Morning Brief on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Monday

As we start the last full week of Fiscal Year 2014/2015, the end is near for two distinct political personas of the Los Angeles City Council Bernard Parks and Tom LaBonge.

 Can we envision the soon to be former LAPD Chief and CD 8 City Councilman, enjoying a post political life behind a Talk Radio Microphone?

Where will the former Marshall Barrister Gridiron Standout catch on after his July 1 exit as CD 4 City Councilman?

Please forgive the current blogging melancholy state of being.

Summer 2015 is one day old and its already been an environmental pisser, with this blogger's favorite beach destination close due to an oil spill (El Capitan State Beach), high mountain sanctuary going up in flames (Lake Fire near Big Bear) ........., and the most egregious, the "University of Scandalous Conduct/Clowncilman Jose Huizar Tree Massacre" at Hazard Park, so bloggin forgive me if my musings take on a more sardonic edge in the days ahead.

That said, its time grab a tissue as we start the bloggin countdown to the end of Horseshoe Seating Privileges for CD 4 City Clowncil Unofficial Historian Tom LaBonge and the reigning Politico of Reason CD 8 City Councilman Bernard Parks.

For us bloggin lovers of local political theater, festivities under the John Ferraro Clowncil Chambers Big Top will never be the same as its reigning top billing performer, walks out (with football in hand) into the political sunset (best viewed from the top of Mt. Hollywood in "Griffith/LaBongeland Park").

Sadly, for this blog (and the fiscal well-being of the city), July 1, 2015 will dawn on the beginning of the CD 8 City Clowncil Central Committee Era of its newest Labor/Left Stooge Marqueese "Mini Herman Amin" Dawson-Harris, as the once "Bitter Bernie" humors his way into a "See I Told You So Better Tomorrow".

We want to be the first in espousing for a post City Clowncil Talk Radio Show Gig for the reigning Voice of Common Sense, with a wealth of local political perspective ....... and an under appreciated inner-comedic wit.

For a bloggin fleeting moment, the thought of  a "Parks with LaBong" radio pairing, was a day dream quickie ......, and gladly only that. in lieu of the former Marshall Gridiron Standout's buffoon-like proclivities.

But in all seriousness, the departure of Parks brings an end to a level of independent political maturity that will not be seen anytime soon ........., unless Angelinos come together in returning factually-based, common sense to 200 Spring Street.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14 

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday

He's back! No, I don't mean me, but none other than the love of Betty Pleasant's life, Supervisor Mark "Don't Call Me Curly" Ridley-Thomas is showing his disdain for County taxpayers and treating their money as his. The Times is reporting that the former Mark Thomas allegedly charged various improvements on his home to the County, beyond a security system to which Supervisor is entitled to. The Times article states "John Thompson, who oversaw the work at Ridley-Thomas' property, said that in addition to an alarm system, workers installed a wall-mounted air conditioner and heating unit as well as a refrigerator and flat-screen TV." In addition to the County funded work, Ridley-Thomas allegedly converted his garage into an office without proper City of LA permits. You may remember that several years ago, Ridley-Thomas had spent nearly a million dollars on "renovation" of his county office.

This CAN'T be good for tourism - crime at LAX has jumped 10% so reports the Daily Breeze. The biggest jump appears to be in property thefts and larceny, while other categories ranging from violent assaults to unregistered vehicles appears about the same. The reports lead the head of the LAX police officers union to peg the spikes to cutbacks in the number of officers.

The end of two eras comes next year when longtime LA City Council Members Tom LaBonge and Bernard Parks will be termed out of office. And you can imagine that yes indeed a long line of comers to the thrones have signed up. For Parks 8th District that covers much of South LA, candidates filed so far include pot shop owner Paul Jonathan Scott, community advocate Leonard Delpit; Bobbie Jean Anderson, a former state legislative aide; and two nonprofit group executives: Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Forescee Hogan-Rowles (you may remember Hogan-Rowles, cheered on by Betty Pleasant, came close to unseating Parks in 2011). Over in LaBonge's CD4 which covers a nice part of Los Angle-leez, pulling papers are Tara Bannister, an executive with the National Apartment Assn.; Teddy Davis, a one-time aide to former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; developer and advertising agency owner Sheila Irani; Wally Knox, a former state assemblyman; Joan Pelico, chief of staff to Councilman Paul Koretz; real estate broker John Perron Jr.; Carolyn Ramsay, LaBonge's chief of staff; Oscar Winslow, president of the Los Angeles City Attorneys' Assn.; and Steve Veres, an aide to state Sen. Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles).  Do not be surprised if one more candidate gets into the CD4 race - former radio talk show host, mayoral candidate and current President of the Board of Public Works, Kevin James.

