Morning Briefs and Outtakes for the Stakeholders of Los Angeles

"COUNCILMAN LAST SEEN AS JOSE HUIZAR"

We have dialog in CD-14!!

The traveling roadshow of community engagement that is Councilman Jose Huizar's "Huevos with Huizzy Dialog Tour" kicked off in Eagle Rock.

And unlike his previous incarnation where the audience was subjected to a 80 minute filibuster, the Councilman engage his "selected stakeholders" in a "Q & A" on community issues.

Of course one has to be "invited" to attend these "Huevos with Huizzy" chat sessions.

You can also guess who was the first to slap himself on the back for his "Huevos with Huizzy" chat series ??

From Jose's Blog (Disclaimer, no comments are allow at Jose's Blog. Any attempt by any constituent to comment at Jose's Blog will be met with swift response from LAPD and General Services Police).

Last Friday we kicked off our community stakeholders and leaders meeting in the Northeast at the 20th Century Women’s Club with an amazing morning of discussion. Joined by several of the Northeast non-profits (Southwest Society ??), community leaders (who contribute to my campaign) and stakeholders (that support me) I was happy to share information on what I have been doing in the City Council (short amount of time for that topic) and throughout the area. Some of the issues covered:

Wonder if anyone brought up the subject of constituent services ??

Other News:

** The "Save Los Angeles Project" (SLAP) makes a return engagement to Glassell Park.

The Saving LA Project -- one year old on Bastille Day -- will hold its monthly meeting this Saturday, July 18, at 1 p.m. at the Glassell Park Community Center, 3750 N. Verdugo Road, next to Glassell Park.

** Meanwhile Ron has the latest on the Greuel vs. Trutanich which is the sequel to Rocky vs. Laura regarding oversight authority.

** AEG's Tim Leiweke enter the "Lion's Den" that is KFI's "John and Ken Show" during the 3:00 PM hour on Wednesday. He stated that AEG "donated the Staples Center and administrated time to the Jackson Family, he did not know where city officials got their estimated numbers on crowds and continue his verbal spat with Councilman Dennis Zine. Link here to the KFI Podcast Page to listen to the Leiweke, John and Ken chat session.

** Measure R, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's $40,000,000,000 scheme to dough out contracts to improve the transportation infrastructure is still in the "+" territory when it comes to public opinion.

** Parke Skelton's client Judy Chu was sworn-in as "Congresswoman Judy Chu" by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and was Eric in the shadows clapping ??

** The July edition of Eagle Rock based Boulevard Sentinel is now up online. Props to Sentinel proprietor Tom Topping for adding daily news briefs from Northeast LA, to his web site.

** This story is disturbing, it comes from the 90042.com blog

The bicycle phenomenon known as Midnight Ridazz had a near tragedy as they rode down Avenue 52 this past Friday night. Around midnight (hence the name), as hundreds of cyclists were making their way from Griffith Park, through Highland Park, and on their way over to Lincoln Heights during the Neverland-themed ride, the group was attacked as they descended down Avenue 52 just before the Pasadena Freeway at Bomer Drive.

When the rolling mass of cyclists with blinking lights, bells, horns, and amplified music trailers went rolling by a house party on 52, the occupants there started yelling, “Fuck you white boys!” (despite the diverse crowd of men and women of every skin color) As the blocks-long group of bikes continued to pass, the group of men in the yard started throwing beer bottles, pots, and anything they could find at the cyclists. (As of this post, there was still bits of broken Corona bottles and white ceramic shards in the Avenue there.) Then they came at them with shovels and started knocking people off bikes and successfully manage to steal one bike from a local cyclist as he was dodging a swinging shovel.

As the cyclists tried to defend themselves and rescue the fallen cyclists from the street, someone from the house pulled out a 22 from his pocket and shot a male cyclist in the back. The shooter then fled, and the other assailants ran back into the house and turned off the lights to hide. Highland Park’s LA Fire Department #12 was on the scene within five minuets. Unfortunately, LAPD officers from Hollenbeck Division didn’t arrive until 15 minutes later. Several suspects were apprehended.

