Mayor Villar donor faces $184,000 in fines for illegal donations from Ethics Commission

** Afternoon Update: Hugh gets maximum fine from Ethics Commission. From the Times, "Commissioner Marlene Canter asked Hugh’s attorney, Kenneth P. White, whether or not someone had asked Hugh to carry out his money-laundering activities. White refused to answer and said later that Hugh had deliberately made a choice not to seek a lower fine in exchange for “cooperating against someone else.”

Mayor Antonio Villar at Councilman Huizar's Campaign Kickoff.

As a public service in political education, we provide these two political oxymoron words "Villar' and "ethics". This in light of Los Angeles Times David Zahniser story on the Ethics Commission proceedings today which may levy up to $184,000 in fines on Koreatown Developer Alexander Hugh for illegally donating $18,000 to Mayor Antonio Villar's 2009 Mayoral campaign. We should also note that Hugh has been indicted by the County Grand Jury but prosecutors state they have no evidence that Villaraigosa knew of Hugh's activities. But who did have numerous meetings with Hugh as reported in a previous story on this issue?

As David Zahniser reported in an April 30, 2011 story, "Between June 2008 and July 2009, then-Villaraigosa Deputy Chief of Staff Jimmy Blackman scheduled at least five meetings with Hugh, including two dinners, according to his appointment calendar. Blackman is now chief of staff to Councilman Dennis Zine".

Someone might want to ask Blackman what was discussed in those meetings.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Mid-Day Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Scene for Monday

Former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Deputy Chief of Staff and current City Councilman Dennis Zine Chief of Staff Jimmy Blackman.

Were these series of meetings among many that weigh upon the psyche of former Mayor Villaraigosa Deputy Chief of Staff Jimmy Blackman when he penned his infamous farewell email?

Via Friday's bad news dump (for Villar and former City Attorney Candidate Jack Weiss) by Los Angeles Times David Zahniser regarding the indictment of Koreatown Developer Alexander Hugh for political money laundering, the role of Blackman (on the behalf of Mayor Villaraigosa) in meeting with Hugh garners notice.

 In November 2007, Villaraigosa appeared at the Emhurst's groundbreaking and said the project symbolized "the economic hope and promise of Koreatown." Hugh also met repeatedly with a Villaraigosa deputy the next year, before and after the Villaraigosa fundraiser, according to documents obtained by The Times.

Between June 2008 and July 2009, then-Villaraigosa Deputy Chief of Staff Jimmy Blackman scheduled at least five meetings with Hugh, including two dinners, according to his appointment calendar. Blackman is now chief of staff to Councilman Dennis Zine.

Could this be one of many stories in the months ahead that cause painful flashbacks for Jimmy Blackman?

** Speaking of flashbacks, Belmont Learning Center comes to mind with David Zahniser's report on Los Angeles Unified School District's lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles over solvents and other chemicals seeping into its property on San Fernando Road in Glassell Park. this is the same property that Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's mayoral campaign financier Richard Meruelo, made bank on to the tune of $50 Million dollars.

** For those who thought that the LA Times Maeve Reston's slight of KRLA Talk Show Host and 2013 Mayoral Candidate Kevin James was no accident, Op-ed Scribe Jim Newton states the obvious LA Times mindset in his latest sit down piece on ......., Kevin James. "We met last week in part because he and his political consultant were frosted by a column I wrote recently laying out the major candidates in the race without mentioning James. That was no accident; James falls well below the threshold to be taken as seriously as his better-known rivals. Even those who have never held elected office — Beutner and developer Rick Caruso — have significant experience working with the city, Beutner as an aide to Mayor Villaraigosa, Caruso as a police commissioner and a member of the Coliseum Commission, among other things".