And finally, Mayor Garcetti was the Grand Marshal (not John Marshall) of Monday's Kingdom Parade, celebrating the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. Our bloggin' friend Joseph Mailander offered up one of his trademark wry observations in telling Facebook fans "some aide in Mayor Eric Garcetti's office wants you to know that he actually unlocked his doors and went outside of his car in an African American neighborhood to-day." Fortunately, as is the practice of the Mayor's office, the entire moment was photographed and shared with all.

Chasing The News Again

Remember us?

It would really be nice if our City Council members were pro-active in chasing down real problems our City is having than coming up with feel-good legislation based on whatever is in the news at the moment.

On the docket:

13-0056
Motion (Perry-Parks) requesting that the Office of Finance, the City's three pension fund systems, and any other City investment entity, report on the feasibility of divestment of any City funds from companies that produce, manufacture, sell, or market assault weapons, high volume ammunition magazines, high caliber ammunition, and related equipment. 

Community Impact Statement: None submitted

Considering that the City's pensions are in huge financial trouble, it might be fiscally negligent to divest these securities, assuming they own them to begin with. Since President Obama has set his sights on the NRA, gun sales have skyrocketed. The stocks of these firms must be through the roof. Now that's a fiscally prudent move for the retirees.

Mayor Sam Exclusive: Council President Wesson discusses 2012 Redistricting with African-American Clergy, Part 5

The last part of Mayor Sam's Multi-Part Series on City Council President Herb "Mini Amin" Wesson discussing Redistricting 2012 with members of the African-American Clergy.

In Part 5, City Council President Herb "Mini Amin" Wesson explains why his city council colleagues worked behind close doors to move the Santa Barbara Plaza from Councilman Parks CD 8 to CD 10. This brief video clip gives you a quick expose what Redistricting 2012 was all about, dividing the spoils among like-minded allies.

The former Santa Barbara Plaza now Marlton Square.

City Council President Herb Wesson discussing why Santa Barbara Plaza/ Marlton Square was added to CD 10. 

Simple question for business owners, who would you rather have as a council person to help your business grow? A labor left ally in City Council President Herb "Mini Amin" Wesson or a true pro-business council person Bernard Parks? 

If what City Council President Herb "Mini Amin" Wesson is telling the African-American Clergy in the video clip above is true, somewhere, in a undisclosed backroom, the twelve other members of the city council along with Wesson, decided that for you without your input.

Its clear in this clip that Redistricting 2012 was not just about redrawing council district boundaries to ensure that the many City of Los Angeles ethnic enclaves were guarantee an inclusive voice at City Hall. More important was the need to divide the economic spoils among the power brokers in the backroom dealings that have become to symbolize Redistricting 2012.

...... and if you believe the speculation of some in the Korean American Community, maybe another reason why CD 10 now includes parts of the Crenshaw Mall and Marlton Square is that Council President Mini Amin Wesson has "innovated techniques" to create revenue streams to sustain his political agenda, as the video below will attest to?

Koreatown Activist Jimmy Chai speaks on alleged corruption in CD 10.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

** Another Soulvine Special Report: "Betty praises former Chief Parks"

 South LA Newspaper Columnist Betty Pleasant

CD 8 City Councilman Bernard Parks

Can we equate the political dueling of Betty Pleasant and Councilman Parks to Aunt Esther and Fred Sanford?

** Bloggin Disclaimer!! This next blog post may bring on shortness of breath and multiple episodes of denial that what was reported, actually took place. Rest assure, this may be the new spring that ushers in "Peace with our Time" or just a lull in the dog vs, cat political battle of Parks vs. Betty --- Scott Johnson.

Without further ado and with an economy of words, let it be stated that on April 25, 2912, the following on former LAPD Chief Bernard Parks were stated in this opinion piece by LA Wave Newspaper Columnist Betty Pleasant regarding a "new LAPD.

Green and Smith went a step further and said the LAPD really began turning over a new leaf when Bernard Parks became chief in 1997 and ordered the members of the force to investigate and respond to every single complaint made by every single resident against every single police officer, no matter how trivial or off-the-wall it may seem. Cmdrs. Green and Smith said that before Parks laid down that edict, the LAPD never, ever responded to a complaint about themselves.

“We always threw them away and/or told the complainant to ‘get outta here,’ and we didn’t want to change that,” the commanders said. “But that one order from Parks forced us to begin listening to people and talking to people and looking at each other and looking at ourselves,” they said. 