In this case, the cyclist was extremely lucky, it was a small caliber bullet that missed his spine by less than an inch, and who’s impact was partly shielded by the bag he was wearing on his back. The wound proved not to be too serious, the bullet got lodged in his back muscles. (See, more benefits of cycling: strong back muscles!)

Your thoughts and great weekend to all..........

Morning Briefs and Outtakes for Mayor Villaraigosa's return to the Third Floor.

"What did I miss while on vacation ??"

With a Twit, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced his return from the wilds of South Africa.

Villaraigosa and his girlfriend Lu Parker, was again missing in action when Los Angeles became "ground zero" for breaking international news, with the Michael Jackson Memorial and the political fallout over the cost to the city.

The debate over the cost will continue this week in the City Council and the lesson will provide column inches of fodder for the likes of the Daily News Rick Orlov who scribed this thought in today's "Tipoff Column".

OK, everyone take your seat. It's time for another lesson in L.A. Politics 101.

Rule No. 1: Any time you leave the city, know that the risk of a major event happening increases exponentially.

Just ask Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, whose 2007 trip to Mexico and Latin America was cut short by the May Day disturbances. Then in the aftermath of Michael Jackson's death, as the controversy over the city's costs for his memorial service mushroomed, Villaraigosa was vacationing in South Africa.

But at least he will have a present waiting for him when he returns to his Third Floor desk, as excerpted from a e-mail of someone who was backstage at the Memorial.

"During my time backstage I had a chance to have Stevie Wonder, Brooke Shields Usher, and Mariah Carey sign my Gold Program which will undoubtedly be a remarkable keepsake. As I was there, staff from the Mayor's Office asked if I could get them a copy for Mr. Villaraigosa, Fire Chief Berry, Chief Fry, and a couple of others. I also handed copies to Captain Chow, L.A.P.D public relations Officer and another copy for Police Chief Bratton. I thank them all for a wonderful job and handling this event. After all things closed, lunch was served and I walked outside to see the light of day and still thousands of people roamed the streets."

We will post this e-mail in full later, for it highlights the massive use of city resources for this event. BTW, were the Mayor's staff on city time when attending the Memorial ???

Other News:

** A voter out of every ten will likely venture to a voting booth tomorrow in the runoff for the 32nd Congressional District. Parke Skelton client Judy Chu, is the prohibitive favorite to win the seat vacated by Labor Secretary Hilda Solis.

** Los Angeles Times resident "sock puppet" Michael Hiltzik again takes Prop 13 to task in his latest missive regarding the state's budget woes.

** Another Times scribe, Tim Rutten takes up the cause of Homeboy Industries.

The city of Los Angeles promised to make $500,000 available as payment for services. The money was to come in monthly increments, starting July 1.

That date came and went without a word from City Hall, let alone a check. Friday, I asked Jeff Carr, who runs L.A.'s gang-intervention efforts for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, what had happened to the promised funds? He explained that the city intended to pass along $500,000 in federal aid previously earmarked for Boyle Heights, but had discovered the account was $160,000 short. The mayor's office is trying to scrape the rest of that money together, and then must get federal Department of Justice and City Council approval to allocate it to Homeboy.

But they did get a $200,000 contract to make t-shirts, go figure.

** And lastly, a former veteran of CD 14 "cut and paste battles" Robert Urteaga is facing a recall in Montebello. More on this later.

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

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

Gil Cedillo's Desperate, Racist Attack on Chu

Katrina Leung donated to Judy Chu in 2003. She was subsequently charged with being a Chinese spy. When Judy found out about the charges against Leung, she immediately returned the money. Leung was never convicted. Read below how Gil is spinning this into a truly despicable attack against Judy Chu.

http://www.aaa-fund.com/?p=1724

Un-American

How low can he go?  After twisting Dr. Chu’s record and attacking another candidate with Facebook photos, Gil Cedillo just unleashed a vicious mailer against AAA-Fund endorsee Judy Chu.  His malicious mailer implies that Dr. Chu isn’t American, but a foreigner whose patriotism is suspect.
While the Cedillo flyer consists of four pages, here’s the gist of it.  In 2001 and 2002, Dr. Chu received campaign donations from a former FBI agent, Katrina Leung.  In 2003, Leung was charged with espionage — but the charges against her were dismissed because of prosecutorial misconduct.  (Ultimately, Leung agreed to a plea bargain and didn’t go to prison.)
Upon learning of the charges against Leung, Dr. Chu immediately returned Leung’s donation.
Fast forward six years.  Sinking in the polls, Cedillo and his cronies have decided to resort to gutter tactics.  Yesterday, they sent residents of the 32nd Congressional District a mailer that blared:

