former Mayor Villar staffer and fellow mayoral candidate Emanuel Pleitez be included in all future debates. Many see Pleitez's mayoral bid as a protest campaign against supposed Latino Eric Garcetti. In addition to the Pleitez debate inclusion issue, LA Weekly Gene Maddaus has this comment on candidate Kevin James via "The Villar Greuel's" Campaign Consultant John Shallman, regarding "The Villar Greuel" attack on James at Saturday's debate.

James told the Weekly the question shows that she thinks of him as a threat. "Her stretch to apply it in the debate showed desperation," he said.
The other candidates usually ignore James -- who routinely accuses them of being corrupt -- but Greuel decided it was high time to go after him.
"No one has been talking about the GOP elephant in the room," Shallman said. "Kevin James is a Tea Party, right-wing radical who is a shock-jock radio guy. The issue with Kevin James is his recklessness. If you're running for mayor, you want to know that the person who has his hand on the wheel is in firm control of the facts and can handle a crisis without doing crazy things."

Strange, the "Private Citizen/Political Consultant" handles alleged monetary crisis in his supposed two consultant household, by doing business (allegedly) with whom?

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Bloggin Happy Hour Musings on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Tuesday

Another Happy Hour Drink via Tony V.

Great Happy Hour Musings on the LA Political Machine for All Star Game Tuesday. Join us as we tip the glass and enlighten you on these political items that may find their way into someone's decaff morning coffee in the A.M. ; ) --- Scott Johnson.

San Fernando City Councilman Mario "Tonto" Hernandez Resigns!

"Former" San Fernando Mayor and City Councilman Mario "Tonto" Hernandez

One-third of the City of San Fernando City Council Novella Trio has resign.

City Councilman Mario "Tonto" Hernandez announced his resignation this afternoon leaving his former political allies Mayor  Brenda "The Other Woman" Esqueda and former item City Councilwoman Maribel "Sancha" De La Torre to face a Recall Election this Fall.

Hernandez in a letter to City Clerk Elena Chavez said briefly .......

"It is with sadness," he writes, "as it has been an honor and privilege to serve the community and the fine men and women of the city." 

"Tonto" finally found his manhood and did the right thing.

Political Analyst Fernando Guerra on "Emanuel Pleitez for Mayor".

2013 Mayoral Candidate Emanuel Pleitez

El Sereno's Emanuel Pleitez gave a call to veteran Los Angeles Political analyst Fernando Guerra to gauge his thoughts about a possible run for Mayor in 2013. Via the LA Weekly's Mike Maddaus, we share Guerra's thoughts and lets just say that you can't fault Pleitez for a lack of audacity.

Guerra on Pleitez's chance of becoming Mayor in 2013.

"I don't think he stands a chance," Guerra says. "He has no name recognition, no money, no endorsements, no particular issue, no base. So it's like, no chance."

Guerra on Pleitez taking away votes from Candidate City Councilman Eric Garcetti.

"I don't think Eric Garcetti is worried about him running," Guerra says. "He should run for council or something like that. He's potentially a great candidate. But now, if he tries to do that later, he's gonna be a two-time loser. I'm boggled."

....... and "Assemblyman Gil Cedillo" still wonders why he is not "Congressman One Bill Cedillo".

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

Mayor Sam Exclusive: Emanuel Pleitez to join the 2013 Mayoral Race

Former Congressional Candidate and now 2013 Mayoral Candidate Emanuel Pleitez.

Mayor Sam has confirmed that former San Gabriel Valley Congressional Candidate Emanuel Pleitez has filed papers for the 2013 Mayoral Campaign.

The Wilson High School and Stanford University Graduate will formally announce his intentions today according to his Facebook Page and from another source.

Pleitez who was an organizer for President Barack Obama's campaign team in 2008, was an upstart congressional candidate to replace Hilda Solis who became the head of the Department of Labor in 2009.

With the help of veteran Campaign Consultant Eric Hacopian, an army of eager young professionals volunteers, combined with with a grasp of the power of social media (especially its potential for fund raising), Pleitez made a respectable run  and ensure that then State Senator Gil Cedillo did not become Congressman Gil Cedillo.
                                                             
** Noontime Update: David Zahniser of the Times provides more background on the Pleitez Candidacy. 

Your thoughts  ...........

Scott Johnson in CD 14 

Will Emanuel Pleitez find employment on the Third Floor at City Hall ??

"Soon to be Mayoral Staffer Emanuel Pleitez ??"

