Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Tuesday

Cleaning up the CD2 Snow Job

UPDATE: Griffith Park Wayist blog endorses Paul Krekorian for CD2. That pretty much means all of the major political bloggers in LA that have endorsed, have rejected Chris Essel.

And the Village to Village Blog comes about as close as one can without endorsing to endorse Krekorian.

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Big battle in City Hall over ever getting a reimbursement for the expenses the City incurred during Michael Jackson's gala funeral at the Staples Center. Council Members tend to concur with Hamburger Jan Perry that it will difficult to get payment from the owners of Staples and the producer of the funeral, AEG as long as City Attorney Carmen Trutanich continues to hold the threat of criminal prosecution over the matter. As AEG President Tim Liewickie has said its time for Trutanich to put up or shut up.

Oh. There's an election in CD2 today. If you happen to see any voter intimidation or election irregularaties call (213) 978-0444.

Former CD5 candidate Adeena Bleich has a good commentary on the CD2 election in the Daily News. Bleich is yet the latest leader to condemn Chris Essel's controversial mailer using holocaust imagery to attack Paul Krekorian. Bleich writes "I know what anti-Semitism and sexism look like first hand, and if one is going to attack another person as such they'd better have a very good reason, with real evidence and solid proof to back it up. Wanting to win a campaign is not a good enough reason."

For some reason the Los Angeles Times is continually posting their endorsement of Chris Essel. They have a lot of stake in her victory.

In all the nonsense going around town whether it's CD2, Trutanich or Villaraigosa off at the hooker I mean climate conference in Denmark there is one good thing we can always count on: The Los Angeles Fire Department and Brian Humphrey. An excellent tip from Brian at the LAFD blog for those of you who may be affected by this current storm: stay tuned to your radio for news and information, primarily KNX 1070 which features regular reports from the LAFD.

Candidate Adeena Bleich Stumps in CD5

You might remember that when Council Member "Sleeping" Greig Smith first ran for his 12th District seat he made a video with all kinds of promises we can, sadly, laugh at now.

Here we have another wannabe Council Member, Adeena Bleich who is seeking the 5th Council District seat who has been captured on video making all kinds of promises.

Conventional wisdom is Bleich won't win but if she does remember this when she becomes yet another piece of the shady horseshoe.

Hotsheet Bits for Wednesday

CityWatch reprints DWP's shady opinion that the "Memorandum of Understanding" signed between the department and several neighborhood councils applies to discussion of the controversial proposition, Measure B.  For whatever reason CityWatch doesn't credit activist Jim Alger who motivated the email. DWP didn't extend the same courtesy it's asking for which has upset many neighborhood activists.  

The San Fernando Valley Business Journal reports that Fifth District Councilmember candidate Adeena Bleich received the backing of the lobbyist group sponsored by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.

Some say Zuma Dogg was out of control, others say he wasn't but apparently Mr. Saltsburg's commentary on the City's Rent Escrow Account Program was making Council President Eric Garcetti a little nervous and hence he ordered him removed from Chambers.  Since I've seen Zuma Dogg boisterous on occasions that Garcetti ignored him so it makes one wonder what the issue was here.  And according to witnesses Zuma only got animated after Garcetti shut him up. 

Rick Orlov on Villaraigosa has no need to face his rivals.  Best quote comes from Ken Draper, "the lack of competition is driving down the role of activists." 

Mayor Villaraigosa isn't the only local Mayor to have an alleged extra-marital affair.  City of Ontario officials are investigating allegations by attorney  Loredana Nesci that Mayor Paul Leon arranged for a tryst at the Double Tree Hotel in Ontario with city contracted employee Diana Huizar (any relation?).  Mayor Leon was quoted as saying "it hurts him to see friends who have not forgiven him."

Astroturfing here by those who wish to continue building the controversial elephant exhibit at the LA Zoo and keep poor old Billy the Elephant trapped there.  Hmm, who would have an interest in doing that?


Chatter is up again that an NFL team is coming to LA and it could be the San Diego nee Los Angeles Chargers.  Though we've heard it before, this time the Wasserman Media Group is involved and these guys seem to have the chops to make the impossible in sports possible.  Stay tuned.


Family Guy producer Seth McFarlane decides not to accept an offer from Britney Spears to participate in a proposed bit on the show slamming his dogged rivals, South Park producers Matt Stone and Trey Parker. South Park had recently aired an episode mocking both Spears and McFarlane's show. 

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Sunday

The Los Angeles City budget outlook for 2009 is "bleak" according to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.  The Mayor told attendees at the annual "Budget Day" Saturday that the budget deficit could reach $400 million prompting deep cuts in City services and job layoffs.  Not good news for a Mayor going into re-election.

An organization the represents various cities in the San Gabriel Valley has come out against the Mayor's transit tax scam - Measure R - that would raise taxes on residents througout LA County to build projects in West Los Angeles. The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments voted unanimously on a resolution that opposes Measure R. La Cañada Flintridge City Councilman Dave Spence told a local publication “You just can’t take funds and tax the people in San Gabriel Valley to give the city of L.A. their transportation needs.”

LA isn't the only city in Southern California getting hit up for more taxes and bonds. A Santa Monica based community group, Friends of Sunset Park is opposed to a bond raising money for Santa Monica College on the November ballot.  Among a long list of detailed objections to the bond measure, a key issue prompting opposition to the bond is the fact that although Santa Monica's property owners will pay the full cost of the bill, only 15% of SMC students actually live in Santa Monica.

Fifth District City Council candidate, Adeena Bleich, is first in fundraising according to current reports.  Bleich, a former deputy to controversial incumbent Jack Weiss, has raised $150,000 with former Assemblyman and West Hollywod Mayor (carpetbagger) Paul Koretz just behind Bleich with $142,000 raised.  The old, dead Republican Mayor has yet to decide who he is supporting in the 5th District however Adeena holds a special place in my heart as she was one of the first folks to buy a Bob Hertzberg stuffed bear from the Mayor Sam Online Store.

School Board Member Tamar Galatzan writes in CityWatch that she's been trying to get the straight story on a previous agreement between the LAUSD and the DWP to allow pilot group of schools to install solar panels to generate some electricity.  According to District officials who spoke with Galatzan, the DWP cancelled all meetings with respect to the contract and didn't sit down to discuss it with the school district until after the agreement expired.

Don't forget our Fourth Birthday Party this Friday night at Casa Princesa in Highland Park, hosted in partnership with Zuma Dogg and the LA Daily Blog.  Also, stay tuned Monday for an announcement of a new blogger here at The Sister City.