Jennerjahn Drops Out of CD5 Race

We tease Phil Jennerjahn a lot - and he certainly would have some significant hurdles to overcome in terms of a run for City Council. 

While he's likely made a wise or practical decision, it is sad however, for the reasons he enumerates that a grass-roots, citizen leader can no longer run for public office.

Early Morning Briefs and Outtakes......

"Landslide Koretz" meet "Councilman Koretz".

That is what Paul Koretz with verbage crafted by Parke Skelton, wants you to believe, as stated in his "victory declaration".

"Although we have been told that there are still approximately 100 ballots left to count, we can now safely claim victory," the Koretz campaign said. "Once these ballots are counted, and the election is certified, we will update the website."

But leave it to Paul and Parke to have their backup plan in place....

To defend our lead through the vote counting process, we have hired election law expert Stephen Kaufman and his firm. This means we need to raise funds again to pay the cost of this effort, which could go as high as $20,000. This is an extension of the General election campaign so the same contribution limits apply with a maximum $500 per person limit—so if one has already given the maximum ($500 per person) then no more can be contributed to this effort. If someone is a new contributor to the General election, then they can give the full $500. Anyone who has already contributed to the General election, but has not donated the $500 maximum, can contribute the difference up to the $500 limit.

We have to raise this within the next week. Anything anyone can do to contribute or raise funds will be a huge help!

Thanks,

Paul

News Galore on Prop 8.

That is if you were reading the LA Times Website "LA Now", as the scribes went on with "post y post y post" on yesterday's California Supreme Court ruling upholding Prop 8.

Then there was this about Billboards.

When things look dicey, politicians at City Hall have a time-tested strategy: punt. So, faced with criticism from business leaders and neighborhood councils, the Los Angeles City Council put off a vote on the complicated overhaul of its sign ordinance, agreeing to wait until after July 1 to make a decision -- after City Atty.-elect Carmen Trutanich is seated.

FREEDOM AND FREE ENTERPRISE!!

Your Thoughts.......

Parke's "bloggin response" to Ron Kaye's CD-5 "Election Irregularities Post"

Parke does blogging.......

Ron Kaye's post on the claims of "election irregularities" in CD-5 merit this response from the "Nordic Spin Master" who is also the campaign consultant for Paul Koretz.

By Parke Skelton on May 26, 2009 11:53 AM

Ron;

Every election produces some "irregularities" or at least claims of them. You know that. And people, voters and election officials, make mistakes.

But don't you think it is a tad irresponsible for you to be undermining the validity election on the basis of no independent investigation, statistical analysis or facts? Simply parroting the complaints of the Vahedi camp is not evidence that "a revote may be necessary." Or that we "may never know who won the election." That's an awfully portentous claim.

Yes, polling places were consolidated. It was a low turnout special election -- and like 10:30 a.m. comment, most voters "looked at their sample ballot and found the correct place." And a relatively small handful of voters in one ballot group did not receive the correct ballot guide with their absentee ballot.

All of these claims are being investigated by the Registrar and a report will be issued. Virtually all remaining ballots will be counted today. We will know who won the race. Just wait a few hours. And be willing to accept the verdict of the electorate.

Parke Skelton

Can one smell the smoke of a "looming political firestorm" in CD-5 ??

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

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Friday

Getting down to the wire in the 5th Council District race. Candidate David Vahedi is accusing his opponent Paul Koretz of ethics violations and has filed a complaint against Koretz with City and State officials. Vahedi claims that Koretz has violated borrowing and expenditure limits and is co-mingling campaign funds with other monies. Vahedi campaign consultant Phil Giarrizzo accused Koretz of being a career politician "who will do anything to get elected." In the meantime, Koretz picked up the endorsement of a past CD5 Councilman, County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky.

A sign that Mayor Villaraigosa may not be running for Governor of California? The Mayor is ditching this weekend's California Democratic State Convention in Sacramento, citing needing to deal with budget issues at home. Since we've never known Antonio Villaraigosa to miss a photo op and chance to gladhand - even when there's work to be done (remember his attending a Dodger game in the luxury box with owner Frank McCourt when the Valley was on fire last year?) - something must be up. Steve Maviglio of the California Majority Report suspects that Villaraigosa "couldn't compete in the convention buzz with the other major candidates gunning for gubernatorial prize," and that the Mayor fears "a cold shoulder from organized labor" over his recent budget policies and job cuts.