This woman gave money to JUDY CHU … AND classified documents to China.
Chu funder charged by FBI with spying for China

We all know what Cedillo’s getting at.  Since Dr. Chu is Chinese American and had a supporter who was charged with “spying for China”, then Dr. Chu herself must not be a loyal American.  And don’t just take it from me — hear it from Cedillo’s very own flyer:

When our politicians take money from those loyal to foreign governments, America’s national interests are compromised.  The motives of those who represent us in our nation’s capitol should be above suspicion[.]

We can handle — and fight back against – intolerant comments from anti-immigrant GOP lawmakers like Betty Brown.  But it’s doubly disappointing to see such venomous claptrap emanate from someone who has previously championed the rights of immigrants and communities of color.
This ugly flyer is absolutely un-American.
Mr. Cedillo, you owe Dr. Chu and every resident of the 32nd Congressional District an apology.

-- Gautam Dutta

--
Gautam Dutta, Esq.
Executive Director
Asian American Action Fund

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!!

Judy Chu, what depths will you fall for Villar ??

Did someone forget that citizen bloggers have a nose for corruption ??

What is more amazing that someone who was part of the elitist, journalistic culture at the "OLD GRAY HAG ON SPRING STREET", would join the common folk in the "bloggin masses", and give up future "puff pieces" on an city official, is a telling sign on the level of corruption that is associated with "TEAM VILLAR".

State Board of Equalization Member Judy Chu, who is locked in an "bash fest" with State Senator Gil Cedillo and political upstart Emanuel Pleitez, for the San Gabriel Valley Congressional Seat, vacated by now Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, has now become part of the growing Pension Fund Scandal.

That is because she let "TEAM VILLAR" set the table for this fundraiser held at the wife's house of the "Wetherly Group" associate, Richard Ziman (which is his house also).

Lord knows that Richard did his best to stay out of site at this last-ditch effort to supply Chu with the cash to counter Cedillo and Pleitez.

But according to the "WWG's" sources, Richard was never too far away from Dapnna's "honey do's requests".

Which may now include Dapnna's request to "white-wash" Richard's connection to the Wetherly Group, maybe asking for too much, too late, at this stage.

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

Credit to LAObserved for the above image.

¿El Senador Ed Reyes? *

Ed Reyes has filed the paperwork to run for Gil Cedillo’s senate seat should Cedillo beat out Judy Chu for the seat vacated by Hilda Solis in the 32nd Congressional District. La Opinión with the exclusive:

El primero en salir de la línea de partida, al menos en expresar oficialmente su intención de candidatearse es Ed Reyes, concejal del Distrito 1 de Los Ángeles que representa el área de Pico Union. Reyes, de 50 años de edad, acaba de presentar el papeleo de intención para el puesto de Cedillo en el Senado.

Maybe, maybe, a real contest in CD1? Who’s in?

*Update: Wrong Ed P. Reyes.  A commenter writes:

This story was begun by the erroneous update of the Target Book in Sacramento - a publication created by a bunch of old, white, former political guys who can't get real work.

Verified. … California Target Book had the wrong guy.

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.

Parke speaks................................

He lurks, sighs, mutters, and for the right price, will spin you into the next political flavor of the moment.

The man, legend, sans the helmet, makes an public utterance in the heated race to replace Hilda Solis in the California 32nd Congressional District.

In yesterday's "PARKE SPINS THE OLD GRAY HAG ON SPRING STREET" (kinda like the old days when the Times accepted Parke's spin as the truth, remember Nick and "Madres of East Los Angeles"??), the guy who has his own private street in the hills above the masses in CD 1 & 14, makes light of State Senator Gil Cedillo claims that chief challenger, California State Board of Equalization Member Judy Chu gave "tax breaks and contracts" to her corporate campaign contributors.