Speculation and e-mails are running rampant that CD-14 Political Newcomer Emanuel Pleitez has been hired for an unknown position by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

"> Just heard pleitz guy who ran against cedillo just got hired by mayor"

If the e-mails and speculation is true, this would be Pleitez second tour as a staffer for Antonio Villaraigosa.

Pleitez served on the staff of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and briefly worked on the Senate Democratic Steering and Coordination Committee. Then he moved to the private sector, working as a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs. This experience helped qualify him to serve on the Treasury Department Transition Team for the new Obama administration.

Recently Pleitez had an "Q and A" with Eastsider LA blogger Jesus Sanchez in which he commented on his future job prospects and political callings.

Q. What are you doing now for a living?

A. I'm looking for a job or the next project to work on.

Q. Have you decided that you want to run for public office again? If so, what would you be interested in?

A. I have not decided to run for public office again, but if I were a betting man, I'd bet that I will run again. Instead of the question being: what would you be interested in, the better question would be what would I be best prepared or qualified for? If I would run again, I wouldn't know right now what that office would be.

If Pleitez were to return for a second go around with Villaraigosa, the timing and possible position, has and will cause speculation on the Mayor's reason for hiring the CD-14 native.

First, this is a payoff for Pleitez's success in the run for Congress and the damage that his upstart efforts caused fellow CA-32 candidate State Senator Gil Cedillo, who's above attack ad back fire and was met with consternation from many. This lends credence to those who thought that Parke Skelton and Eric Hacopian were a consulting "tag team" against Gil Cedillo through their respective candidates Judy Chu and Pleitez.

Second, Mayor Villaraigosa gives Pleitez job to keep him from running against Villaraigosa ally Councilman Jose Huizar in 2011.

Third, one theory has Villaraigosa looking for someone to "run against" Huizar due to some sort of falling out between Villaraigosa and Huizar.

Fourth, a "lame duck" Villaraigosa needs someone connected to President Obama to bring federal projects and cash to the city.

What ever the future is for Pleitez in the days ahead, the political tea leaves read "onward and upward", to where ??

Your thoughts

Cedillo talks on Pleitez and conspiracies...............

Lets get it over with.

Gorda, please come to the front and sing one last song for the political aspirations of Gilbert "One Bill Gil" Cedillo.

If anyone out in the confines of California Congressional District 32, still thought that someday, they would be refering to Gil Cedillo as "Congressman One Bill Gil", then put down the "doobie" and inhale reality.

First, Cedillo send out this repugnant mailer attacking the character of Emanuel Pleitez, forgetting that the likes of Mario Beltran and David Galaviz, people of dubious character, were once employed by him.

Then in the recent days, he says this on a local radio show, as reported on the "Calitics Web Site" by David Dayen.

SOLIS MARICH: So, you don't think that using pictures of a person at a party where they were basically doing what many people of all different ages do, enjoying themselves...

CEDILLO: Dancing on tables and using gang signs that he published on his Facebook, we think, first of all, one, we do not romanticize gangs or gang violence. He and I grew up in the same neighborhood...

SOLIS MARICH: Senator, let me just correct something, before you go down that path, maybe your staff hasn't told you but he was actually...the quote unqute gang signs...he was actually at a Voto Latino event...

CEDILLO: I know where he was, I know where he was.

SOLIS MARICH: ...and he was standing next to a very very respected actress and Latina activist Rosario Dawson who was actually with him making the same signs. So, are you accusing Rosario Dawson of using gang signs?

CEDILLO: I'm saying that that's inappropriate, I find it inappropriate...

SOLIS MARICH: For both him and Rosario Dawson?

CEDILLO: Yes. I find it inappropriate, I find it offensive. I don't romanticize that one bit...

But it gets even better, Cedillo starts seeing images of Parke Skelton and Eric Hacopian, sitting in the back yard of Skelton"s enclave, on a private street above CD1/14, conspiring on his demise, as this exchange highlights.

SOLIS MARICH: There was some controversy over the past 2 weeks when your campaign decided to do a negative attack piece on newcomer Emanuel Pleitez. Many people who observe campaigns including myself took that as a sign that the young candidate was really eating into your base.

CEDILLO: Well, one we're not sure we'd call it negative unless he calls it negative, the fact that he posted these photos on his Facebook.

Two, we recognize what his roll is in this campaign, to suppress the vote and to try to take away votes and we think the electorate has the right to know all the information, information that he's made public, about the candidates. We put the record out there and let people decide if they want to elect someone who has 25 years of effective leadership or if they want to elect somebody who they may not have full confidence in.

