The "Real Price" behind an Union Label in CD 9

The "Real (Walmart) Price" of the LA County Federation of Labor Candidate in the CD 9 City Council Campaign. 

 State Senator and CD 9 City Council Candidate Curren Price.

Apparently Ana Cubas is not the only candidate to benefit from WalMart's political largess, in the CD 9 City Council Campaign (** Notice that Senator Price and the "Shady Buzz Dot", share the same eye brow DNA). 

Attention CD 9 Union Voters!

Just in time for your Election Day consideration, we bring you this bloggin elaboration on an earlier Mayor Sam missive behind the "true (Senator) Price" of the CD 9 Labor Candidate's connection to WalMart.

We realize that past campaign contributions from WalMart to Senator Price have been documented. But the question here, especially for the LA County Labor Fed endorsed candidate to replace Jan Perry, is whether Senator Price respected his union brothers and sisters supporters, by returning WalMart money.

According to a source.

Public records show that he has accepted nearly $10k from Walmart with no record of having returned any. There’s no plausible deniability here because he was his own treasurer in 2012, having taken money in June. This was right after the mayoral candidates pledged to not take Walmart money.
Here are the Wal-Mart contributions from 2010-2012, totaling $7,400. As noted in the attachment, Curren Price was his own treasurer in 2012.

1. $1,500 - 5/10/2010 (See Price 460 Mar to May 2010 Attachment)
2. $3,000.00 - 6/30/2011 (See Price Jan to May 2011 Attachment)
3. $2,000 -  6/7/12  (See 460 Price 2012 Attachment)
4. $900 -  6/7/12 (See 460 Price 2012 Attachment)

 We provide the pertinent 460 Forms below for review.

Read more »

Curren Price: The Wal-Mart Candidate?

It used to be the way you slammed someone in politics was to call them a communist or perhaps, socialist.

Today, however, there's a new pejorative that's tossed around: Wal-Mart supporter.

That may be one that opponents of State Senator Curren Price are throwing at the elected official, the latest former elected official from another City, currently serving the in the California State Legislature, eyeing the big prize of California politics, a seat on the Los Angeles City Clowncil.

Price is one of several seeking to replace Jan Curry as she leaves the Council hoping to be elected Mayor.

Apparently someone connected to someone who doesn't want to see Price elected to the Council has begun a campaign to note that Price has received several thousand dollars in campaign contributions from the controversial Arkansas based retailer.

And I remember when it was bad if a politician went to a strip club.

Are Wal Mart Money and an Anti-Semetic Politico part of Ana Cubas CD 9 Campaign?

Memo to former CD 14 Councilman Jose Huizar Chief of Staff and aspiring CD 9 City Council Candidate Ana Cubas, is this how you plan to campaign for the open CD 9 City Council seat being vacated by African-American (and Jewish) City Councilwoman Jan Perry? Lets consider these early facts.

** First Candidate Cubas, this shout out to your targeted voters. Attention pro labor CD 9 voters!! Ana Cubas has accepted two $700.00 donations from Wal-Mart employee Javier Angulo as noted in her first campaign fundraising report. As LA Weekly Writer and Native Angelino Blogger Hillel Aron blogs, this should not help keep Cubas in the good graces of Los Angeles County Federation of Labor Leader maria Elena Durazo.

06/12/12	Javier Angulo   (Retail, Walmart) Los Angeles, CA 90031	Ana Cubas  Council Member - District 9 1347814 - Ana Cubas for Los Angeles City Council District 9	A - Monetary Contribution Received  (IND - Individual)  [Period: 01/01/12 to 06/30/12]	$700.00 [Election: 03/05/13]
06/30/12	Javier Angulo   (Retail, Walmart) Los Angeles, CA 90031	Ana Cubas  Council Member - District 9 1347814 - Ana Cubas for Los Angeles City Council District 9	A - Monetary Contribution Received  (IND - Individual)  [Period: 01/01/12 to 06/30/12]	($700.00) [Election: 03/05/13]

** We should also highlight that Wal-Mart hosted an 85th Anniversary event for the LA Times owned LA Opinion Newspaper which was attended by her former boss CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar during her tenure as Chief of Staff. 

Walmart had the pleasure of sponsoring and participating in La Opinión, the nation’s largest Spanish language daily newspaper, 85th anniversary celebration. The event entailed a guest list of LA Councilman Jose Huizar, LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina, community leaders, corporate leaders, elected officials and the entire Lozano family. ImpreMedia president and CEO, Monica Lozano was presented by Walmart Executive Vice President, People, Gisel Ruiz and Walmart Director of Community Affairs Javier Angulo. Guests were treated by an evening of live entertainment and salsa dancing.

Nice to see that Ana, like her former boss, places money before political principles.