In the mind of Newton, "Mini-Riordan II" Beutner's recent work for Mayor Villar puts him on par with the likes of longtime civic leaders Rick Caruso and Kevin James, is laughable.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Monday

Mayor Villaraigosa's Deputy Chief of Staff Jimmy Blackman - a longtime part of the Mayor's inner circle - is leaving reportedly to "spend time with his family." What we're hearing is that Blackman was pushed - by new Villaraigosa point man Austin Beutner.

Councilman Eric Garcetti is throwing some red meat to the anti-billboard NIMBY wackos by seeking to ban supergraphics in Hollywood however the business community is fighting back. If there is a place in LA that is suited for this type of signage that creates a district where economic activity could benefit all of LA it is Hollywood. Someone please explain that to the Birkenstock wearing, soy milk swilling BANANAs who don't care if LA goes into the economic crap hole.

Apparently folks Downtown are more concerned about what restaurants get big rankings in the Downtown News than anything else.

Attorneys for the Hare Krishnas have succeeded in getting blocked at least for now of an LA City law that would have prevented them from soliciting at LAX. However putting a nativity scene on public property is still considered to be something akin to pornography.

Have a complaint about a tow truck company in the City of LA? The LAPD has a new hotline you can dial up to turn them in.

Despite near universal satisfaction with his performance amongst his constituents, Council Member Paul Krekorian still hasn't won over one detractor. Phil Jennerjahn's latest screed rips Krekorian with near Zuma Dogg like passion.

And finally it's been a time for anniversaries lately. Congratulations to the always excellent Village to Village Blog which marked it's first anniversary this week.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Wednesday

While Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa spends only 11% of his time on City business and would prefer spending his evenings with celebrities at trendy LA nightspots, South El Monte Mayor Blanca Figueroa is working well past midnight some evenings in her City Hall office, so much so that the South El Monte City Council slapped an 11:00 p.m. curfew on the Mayor.  While the Council members say that its neither safe nor healthy for the Mayor to work alone so late, Figueroa claims the move was part of the petty politics that are part and parcel of the frivolity that is the politics of LA County's many small, independent cities.  Some members of the Council have suggested going as far as confiscating Figueroa's keys to City Hall.

In the meantime, the Daily News prints a list of the salaries of the nearly 100 people who work for Mayor Villaraigosa; all on your dime.  Mayoral flack and spin jokcey Matt Szabo is pulling down an easy 100Gs; chief Villar handler Jimmy Blackman is getting about 1.5 times that.  And, if you will, Lisa "Do Nothing" Sarno is making a good $125K per year to plant trees. 

Zuma Dogg is interviewed by Talk Radio One host Marc Germain about his campaign for Mayor.  Unlike some other local talkradio hosts, Germain does not appear to be impressed by candidate Walter Moore, calling Moore's candidacy "one note."

What is it about museum mergers in LA? The Los Angeles County Museum of Art wants to merge with the soon to be bankrupt Museum of Contemporary Art.  Sounds like a good plan to me and local leaders such as Zev Yaroslavsky agree.  However LA's honorary grandpa Eli Broad and City Clowncil President Eric Garcetti are worried the stronger museum will plunder the weaker museum's collection.  Wait a minute! Haven't we been told that never happens?

City Controller candidate Nick Patasouras unveiled his slick new website featuring high powered endorsements from Sheriff Lee Baca, Supervisor Gloria Molina and former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg. Some of the transit geeks who read our blog might enjoy some of the photos in Nick's gallery from his days as head of the RTD and later MTA's board of directors.

If you want to help out victims of the fires in Sylmar to have a happier holiday, here is an opportunity for you to contribute.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday

If you read Patrick Range McDonald's piece about how Mayor Villaraigosa spends most of his glad-handing, photo opping, traveling and "gap time" between glad-handing, photo opping and traveling (leaving only 11% of his time for actual City business) and were interested in seeing the Mayor's actual personal calendars, Walter Moore has already pulled them for you.