....... Thus, with two paragraphs on the positive and true contributions of former LAPD Chief Bernard Park, will South LA bare witness to a new spring devoid of muckraking from the opinion pages of the LA Wave Newspaper, directed at now Councilman Parks? Or maybe Fred Sanford will find the beauty in the Aunt Esther? Stay tune!! 

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

Scott Johnson iin CD 14

Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Monday

CD 8 City Councilman Bernard Parks.

Great Monday to all as Spring Break 2012 gets underway in the City of Los Angeles. 

** CD 8 City Councilman Bernard Parks was a guest on the Live LA Saturday Night Internet Radio Show hosted by Frank Sheftel, David Hernandez and our own Michael "Mayor Sam" Higby. Parks gave an excellent dissertation on his (along with Councilwoman Jan Perry and Koreatown activists) battle against an unjust Redistricting process formulated by City Council President Herb "Mini Amin" Wesson and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Parks gave specific examples how the redistricting process became one big exercise in benefiting a few at the cost to many. You can listen to the podcast by linking here. BTW, we would be remissed if we didn't tell you to listen for Councilman Parks comments on the "journalistic aptitude of nemesis Betty Pleasant.

** City Controller Candidate Cary Brazerman's campaign made its way over the Santa Monica Mountains and found that "name dropping" of certain San Fernando Valley organizations on campaign material, is frowned upon by the locals, especially without their permission.

** The supposed weekly newspaper of record for the eastside community Eastern Group Publications is playing catch up to this daily blog of record, especially on all things CD 14. The nation's largest latino owned newsprint plays catch up with its coverage of the reconstitution of the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council (ie. coup by Councilman Huizar supporters). We had previously posted a extensive missive on the corruption within the body by former member Manny Aldana, as noted in the EGP story. 

El Sereno's Elephant Hill. From a Academia Semillas del Pueblo faculty member.

“Our school is on either side of the restaurant and we want to know how can elected officials support us in obtaining money to move to maybe a better location?”

EGP also piggy backs on our coverage of the growing battle between the Academia Semillas del Pueblo

Charter School and the decades old Hecho En Mexico Restaurant on Huntington Drive in El Sereno. If anyone wanted to know the truth behind the latest drama created by the Marcos Aguilar led educational collective, read the above comments by a faculty member.

 ....... and BTW, how did Marcos Aguilar (far left holding Huizar sign) get approval for locating his school next to an establish eatery with a liquor license?  

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Councilman Parks to appear on Live LA Saturday Night Internet Talk Radio

 The hosts of LA Live Saturday Night, Frank Sheftel, Michael "Mayor Sam" Higby and David Hernandez.

CD 8 City Councilman Bernard Parks.

CD 8 City Councilman Bernard Parks takes his crusade against unjust redistricting to the internet talk radio airways this evening when he joins Frank Sheftel, David Hernandez and our own Michael "Mayor Sam" Higby for their weekly Live LA Saturday Night broadcast on the home of LA (internet)Talk Radio.

Tune in, whoops, link here at 8:00 P.M. this evening for the best 50 minutes of talk on LA politics from three upstanding members of the San Fernando Valley Community.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

"Another Soulvine Thursday": A Great Day for Betty Pleasant!

Los Angeles Wave Newspaper Columnist Betty Pleasant (on top) and her "little short guy" City Clowncil Central Committee Dictator Herb "Mini Amin" Wesson.

Betty regales readers about her GREAT DAY! 

"Can't get enough of your political love Herb!"

With a little help of the late great Barry White, we bring you this special edition of "Another Soulvine Thursday", post Redistricting 2012. In Betty's own words, you can feel the love radiating from each syllable as she retells how her "little short guy", City Clowncil Central Committee Dictator Herb "Mini Amin" Wesson, put City Councilpersons Jan Perry and Bernard Parks in their place. .

The Los Angeles City Council approved the city’s redistricting maps Friday by a vote of 13-2, thus handing theBernard Parks/Jan Perry duo a resounding defeat in their attempts to maintain the fractured status quo in their 8th and 9th districts. Parks and Perry could get no purchase on any dissenting issue they raised. It was beautiful.Friday’s council meeting was the best I’ve watched in my entire life. Even the usually boring long public comment portion before the vote was interesting as it included repeated threats from the maps’ opposers that they are going to sue the city if the council approved the maps. That dog didn’t hunt because the city is sued by somebody over something every day. Now, in his newsletter this week, Parks is urging his followers to write and call MayorAntonio Villaraigosa and tell him to veto the council’s approval of the maps. That’s odd, as it was just the other day that Parks was accusing Villaraigosa of having actually created the maps! Where’s the logic in that? If Parks believes the Redistricting Commission’s maps were actually Villaraigosa’s, then what would make him think the mayor could be pressured into vetoing their approval? It’s circular insanity. Oh, and by the way, I keep telling the L.A. Times to stay out of Black folks’ business, but they won’t listen.