Lets not dismiss Cedillo assertions outright, as anything is possible when Skelton and Hacopian are involve in a campaign with a third party. I for one, felt that way in the beginning of this campaign.

But candidates will do stupid things when not under proper guidence and especially when they lack core principles,.......like Gil Cedillo.

........and how is the voting community in CA-32 responding to Cedillo and his gutter tactics ??

This from former CD-14 City Council candidate, and former Wilson High School teacher Zeke Quezada, as posted on the San Gabriel Tribune blog.

I can only imagine that Cedillo is concerned with the fact that a prominent, intelligent and highly respected young professional is mobilizing the people in his community. Pleitez is an example of the talent that is hidden in our neighborhoods, in our inner city schools and in our culture. Don't knock him, support him. The problem with Cedillo is that he is out of touch and does not understand that a new generation of leaders are emerging. Tell me my kid is going to attend Stanford, tell me my kid is going to work at Goldman, Sachs and then tell me my son will work with an incoming President of the United States. As a father of two young boys, I can only hope for that. That is success, that is the definition of a proper role model for the community. Sit down old man, you are the definition of a politician and the community needs leaders.

HASTA LA VISTA CEDILLO!!

Your thoughts.........

**BTW, we hear that a mailer is making the rounds in CA-32, which call in to question Cedillo's actions during his SEIU 660 days. Please send a copy to redspotincd14@yahoo.com .

Mid-morning briefs and reminders on the issues of the day

We start with these comments from Mayor Villar about the cover of next weeks Los Angeles Magazine.

......when Villaraigosa was asked about the magazine cover he smiled, rocked back and forth a bit and said: "Well, it's a pretty nice smile. A few pounds lighter and a couple of years younger. So what can I say?"

One can't remember what Villar thought of this cover, but we link here to the story by Alan Mittelstaedt , which contain a comment on Jack Weiss and his role in the contentious "Pico and Olympic Traffic Plan".

Weiss, by the way, does get rewarded for his blind support of the mayor. During the news conference on Olympic, KNBC’s Laurel Erickson asked if the neighborhood critics of the plan were correct to say that he had sold them out. The mayor took the microphone and defended Weiss, a vocal opponent of the traffic plan when it bore Yaroslavsky’s name.

Republican candidate in CA 32 Congressional Race, faces audit.

Some would say that the timing of this, races eye brows, as noted in this San Gabriel Valley Tribune story.

A restaurant owned by the lead Republican in the Congressional race to replace former Rep. Hilda Solis is being audited by the state tax board which one of her main opponents, Democrat Judy Chu, helps lead.

Candidate Teresa Hernandez received a letter from the Board of Equalization Monday saying her South El Monte Mexican restaurant, Cielito Lindo, is being audited for sales tax payments.

Chu, who is an elected member on the five-member Board of Equalization, said neither she nor her staff had any knowledge of the audit.

"I know nothing. I have nothing to do with the selection of places for audit. This is the first I knew about it," she said Thursday.

Parke ???? There is a mailer making the rounds that ask some tough questions about Gil Cedillo days at SEIU 660.

LA Weekly has these offerings in this week's issue.

Why Governor "Kennedy Republican's" May 19 bailout is failing.

LAPD Chief Bill Bratton's political endorsements.

Vahedi vs. Koretz CD 5 slugfest.

........and props to the scribes at the "Weekly of Record" for their multiple award nominations from the LA Press Club. I guess there was no P.R. catagories for the graying writers at the "OLD GRAY HAG ON SPRING STREET".

Rally reminders:

Join John and Ken at their next Tax Revolt Rally Saturday, May 16 from 4-7pm at Tom’s Farms in Corona. From John and Ken, "Our last Tax Revolt Rally in Fullerton had 15,000 angry taxpayers, Let's make this one bigger!"

Thanks to Phil for this.

Please join the Westside Republicans as they host the Westwood Tea Party Rally on Sunday, May 17th from 3pm to 6pm at the Federal Building at 11000 Wilshire Blvd (near UCLA).Multiple speakers (including KRLA's Kevin James, will protest higher taxation in the form of Proposition 1A, on the ballot in the election on Tuesday May 19th.http://www.westsiderepublicans.com/

FREEDOM AND FREE ENTERPRISE!!

Parke's mutterings continue......, this time about "Pleitez for Congress"

Hey Parke,

You must love the column inches of newsprint being devoted to your latest missives about the upcoming election on May 19.

This latest will invite some slapback.