The new Metro Gold Line light rail route will be the first transit line to have a name in both Spanish and English following a recent MTA vote. CurbedLA thinks that Bill O'Reilly will have a fit over it; I suspect Walter Moore would be much angrier.

Friday is City Controller Laura Chick's last day in office as she heads to Sacramento Monday to hopefully keep Arnold from cooking the books. For those of Mayor Sam readers working in City Hall, stop by Chick's office for coffee and cookies. Now with Chick gone and Wendy Greuel not stepping in until July 1; who signs the checks? Not the Mayor I hope!

And finally, big congratulations to long-time purveryor of press releases to Mayor Sam, publicist extraordinaire Ginny-Marie Case who will wed her fiance Alexander on Saturday. Best wishes to the happy couple!

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.

Robyn Ritter Simon: No, I Don't Think So

One of the many in the race to succeed Wacko Jacko Weiss on the City Council is Robyn Ritter Simon. Simon says she is a former broadcast journalist and has been a Westside fixture for several years.

Ritter Simon has done well in capturing some of the early money and endorsements in the race and has been very effective so far in using online media to promote her campaign. The latest is this "interview" on her campaign.



The truth is that after eight years of the reign of terror of Jack Weiss, electing a tree stump would be an improvement. That being said after watching this interview, I say no to Simon. I don't see someone with a progressive vision for remaking the City; indeed she's committed to preserving the suburban, blue-hair Westside way of life. Ritter Simon doesn't say anything in this interview that doesn't sound like a living campaign brochure, a Stepford candidate right out of Central Casting.

Next?

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Wednesday

Former President and CEO of the Century City Chamber of Commerce Robyn Ritter Simon has announced she's raised over $100,000 in her efforts to get elected to the 5th Council District seat to be vacated by Jack Weiss next year. Other candidates who have announced for the race are former Assemblyman Paul Koretz, who represented West Hollywood and also served on the West Hollywood City Council before moving to Los Angeles; land-use attorney Ron Galperin; and businessman David T. Vahedi, who ran against Weiss four years ago.

How are hard working, tax paying, decent citizens who are fighting for their community treated by a wannabe bureaucrat who trades on her politician husband's name? Searched for weapons and watched like hawks by police officers. That's what happened on the orders of Avis Ridley-Thomas of the City of Los Angeles Dispute Resolution Office when leaders from Sunland-Tujunga came to inspect important city files related to the controversial effort to place a Home Depot store in their community. Will officials from Home Depot get the same treatment? Ridley-Thomas says yes, but I tend to doubt it.

Where are the worst potholes in LA?The Daily News is mapping them out! Using Google Maps technology readers can submit the locations of potholes and add important details. Perhaps the Mayor can download those to his BlackBerry (or Jose Huizar's BlackBerry) and go out and fill them.

We talked the other day about the need to allow MTA commuters to take their bikes on buses and trains and the efforts of Councilman Eric Garcetti to get the transit agency to relax their rules. The LA Times reports however that folding bikes are allowed at any time on the train. I first saw these types of bikes when my grandparents brought back two of them from a vacation in Europe in the early 70s. They can be quite compact and easy to tote. However some wonder given the condition of LA's roads if these bikes are sturdy enough for safe travel.

Former State Contoller and Democratic candidate for Governor Steve Westly has donated $100,000 to the Green Dot Charter School at Locke High School. Westly who rose to prominence in Democratic party politics made a substantial portion of his fortune as one of the founders of eBay.

And finally you'll be seeing a new voice here on the blog: Althea Shaw. Althea is the sister of Jamiel Shaw, Sr. and the aunt of Jamiel Shaw, II. Ms. Shaw will share her experience as one of the leaders of the movement to pass Jamiel's Law as well as news from her local community. Welcome Althea!