** Second Candidate Cubas, there is this small controversy about one of your female co-hosts for your upcoming fundraiser.

Is the "Hon. Claudia Alvarez" the same Anti-Semetic Santa Ana City Councilwoman Claudia Alvarez who was under fire for making this comment at a recent Santa Ana City Council Meeting, that prompted her later censuring by council colleagues?

From a media report.

Discontent over the taxes that fund the two-year-old PBID has becomefused in many minds with another, related controversy. The otherconcerns efforts by the Chases to diversify what has been for decadesan almost an entirely working class, Latino shopping street byattracting new merchants and shoppers. The effort has led to fears that some longtime tenants of the Chases could be displaced.
“Ryan and Irv Chase … are very much interested in continuing the ethnic cleansing that is going on downtown,” Alvarez said as she began her comments on the PBID, setting the tone for what was to come.
Dave Hoen speaks to the Council as Sal Tinajero, David Benavides and Claudia Alvarez listen.
Alvarez, who works as a prosecutor in the District Attorney’s Office,made an effective argument for why the PBID should be disestablished. In the eyes of at least two of her council colleagues, however, she debased the evening by drawing a comparison between  Irv Chase, who is Jewish, and Hitler.
Alvarez said she had inquired about why Downtown Inc. has its offices in one of the Chases’ buildings and was told it was because the organization got “a great deal” on the rent.  “So if Hitler rents you a place, gives you a great deal, you take it??,” she said. (Correction: Based on video of the meeting, what Alvarez said was: “So if Hitler rents you a place, he’s giving us a great deal, so who cares what he stands for?”)

Candidate Cubas, considering that out-going CD 9 City Councilwoman Jan Perry is Jewish, does the inclusion of someone who made a vile, anti-semetic comment such as your perspective fundraiser co-host Councilwoman Alvarez , reflect a lack of respect for the diversity of the council district you wish to represent? Since your last employment was in a council district that prides its Jewish Roots, we think you will do the right thing in disassociating yourself from the likes of Councilwoman Alvarez.

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

Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Monday

CD 1 City Councilman Ed "Density" Reyes.

Will CD 1 City Councilman Ed "Density" Reyes "give himself in" on the true motive for his new found crusade against the proposed Chinatown "Mini Walmart Supermarket"?

Not content to acquiesce to the Planning Committee decision that would allow the propose market to move forward, "Density Ed" now will take his "Mini Walmart" crusade to the City Council  PLUM Committee. We have no doubt that PLUM members Paul Krekorian and Jose Huizar will join colleague "Density Ed" in moving the "Mini Walmart" crusade to the horseshoe for a floor vote.

That said, we are left to ponder this, why would "Density Ed" rile against the evil "Mini Walmart" while corporate, non union 7 Elevens are replacing community beloved small businesses throughout his district? Maybe in Density Ed's convoluted thought process, its more acceptable to grow corporate, non union cheap beer and wine outlets (at the expense of established small businesses) than allow mini-supermarkets with fresh food? But then we would be giving Density Ed too much credit if his crusade against "Mini Walmart" was base upon public policy.

Follow along as we conduct an exercise in political deductive reasoning. First, Density Ed is termed out in 2013 and wants his Chief of Staff Jose Gardea to continue the "Density Ed Way" in CD 1. Second, "Density Ed" and staff spent large amount of time supporting the latest union-backed carpetbagger Jimmy "PACman" Gomez for the 51st Assembly District seat. Third, its an open secret that many politicos who endorsed "PACman" have an "understanding" that union PAC money will flow to their respective campaigns, for their support of  "PACman's" political ambitions..

Thus, what is good for the political future of "Density Ed", his Chief of Staff Jose Gardea and Jimmy "PACman" Gomez, have found common ground in a crusade against a mini-supermarket.

** OTHER NEWS:

** As the Downtown News reflects upon the golden era of downtown leadership within City Councilwoman Jan Perry's CD 9, we have this words of advise in the form of two numbers for CD 14 newest constituents, "3 and 5". "Three" is for your absolute loyalty to your new city councilperson.. "Five" is for the level of influence, if you can turn out the contributions and votes in that order, then your phone call actually will get returned before the next weekly Friday email blast.

** KCBS/KCAL Investigative Reporter David Goldstein strikes again and Mayor Antonio Villar is minus a IT General Manager. But as we get ever nearer to the end of the "Reign of Villar, when will the staffers start jumping ship in search of future political employment as Rick Orlov highlights in today's "Tipoff Column"?

** Lastly, we have video of a certain political figure who showcases the fine art of political narcissism in the form of a mea culpa before members of the cloth. But while forgiveness may be a virtue to those spreading the word of God, the local political community is full of those who act god-like without virtues, especially when it comes to political forgiveness.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14