"I think he's doing a good job of mobilizing a nontraditional base," said Chu campaign consultant Parke Skelton, who said he thinks the likely low turnout would hurt, not help, Pleitez.

"He'll be a factor, but not a huge factor," Skelton said, adding that he believes that Pleitez could draw as many voters from Chu as from Cedillo -- an assessment most others interviewed did not agree with.

That is what Parke had to say in a LA Times story on Pleitez's crusade to upset both State Senator Gil Cedillo and State Board of Equalization member Judy Chu and replace now Labor Secretary Hilda Solis in Congress.

But despite Parke's spin on Pleitez, there is a growing buzz and momentum that is catching the attention of veteran political observers.

Jaime A. Regalado, director of the Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs at Cal State L.A., said he saw no chance for Pleitez to win. "But the more he can identify himself as a young, smart Latino and appeal to young voters," Regalado said, the more "he becomes a wild card in terms of how he will affect a close race."

And from a republican observer.......

Allan Hoffenblum, a former Republican campaign consultant whose nonpartisan California Target Book tracks legislative races, said the expected low turnout, probably 20% to 25%, on top of the anti-incumbent sentiment afoot in much of the state and nation today, could work well for Pleitez.

"The lower the turnout, the more powerful grass-roots, personal contact campaigning becomes," Hoffenblum said. He stopped short of saying Pleitez could win.

"He's surely making a name for himself," Hoffenblum said. "I'll give him that."

........and with $202,000 to work with, either Chu or Cedillo will suffer on May 19, or maybe both ??

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

Who is Gil Cedillo to question ones moral standing, when this guy use to work for him ??

As an "tsunami of a backlash" builds against State Senator Gil Cedillo's "plunge into the negative cesspool" attack on Emanuel Pleitez , consider this editorial stance taken by the progressives at Calitics...........,vote for ANY DEMOCRAT BUT GIL CEDILLO.

And as the final days of "One Bill Gil's" crusade to become the undocumented immigrant's best friend in Washington D.C. winds down, lets take a trip to the recent political past and meet Gil's "Political Party Animal Friend", one Mario Beltran.

Some will remember this from Jeffery Anderson's piece at City Beat.

With a tough election seven weeks away in Bell Gardens, State Senator Gil Cedillo ventured into the working-class city to help out a protégé who could be in deep trouble: Councilman Mario Beltran.

Cedillo stood side-by-side at a press conference with Beltran, a young, trouble-prone politico with a criminal record and called for an end to a widespread police policy of impounding the cars of unlicensed drivers for 30 days. It made good local political theater and armed Beltran to fight for a just cause. Within a matter of days, he persuaded his colleagues on the City Council to end the practice. In Bell Gardens, stuck in the rough-and-tumble belt of heavily immigrant cities that lie southeast of downtown Los Angeles, the high cost of towing penalties often meant the owner lost the car.

But more was on Cedillo's mind that September day than notching up one more city in his statewide crusade to renounce the draconian 30-day impound. The state senator also wanted to help his former field advisor and close friend of his son, Gil Jr., beat a possible rap. Months ago, investigators from various law enforcement agencies began examining whether Beltran helped cut a special deal that gave the tow truck operator, United Motor Club, a five-year monopoly worth millions of dollars in Bell Gardens. District Attorney spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said Beltran and the tow truck operator are under investigation by the LAPD, the D.A.'s Office and the FBI. Warrants served in June at Beltran's home and office suggest that authorities are looking for possible criminal conflicts of interest related to Beltran's political consulting firm, Americas Consulting Group, and the towing firm.

........and later was guilty of this.

From the Los Angeles Times

A Bell Gardens Councilman accused of embezzling campaign funds pleaded guilty today to multiple counts, prosecutors announced.

Mario Beltran, 31, pleaded to four misdemeanor counts, including failing to file campaign disclosure forms and failing to deposit cash contributions, all violations of the Political Reform Act., Deputy Dist. Atty. Max Hunstman said in a press release.

The charges stem from the defendant’s failure to report to authorities how he was spending campaign funds entrusted to him and his failure to deposit and account for cash given to him, according to the press release.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge George G. Lomeli ordered Beltran back for sentencing on Feb. 12. The defendant must resign from office before sentencing. Beltran is expected to receive four years of probation during which time he may not hold elected or appointed office and may not seek elected office or lobby.

Then there was this "Wild Night out in Downtown".