If you were a victim who was injured in America's deadliest train accident and laid up in the hosptial, would you want to wake up to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa visiting you for his latest photo opp? Curious to know your answer and Michael Trujillo and Jimmy Blackman are not eligible to play. (And for no particular reason we'll throw in Matt Szabo's name to fire up the third floor Google Alerts.)

Compact fluorescent lights are a great thing.  They use less electricity and last longer that regular light bulbs.  Indeed, I replaced three sixty watt bulbs in one of my bathrooms with one CFL and it's lasted three times as long now.  That being said it makes absolutely no sense and is an incredible waste that the DWP is going to hand deliver over two million of the bulbs by dropping bags of them on the front doors of homes in Los Angeles. How much will this cost? How many will actually get used? How many will get stepped on? I understand the DWP needs to get folks to use the bulbs to reduce electricity use (then they'll raise our rates again to make up for the lost revenue) but couldn't they just put a note in everyone's bill encouraging to go out and buy their own?

Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin got a big laugh watching with reporters Tina Fey's impression on Saturday Night Live. But it turns out that Palin beat Fey to the punch in the impersonation department - Palin aides say that last year the Alaska governor dressed as Fey for Halloween.

How will Britney Spears spend New Year's Eve? Reports are she's planning to stage an Elvis 68 style comeback special with a show and record an album at the Pearl Theatre in Las Vegas.

Hotsheet for Monday, Happy Birthday Mr. Teleprompter President!!

We start our morning by extending Happy Birthday Greetings to the "Presumptive Teleprompter President"(BTW, The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Monday shows the race for the White House is tied with Barack Obama and John McCain each attracting 44% of the vote. However, when "leaners" are included, it’s McCain 47% and Obama 46%.)

No word yet on what Hollywood Starlet (Scarlet Johanson?) will serenade the "Second One" with "Happy Birthday Mr. Teleprompter President". But we know a certain "Doll of The Valley" who would jump at the honor.

If Barack Hussein Obama is the "Presumptive Teleprompter President". Then Antonio Roman Villar Jr. is the "Parke Scripted Teleprompter Mayor".

Villar Jr. returns to Los Angeles after vacationing in Iceland. The Daily News greets him with a editorial on the $1,600,000 raised in the "TROLL FOR DOUGH A-THON".

On one side, an optimist might see the donations as the expected fruits of a successful first term. Villaraigosa has been such a great city leader that people can't help but open their hearts and wallets to make sure he sticks around for another term. Indeed, the idea of spontaneous grass-roots support is exactly the tack that the mayor's campaign is pushing.

But a cynic might see evidence of a darker truth in the $1.6 million collected by an incumbent for an election with no serious competition. Nor has Villaraigosa achieved anything much noteworthy. He still could do so before the election next year, particularly if his school-reform effort has early and recognizable achievements. But so far, he's been a ho-hum mayor.

Ouch!!

The Daily News Rick Orlov Monday column on all things political, leads off speculating whether Councilwoman Wendy and Controller Laura will do a "flip flop" regarding their respective positions.

****Click here to see who Zuma Dogg ran into at the Starbucks in Malibu.****

This is sooooo good!! courtesy of Ron Kaye and the "WWG"

Nothing wrong with taking favors from people who want favors

"Manny fever: Mayor Villaraigosa's deputy chief of staff, Jimmy Blackman, sat in the owner's box on the field level at Sunday's game." That allegation, reprinted in its entirety, appears on LA Observed today, raising questions about a mayoral staffer taking such a valuable gift from someone like Dodgers owner Frank McCourt who does business with City Hall. Dodger tickets became an issue during Mayor Jim "pay-for-play" Hahn's administration but he and his staff were clean. The tickets were paid for by the people who used them.

.........and in closing, last week the LAUSD Board of Education celebrated their approval of a $7,000,000,000 Bond for additional school building by partaking in a "munch-a-fest" at the Pacific Dining Car. Submit your guess here on the cost of Monica Garcia's portion of the "munch-a-fest".