Betty does the 30th Congressional District Race:

I’ve already reconsidered Rep. Brad Sherman, who is running for re-election against Rep. Howard Berman in the newly created 30th Congressional District where both of these fine, veteran incumbent Democrats must fight each other to remain in Congress. I reside in the newly redistricted 30th Congressional District. I was all torn up over this Sherman vs. Berman shootout, as I was very fond of those two guys and was hard-pressed to decide which of these really great representatives I wanted to keep. The idea of losing either one of them was simply ripping me apart. But then, I got a press release announcing that Sherman had endorsed Lietunich for district attorney, this ending my quandary and sending all my love, respect and admiration over to Berman. I ran to Berman’s campaign office and got some yard signs for my property and volunteered to work my neighborhood on Berman’s behalf. Obviously, there’s a flaw in Sherman’s character I had never seen — until he endorsed Lietunich. 

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

LA City Council President "Mini Amin" Wesson strong arms passage of Redistricting 2012

The Dictator of the Los Angeles City Clowncil Central Committee Herb "Mini Amin" Wesson. (or is it "Uncle Tom Wesson"?)

CD 8 City Councilman Bernard Parks and CD 9 City Councilwoman Jan Perry.

The outcome was assured (at least before the attorneys get involve), but the public response to a blatant power grab was an inspiration as the City Council voted to set back democracy in the form of open and transparent redistricting 13-2. 

Make no doubt, there was nothing open and transparent about Redistricting 2012. From the hiring of City Council President Herb "Mini Amin" Wesson former staffer Andrew Westall as the committee's Executive Director to the appointment of local political cartoon characters such as Michael "MEAT" Trujillo to the committee, this process redefine political backroom dealing in Los Angeles.

But if the council decided today to switch to a direct democracy voting format today to decide Redistricting 2012, then the big loser would be Council President "Mini Amin" Wesson and his political partner Mayor Antonio Villar (with "political mijo." Councilman Jose Huizar). The African-American activists from South LA packed the council chambers by the hundreds, public comment lasted close to three hours with an about 70-30% split between anti and pro maps comments.Yet when the time came to vote, Parks and Perry stood alone as their colleagues voted with the "Mini Amin/Villar Machine"..

Surely, lawsuits are coming in the wake of today's choreographed outcome  Yet for Africam-Americans who took a stand for fair redistricting today, they should go home knowing that one of their own, was willing to use his own people in an act of political self-preservation (maintaining a majority African-American voting demographic in CD 10) while selling out the proud remnants of African-American culture in CD 8 and 9 

That I think qualifies you as an UNCLE TOM.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14. 

A Open Letter from City Councilman Bernard Parks

Dear Friends,

This Friday, March 16 at 10 AM, the Los Angeles City Council will vote on a very important issue that will affect you for the next decade: a proposal submitted by the Redistircting Commission that will gut the Eighth and Ninth Districts of all middle class and afluent neighborhoods, all thriving business districts and economic engines, and leave nothing but poverty.

It's not right, and I am going to stand with my colleage - Councilwoman Jan Perry - and fight this with every tool and resource at my disposal.

But, I NEED YOUR HELP.

I need you to attend the Council meeting on Friday and stand up for your neighborhood and South LA! We need to show the other 13 councilmembers that South LA is united and determined to fight this injustice.

Friday, March 16

10:00 AMLos Angeles City Hall200 N. Spring St. (entrance on Main St.)Council Chamber (Room 340)Los Angeles, CA 90012

If you can't make the meeting, please write, call or email Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Council President Herb Wesson and let them know what you think!

Council President Herb Wesson Jr.
200 N. Spring Street, Room 430
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213)-473-7010
wesson.hj@lacity.org

Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa
200 N. Spring St., Room 303
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-978-0600
mayor@lacity.org

Respectfully,

BERNARD C. PARKS

Councilmember

Redistricting - the process of dividing Los Angeles into 15 districts of equal population - is a very complex issue, and it's asy to get confused by all the tecnhical terminology and details. Here are the most important facts you need to know. Please take a moment to read these bullet points, and if you plan on attending the Council meeting on Friday, feel free to print them out and bring them with you. 

• While this process may serve some politicians and their quest for future elections, the process is not serving you.
  