The boozy circumstances of his wild night at the seedy Huntington Hotel might be enough to derail the careers of lesser politicians. But Beltran has friends in high places, such as state Senator Ron Calderon, for whom he works as a field deputy, and state Senator Gil Cedillo, who mentored him early in his career. Several witnesses including Cedillo were listed as character references for Beltran, so last Wednesday, as his trial began, he was as cool as a cucumber.

That was until 6-foot-tall, rail-thin Sherrilynn Ridgeway, an African-American woman with weathered skin and a criminal record of drug dealing and prostitution, took the stand and described Beltran, a 29-year-old, 5-foot-5-inch immigrant from El Salvador, staggering around the Huntington in the wee hours of June 28 hurling racial slurs and menacing threats and, in her words, “grabbing a handful of my ass.”

At that point, Beltran’s expression suggested he knew he was in for a long ordeal.

....and who was in the court room that day ??

The trial about Beltran’s foray into the night gave jurors a glimpse not just of the sordid life inside the Huntington Hotel but also of the next generation of Los Angeles County politicians. Seated in the front row each day of the trial, which is expected to end this week, was Beltran’s good friend and fellow legislative aide Gil Cedillo Jr., son of the state senator whose Eastside district includes the Huntington. Facing the judge was Beltran himself, a rising political star who works for Calderon, the state senator who represents Bell Gardens. And finally, presiding over the case was newly minted Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel Lowenthal, the son of state Senator Alan Lowenthal — whose district includes the Downey courthouse where Beltran was being tried.

Who else did Beltran work for ??

One former employer of Beltran's was more talkative. Former Assemblywoman Judy Chu, now vice chair of the State Board of Equalization, hired Beltran to work as a field deputy for her Assembly office in 2005. When Chu got wind of Beltran's political consulting activities she gave him a choice: cease outside campaign and political activities, or give up his position as field deputy. Beltran walked, Chu said, and was hired by Calderon, after helping Calderon in his 2006 campaign.

"Mario seemed like a young man with high ideals," Chu said recently, when asked about Beltran's widely reported legal troubles and the ongoing investigations that threaten his political future. "I am extremely shocked and disappointed that he went for the trappings of an elected official. He seems to have let himself be taken by every temptation there is."

If Chu sounds as if she is harsh on Beltran, it might be because she is troubled on other levels.

According to Chu, while Beltran was her field deputy, he also was working weekends for a downtown Los Angeles nightclub that has drawn scrutiny from police and local officials in recent months. Chu tells CityBeat that she urged Beltran to disclose his night job to the Fair Political Practices Commission. However, the commission has no record that he ever did. Nor does it have any record of Beltran's financial disclosures regarding his political consulting and campaign activities.

When Beltran was arrested earlier this year and charged with filing a false police report, he had been drinking at the same establishment where he once worked, the popular and trendy 740 Club. The nightclub and at least one of its representatives have been at the center of a number of troubling reports.

Your Thoughts....................

Is "One Bill Gil" heading into the gutter??

This is from our "bloggin, left of center, friends" at Calitics.

Some cynic observers of this race in it's early days, thought that former Villar Staffer, Emanuel Pleitez was a "plant" of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, to take latino/latina votes away from State Senator Gil Cedillo and benefit Judy Chu in her bid to replace Hilda Solis in Congress.

Whether that was an "Parke Skelton thought" or wasteful thinking, the latest ad from the "One Bill Gil Campaign" will surely ignite the bloggin masses into dialog over the tactics employed by the Cedillo Campaign.

.....and the early comments do not bid well for Cedillo as posted on Calitics.

Some excerpts.

i don't care what your track record is (0.00 / 0)

someone willing to use that repulsive a line of attack on a young candidate is not progressive.
Yeah, politics is a hardscrabble business. But this is WAY beyond the pale.
And I would urge any Young Democrats constituencies out there to rethink their endorsements.

This sort of politicking should be punished in a big way.

by: David Atkins (thereisnospoon) @ Wed May 06, 2009 at 17:53:09 PM CDT

and this,

Out of touch (5.00 / 1)

Just goes to show how out of touch Cedillo is with the Millennial Generation, that "gang" sign Emanuel and Actress Rosario Dawson are showing is actually the sign for Voto Latino one of the organizations that Emanuel and I both support.

Voto Latino is a Latino youth geared non-profit that registers Latino/a constituencies and gets them out to vote. I guess that's not an issue for Cedillo or else he might have thought twice about this silly mailer. Shame on him.

by: nicthebrick @ Wed May 06, 2009 at 19:12:17 PM CDT

and driver licenses will still be for legal citizens.........

Your thoughts....

Candidates were on their best behavior at forum in Baldwin Park.