.......and this response from Parke,

Parke Skelton, Chu's campaign consultant, said Cedillo (D-Los Angeles) "is misrepresenting her record. . . . Is he truly arguing that people who overpaid taxes can't get refunds?"

Memo to Parke,

Can you, out of the kindness of your heart, and ability to spin (pro bono of course), advocate that the fine citizens of Los Angeles are deserving of a 89% return of their tax dollars, for the lack of work by your former client from the hills of "Northern Boyle Heights", one Antonio Ramon Villar??

One may wonder what brought you out to "spin and double speak" for a "Friend of Villar (or should we say "slay a foe of Villar" in Cedillo??), but then maybe this is an audition for a larger gig..............

Wonder if "Parque" has any comments.

Open Thread for Thursday

Gil Cedillo isn't too happy that Mayor Villaraigosa threw him under the bus and is endorsing Judy Chu for the Congressional seat vacated by Hilda Solis who went on to become President Obama's Labor Secretary.  Cedillo issued a press release implying the Mayor is part of the "entrenched political interests" that Chu is "cozying" up to.

As part of his mad, Cedillo is trying to stir up bad feelings over the shady Measure R, playing his San Gabriel Valley base against the fashionable Westside of LA and the Westside folks aren't too happy about it.

It's fun to see these clowns go up against one another. Of course you don't need to go down that road; there is a far more thoughtful, professional and mature alternative in Teresa Hernandez.

Blog away dum dums.

Cedillo vs. Chu - It's a Race in the 32nd CD

After the huge voter turnout last November, it is almost embarrassing to note how few of us turned out for the various elections held this month in Los Angeles, Burbank, Pasadena and other cities. The aftermath of Prop. H8TE continues to play itself out but there are very few races to really get the blood flowing. The Open Primary legislation that state Senator Abel Maldonado was able to get on the statewide ballot for May 19th (as part of his budget deal concessions) is interesting—especially when coupled with the recent Redistricting measure passed by voters—but even then, the body politic will not have any heart palpitations over it.

The one race that has the promise of a real contest and political combat is the 32nd Congressional Special Election—also scheduled for May 19th. There are other candidates but the two frontrunners for the seat to replace former Representative and current Labor Secretary, Hilda Solis, are State Board of Equalization Member, Judy Chu, and State Senator Gilbert Cedillo. Many are friends with both progressive candidates and as one source who wished to remain anonymous noted, "It's like a fight within a family. I can't choose. I'm going to have to sit this one out."

The conventional wisdom is that Chu, known by many as a workhorse in political circles, has the edge given her endorsement by the L.A. County Federation of Labor, goodwill in the API community and Name ID in portions of the congressional district she represented while in the state legislature. She also has her husband and political powerhouse in his own right, Assemblymember Mike Eng, in her corner. Her campaign kick-off is tomorrow in Baldwin Park.

In terms of the 32nd Congressional District, it is located in Los Angeles County and includes portions of East Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley—the cities of Azusa, Baldwin Park, Covina, Duarte, El Monte, Irwindale, South El Monte, West Covina and portions of Monterey Park. It is a heavily Latino district—63%—and is thus considered to be a “Latino” seat. Voter turnout last November was 53.65% and Rep. Solis received 130,142 votes.

But if energy, shoe leather and the will to win has anything to do with it, we will be saying “Mr. Cedillo Goes to Washington” in a couple of months. He brings his own Name ID with his work on the DREAM Act and and Driver's License Bill--two issues of importance to working class communities in the 32nd CD. [I worked on Cedillo’s first special election back in ’97 as well as served on his staff in '04/'05 so I am not the most objective of political observers.]

Many were surprised at both the number of people and level of excitement at his campaign kick-off last Saturday in El Monte. Both Rep. Xavier Becerra and Supervisor Gloria Molina gave rousing speeches and encouraged the crowd to work hard on his behalf. Local Councilmembers Hahn, Alarcon and Reyes were there and an assortment of former and current state officeholders. The two things I know about Cedillo is also brings his own version of being a political powerhouse—going back to his days growing up on the Eastside, his leadership at SEIU and his tenure in the legislature--and has a knack for beating the odds.