• The Redistricting Commission was part of a package of reforms approved by voters in 1999 with overwhelming support. The purpose was to make the once-a-decade process of drawing district boundaries less political, more transparent, and give the residents more of a say in how the city would be organized for the purpose of representing their interests and needs on the 15-member City Council. 

• The Commission and the integrity of  the process was corrupted from the very start when they selected Andrew Westall -  Council President Herb Wesson's senior advisor-  to serve as the Executive Director. 

• The Commission lost transparency when they opted to split into three subcommittees to draw the district boundaries in secret

• The Commission lost credibility when they held numerous public hearings in every part of Los Angeles, promising to listen to community input, and then emerged from secret meetings to propose radical changes that the overwhelming majority of residents were opposed to.

• The Commission failed to follow city charter requirements that districts be based on equal population, that neighborhoods and communities not be split and that districts be compact.

• The media, community groups, neighborhood councils, open-government activists and commissioners themselves have described the Commission process as: “Corrupt, ”   “Dysfunctional,”   “Deeply Flawed,”   “a Puppet Show,”    “Devoid of Any Redeeming Qualities,”     “A Mess of Gerrymandered Land Grabs.”
  
• The proposal would turn Districts 8(Councilmember Parks) and 9(Councilmember Perry) into impoverished communities with few opportunities for development
  
• South LA has already been dealt a huge blow by the elimination of the Community Redevelopment Agency and cuts to the federal Community Development Block Grant program. This proposal would doom South LA to a decade of no growth, no development, no jobs, and no hope.

• The driving motivation behind the maps is to segregate voters into districts based upon race

•  The s plan to lop off huge chunks of the African-American vote in CD8 and give them to Council District 10(CD10), would weaken the influence of the only majority African-American district in the city. There are laws, such as the Voting Rights Act, that undeniably protect non-white majority districts like CD8. However, the commission has decided to only acknowledge the laws protecting the majority-Latino districts of 1, 7 and 14.
  
• Proponents will tell you is that they are “trying to save three black seats". That is a lie. Even though Council Districts 9 and 10 have been represented by African American councilmembers since the 1960's, only about 30% of the residents in those districts are voting-age African American citizens. Former councilmembers from those districts - such as 10th District Councilman (and then mayor) Tom Bradley - were elected by a coalition of races. The 8th District is the only majority African American district.
  
• The commission’s push for another Latino seat on the city council is to the detriment of the city’s African-American Community. Creating such a seat calls for a study that proves racially polarized voting exists, an assertion that is contradicted by the voters of this diverse city electing an African-American mayor, a Latino mayor, a Latino sheriff, and a Latino assessor.
  
• The City Attorney’s own representative on the Commission stated in her minority report that Council District 8 was “badly underserved in this process, for no apparent reason” and that the Commission's actions increase the risk of litigation.
  
• South LA should not be treated like a junkyard, with other districts taking the spare parts they want and dumping those they don't.
  
• We demand fair maps with fair boundaries, so that every part of Los Angeles has an equal opportunity to grow and thrive in the 21st century!

Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Wednesday

 United Firefighters of Los Angeles (UFLAC) President Pat McOsker and fellow firefighters.

Mayor Antonio Villar.

There is nothing better for Los Angeles bloggin discourse than a "little political dust up" between Mayor Antonio Villar and former Mayor James Hahn associates, "The McOsker Brothers".

Witness Mayor Villar and LAFD Chief Brian Cumming's "defend the response times" press conference yesterday and the mayor's reaction to the proximity of UFLAC President Pat McOsker at the back of the presser, among the scribes.

As the "Brother McOsker" know, there is nothing like a vindictive Villar to contend with in local politics, especially when your most recent UFLAC memo crafted by its President Pat McOsker, reflects badly upon a mayor craving the national political spotlight (and cabinet appointment in a second President Obama Administration)....... and the reaction from Mayor Villar via the Daily News.

Villaraigosa called McOsker's criticisms outrageous, adding, "It is a reflection of the lack of leadership up in that union. It's the same guy who put out posters saying they were going to die (because of the cuts)." 

Mr Mayor, you may want want to review this emotional testimony of Luis Gonzalez before pointing fingers at UFLAC leadership in the future.

** The City Clowncil Central Committee is back in session today as we near the start of the 48 hour countdown to a Friday meeting that may see a final vote on Redistricting 2012.

** 46th Assembly District Candidate Adrin Nazarian has picked up the endorsement of the Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA). We are still waiting word on the fate of candidate Laurette Healey.

** City Councilman Bernard Parks had this retort to a Betty Pleasant musing from last week.

Betty Pleasant explains the whole black thing

In another column pushing Mark Ridley-Thomas over Bernard Parks in the Supervisor race, the Wave's Soulvine columnist tells some recent South L.A. history from when Mayor Jim Hahn dropped Parks as LAPD chief: "Even though I had serious problems with Parks as police chief, I was incensed by what all those white people were doing to him and I used the bully pulpit of my paper to help whip up rage against those people, to circle the wagons against those people who were bringing down a Black man. Our support for Parks had nothing to do with his being chief, and everything to do with his being Black. Yes, the instinct to close ranks racially does come to the fore, and to quote my grandpapa again, 'sometime it be like that.'" Pleasant was then city editor of the Sentinel. The Wave  

. 

Betty being a bit hypocritical?

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14 

"Another Soulvine Thursday" via South L.A. Columnist Betty Pleasant

Longtime South L.A. Wave Newspaper Columnist Betty Pleasant and her "little short guy" City Council President Herb "Mini Amin" Wesson. CD 10's "newest power couple".

Blogger's notes: Pardon us for being tardy with our regular Thursday feature on the musings of the lover of "little short guys" who become City Council Presidents/ dictators. In outreaching to those who "jones" for their weekly dose of the Soulvine, we reach back to bring you Betty in her best "bash Parks" persona (even after asking for free USC tickets from the CD 8 City Councilman)---Scott Johnson.

Betty and Mayor Villaraigosa find common ground:

ON THE PARKS FRONT — Councilman Bernard Parks issued two pitiful documents since we last spoke, but I will only comment on one today. He issued a press release in which he abruptly stopped blaming Council PresidentHerb Wesson for making him unhappy about the redistricting of his 8th District, and put the blame squarely on Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, whom he charged with having launched “a racially motivated assault on South Los Angeles” with the new district maps. Parks wrote: “It’s ironic that the mayor, who enjoyed 55 percent of the African-American vote to get elected is now working through his appointed commissioners to disenfranchise African-American voters...blah blah blah.”

Now you know that I am not, by any means, an apologist for the mayor, but this particular Parks rant makes me wonder: When did Parks become Black? He certainly wasn’t Black when he was police chief. Remember how, back then, apart from outright police brutality, the biggest problem facing Black people in Los Angeles was racial profiling by the LAPD? When Black drivers and pedestrians — rich ones and poor ones — were stopped anywhere at anytime by Parks’ cops for no reason other than the color of their skin?

Betty has some kind thoughts about District Attorney Candidate Carmen Trutanich:

Trutanich has zero integrity; his word, pledge and promise mean nothing. He will obviously say anything to get what he wants. Do we need or even want a district attorney like that? Steve Cooley is bad enough, but Trutanich would be worse. When Cooley told the Black Journalists Association he would eschew politics and pursue justice in the county in a fair and even-handed manner, he lied. But we didn’t know he lied until after he was elected. But Trutanich is saying, “Yeah, I lied, but elect me anyhow. I’m better than anybody else.” No. In fact, everybody who’s running for D.A. is better than Trutanich because they’re not in-your-face liars. How can the county of Los Angeles’ chief arbiter of law and order and primary procurer of justice be an unabashed liar? We won’t be able to believe a word he says nor rely on any agreement he makes.

Betty takes exception to Parks ........ again:

Councilman Bernard Parks has been on such an unprecedented hysterical, maniacal rampage this week in an effort to maintain the current boundaries of his 8th Council District that I and several other people have actually voiced concern for the physical safety of Council President Herb Wesson. For the past 10 days, Parks has responded to the Redistricting Committee’s early drafts of new council district boundaries with escalating public attacks on Wesson and outlandish assertions as to Wesson’s and the committee’s motives behind the proposed changes to the 8th District. In his frenzy, Parks has communicated more with his constituents over redistricting than he’s communicated with them about anything in the past, and he’s saying stuff — verbally and in writing — that a person of sound mental hygiene would not.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Tuesday

CD 8 City Councilman Bernard Parks and CD 9 City Councilwoman Jan Perry.

Surprise!! Redistricting 2012 is heading to litigation.

City Councilpersons Bernard Parks and Jan Perry are loading up in outside legal counsel to challenge the mostly backroom deals of the 2011/12 City Redistricting Committee. From the Daily News.

Attorneys for Council members Bernard Parks and Jan Perry sent a letter to City Attorney Carmen Trutanich questioning the legality of the new map and whether it was drawn based on racial issues."The evidence amply demonstrates that a driving motivation behind the commission's plan was to segregate voters into districts based upon race," wrote attorney Nathan Lowenstein with Goldberg, Lowenstein and Weatherwax of Century City.In addition, Lowenstein said the citizens commission failed to follow city requirements that districts be based on equal population, that neighborhoods and communities not be split and that districts be compact. 

This is not counting what most likely will be a legal challenge from an unified Koreatown supporters.

 Political Consultant John Shallman.

** Which one person out of many can prevent City Attorney Carmen Trutanich from replacing District Attorney Steve Cooley as the top attorney in LA County? Hint, he creates endorsements where none exists and develops YouTube viewer ships for a hefty fee. 

LAUSD School Board Member Bennett Kayser.

** What is the political fate for LAUSD School Board Member Bennett Kayser and his UTLA allies, after taking on the Education Machine of Mayor Antonio Villar and sending its anointed candidate Luis Sanchez back to a connected CBO exile in Boyle Heigjhts? If your upset election victory is followed by redistricting, it means that your current district is reconfigure to elect someone else in the next election with a non-anglo surname.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Tales from the maps 2012

What the maps could tell if they talked.

Happy TGIF from the second ranked city for corruption in the United States, where the simple task of drawing district boundaries borders on RICO violations. The likes of Mayor Antonio Villar, City Council President Herb "Mini Amin" Wesson, City Councilman Jose Huizar, City Councilman Richard AlarCON and their willing enablers on the Redistricting Committee have taken what should of been an exercise in simple map drawing and created a litigious mess. 

Redistricting Committee members Robert Ahn, Bobbie Jean Anderson, Helen Kim and David Roberts, have filed a minority, dissenting report that take the committee to task for ignoring public input among other things, during the public vetting process.

For CD 8 City Councilman Bernard Parks, the one-time Mayor Villar ally experience for himself what happens when you become an impediment to the mayor's "progressive machine agenda" In Parks case, they use the once in a decade process to draw Parks out of his district and the collateral damage is to the waning Africam-American clout on the City Council. 

Meanwhile this morning, City Council President Herb "Mini Amin" Wesson announced the final City Council hearing schedule on the redistricting process while not acknowledging that other hearings will most likely take place in a court room near you. 

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14.

Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Monday

Marshall Tuck, CEO, Mayor Antonio Villar's Partnership for Los Angeles Schools (PLAS).

Memo to LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy, School Board President Monica Garcia and PLAS CEO Marshall Tuck, judging from your Friday afternoon choreograph parent meeting in response to the latest sexual misconduct allegations involving a LAUSD educator, this time at Boyle Height's Roosevelt High School, district officials need to "truly embrace" openness and transparency.

But for Mayor Villar's PLAS CEO Marshall Tuck, openness and transparency does not allow for video taping of certain public meetings on PLAS campuses. During Friday's meeting at Roosevelt High School, Tuck walked up to Boyle Heights Activist Jose Aguilar who was video-taping the proceedings and requested that Aguilar stop filming. When Aguilar stood his ground and continue filming, Tuck stated that he could have Aguilar arrested if he continue to film. Aguilar again reminded Tuck that this was a public meeting open to everyone and that filming was allowed. At this point Tuck backed down and return to the front of the auditorium.

When asked after the meeting why he attempted to cease filming of the meeting, Tuck's reply was that parents were not given advance notice that filming would be allowed. But in this new media age, most would expect that some sort of video documentation of the meeting would have taken place, whether it came from the camera of a noted community activist or a cellphone of an undocumented parent of a Roosevelt student.

Thus, as LAUSD races from scandal to scandal in recent weeks, district officials should ponder making use of new media to communicate to its district parents how it is responding to situations such as Miramonte and Roosevelt. Plus, LAUSD should make use of its Channel 58 resources to convey its response to these situations. 

Remember Mr. Tuck to embrace the camera like the Mayor taking on an Photo Op.

** OTHER NEWS: 

** City Councilperson's Jan Perry and Bernard Parks are not backing off after the Redistricting Committee "beat down" of their respected council districts. Park and Perry are calling for fair, objective hearings on the redistricting process during the city council deliberations on the committee's proposed final map. As  side note, expect lawsuits to be filed in the near future. 

** We should note that our earlier request for public documents from HACLA has been fruitful fanilly. In the weeks ahead as we examine hundreds of pages of bank statements, emails and other records, The results will be publish here at Mayor Sam.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14.                                                                                              

""Another Soulvine Thursday": Its "Alley Cat Betty" vs. "Junk Yard Dog Parks"

** Blogger's notes: Its near the end of "Another Soulvine Thursday" and a week after "recharging her political groove thing", thanks to her favorite "Little Short Guy" City Council President Herb Wesson, Betty is ready for battle with CD City Councilman Bernard Parks. "The Journalistic Alley Cat of South LA" goes after the "Junk Yard Dog of CD 8" and his financial issues that still dog the former County Supervisor Candidate. We post excerpts below---Scott Johnson.

Remember back in 2008 when Councilman Bernard Parks vied with state Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas for a seat on the Board of Supervisors? Remember how the Parks campaign engaged Call Center Services Inc. to make thousands of robocalls to White, Spanish-speaking and Republican 2nd District county residents to encourage them to vote for Parks? Remember how Parks refused to pay this company for its work and Call Center Services had to sue Parks in November 2009 to get paid? Well, hold onto your hats because, according to court documents, a lot of interesting stuff has happened since then:

Read more »

TGIF Afternoon Political News Dump 1-27-12: City Council President Wesson dumps Parks and Perry from key Committee Chairmanships

 Revenge brings a smile to City Council President Herb Wesson.

Councilman Parks and Councilwoman Perry face the wrath of Council President Wesson ..... and Mayor Antonio Villar.

These acts of political payback defiantly qualify as Friday bad news dump for the City of Los Angeles. City Council President Herb Wesson send a clear and city-wide resonating reminder that you don't snub the new Council President election proceedings by removing City Councilman Bernard Parks and Jan Perry from the Chairmanships of the Budget and Energy & Environment Committees respectively.

The lost of Councilman Parks especially, from the Chairmanship of the Budget Committee, is sure to garners gasps of "Holy Sh..!" from budget watchdogs across the city. It was the fiscally-conservative Parks who kept the lid on many of the "progressive spending proposals" of Mayor Antonio Villar, a close ally of Wesson. Surely somewhere this Friday afternoon, Mayor Villar is smiling on Wesson's actions.

Sure to engender more glee from Mayor Villar and the likes of IBEW strongman Brian D'Arcy, is the replacement of Jan Perry with CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar on the Energy and Environment Committee. Councilman Huizar will now be in position to push through his "Political Papi's" rate increases at the DWP and in return receive copious amounts of contributions from the coffers of IBEW.

..... and Happy Hour cannot start soon enough for the screwed "Shakedown City on the Pacific".

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14.

** BTW, how much political soul did Councilman Paul Krekorian pay for the Chairmanship of the Budget Committee?
** Complete list of committee assignments via the City Maven.    

Councilman Parks speaks on Proposed Redistricting Maps

Blogger's note: Councilman Bernard Parks speaks on the "junk yard affect" of the proposed redistricting maps on CD 8---Scott Johnson.

Dear Constituent,

For the past few weeks I have been discussing a very important city process that is going on right now called redistricting.

Every ten years, a citizen's commission is formed to draw a map of Los Angeles that divides the city into 15 districts of equal population. The residents that live within the boundaries of each district then nominate and elect one of thier own to serve as their representative on the Los Angeles City Council.

Unfortunately, the process is influenced by numerous special interests who seek maps that establish a political advantage for their particular candidate, party or group by manipulating geographic boundaries to create desired electoral results. This is called "gerrymandering" and you can read more about it on my blog. 
The Commission held numerous public hearings throughout the city and 95% of the public delivered the same message;  "I like my District; Keep it intact."
Unfortunately, the Commission did not listen to the public and has proposed a map that radically changes the Eighth District, and in my judgment, violates the City Charter requirement for districts that “keep neighborhoods and communities intact, utilize natural boundaries or street lines, and be geographically compact." 
The most egregious examples of this disregard for the public’s wishes and the Charter requirements are:
- Splitting up the historic Leimert Park neighborhood so that only the businesses and park remain in the Eighth District, while all the residences go to the Tenth district

- Splitting Baldwin Vista from the rest of Baldwin Hills and placing it in the Tenth District

- Taking the LAX-adjacent Westchester neighborhood from the 11th District and connecting it to the Eighth District through a narrow strip of land that’s only about a block wide.

If you're like the 95% who testified before the Commission who want their district left alone, and reject the Redistricting Commission’s treatment of the Eighth District as a  junkyard - taking parts they want and dumping parts they don’t - I urge you to let them know! 
On Saturday, February 11th at 11:00 AM, the Commission will hold a public hearing atWest Angeles Church – 3045 Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90016 – to hear feedback on their proposal. Please encourage your friends and neighbors to attend, and let’s send a loud and clear message that we want the Eighth District to remain intact!

Make sure you stay up to date with all the latest developments on my webpagewww.bernardparks.com or twitter @BernardCParks and on Facebook at Facebook.com/CouncilmemberParks and Facebook.com/BernardCParks. 
Thank you for your continued interest in the Great Eighth! 
Respectfully, 
BERNARD C. PARKS
Councilmember