Afternoon Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Tuesday

As former Los Angeles Failure Mayor Antonio Villar makes the rounds of California Municipalities in search of a 2018 Political Rebirth, he may want to fully disclose (and screen) what happen between him and Charlie on that infamous night in Cabos?

What happens (or gets transmitted) in Cabos, stays in Cabos (or at least until a pending state-wide election in 2018).

** Blogger's Note: For those who live fast and loose, especially when far-removed from the choreographed facades of a ambitious political persona, let the above photo of HIV-positive Charlie Sheen and former LA Failure Mayor Antonio Villar, enjoying a night of partying in Cabos San Lucas (allegedly), remind the political fast lane crowd of the potential, adverse consequences of questionable, life-style choices. Here at Mayor Sam, we have posted "ahhhhh" ......, many missives over the years regarding the alleged, alcohol-fueled theatrics of the City Terrace-native. But few will remember what a "Lifestyle of Excess" did for the likes of late Southeast LA County Assemblyman Marcos Firebaugh, who died at 39 due to Influenza and Liver Failure. Two years before he died, then Assemblyman Firebaugh upon the discovery of the Liver Ailmate that would take his life stated ......, "I drank like a fish, ate like a pig, stayed out till wee hours of the night and never slept," ......, which was a recipe for a early death.

** As the political fallout from the Paris Terrorist Attacks engulfs the national political landscape, we ask the following question of Mayor Eric Garcetti in lieu of "Greece on the Pacific (formerly The Golden State)" Governor Jerry "Moonbeam, Part II" Brown's pledge to work with President Barack "H" Obama in relocating Syrians Refugees to our state. "Will Mayor Garcetti pledge to cooperate with all Federal Agencies (including ICE),in protecting all Angelinos/US Citizens, from any possible crimes committed by refugees relocated here ........, and from those who seek refuge within Los Angeles illegally (by rescinding Special Order 40)? 

** So much for another Governmental Pledge of Traffic Reduction via Mass Transit as researchers from USC, announced that while ridership increase along the traffic-chocked corridor, the number of vehicles DID NOT decline. But lets remember that this Sales Tax-financed project provided funding for campaign-contributing giving contractors, sub-contractors and the dreaded non-profits.

** CD 4 City Councilman David Ryu is solidifying his "Outsider Status" via his latest pronouncement that outs the expenditure of money on questionable sidewalk repairs at the Van Nuys Civic Center. According to the Daily News ......., Ryu said the priority should be residential or commercial property sidewalks, rather than city properties, where he said those fixes aren’t immediately needed. “Although there is legal reasoning as to why many sidewalks need to be repaired, we should be more strategic when it comes to repairing the massive backlog of damaged sidewalks,” Ryu said in a statement after the hearing----Scott Johnson.

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Tuesday

Mayoral candidate Kevin James pulls ahead of the declared pack in fundraising announcing over half a million in commitments to his campaign from over 100 donors.  In an exclusive to the Sister City, James says “I am honored and humbled to have earned such strong early support from all across the community. I am encouraged and motivated by their commitment to this campaign."

Curbed LA has video of the new MTA Expo Line, now under testing on recently completed track.

Following the tragic death of a South LA child who was injured by a falling object, the LAFD has issued a number of safety warnings parents should take heed of.

Evening Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Scene for Thursday

"This is the latest incarnation of Me!"

Who will be the latest political incarnation of the child born Antonio Ramon Villar Jr. in 2013?

From our sources, we know that the possibility of continuing with the "Villaraigosa brand" is remote, courtesy of the recent final divorce proceedings between Antonio and his now ex. wife Corina.

But as Ron Kaye reports, a possible reverting back to his maiden name of Villar, is not slowing down the process of reinventing the current Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for post 2013 political escapades. And based upon Kaye's latest post, jet-setting to the latest global photo-ops hot spot will remain a constant as he reports.

The trial run of the post-mayor Antonio Villar incarnation, featured a transformative politico who attacks the teacher unions as being the root of the problem in education, as he did in Sacramento on Tuesday. This from the same guy who use to sit across the table from Former LAUSD Administrator now School Board Member Richard "Dr. Death" Vladovic, as a UTLA union rep, in disciplinary proceedings back in the 20th Century.

We should also remember the soon to be "Green Policy Guru Antonio Villar" who's recent leadership in signing some Municipal Global Warming compact in Mexico City, is most likely responsible for our recent string of record-breaking cold temperatures.

Then there is the "Municipal Economic Guru Antonio Villar" who flew to Chicago to educate the lesser mayors of America on the finer points of his "30 in 10 Transportation Plan". These lesser politicos should remember the part about fast tracking more construction contracts into the hands of unions and campaign contributors that somehow gets left out of our local press.

But whether it is five years from now or ten and multiple telebimbos girlfriends in between, when one peel aways the multi-layers of the child born as Antonio Ramon Villar's political incarnations. They will always find the street -hustling kid from City Terrace known to his homies as just "Tony".

OTHER NEWS:

** Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor Gloria Molina is none too happy with her fellow MTA Board Members who voted to compensate Expo Line contractors $28.5 million dollars for construction delays.

** AEG President Tim LIEweke wants his willing servants within the Horseshoe to decide by March (hear that Jan?), whether to green light his plan to tear down part of the Convention Center and built a neww football stadium.

** What will "Brown" do for you? That will be up for you to decide in a summer special election if Geriatric Moonbeam has is way. BTW, love how all of the "Kennedy Republican's" fellow democratic staffers are being retained by Jerry?

** From the LAUSD Couruption Blotter: Bassam Raslan pleaded guilty to a conflict of interest charge for hiring people from his own company to work on the district's construction program. We seem to remember a upcoming fundraiser for LAUSD District Five School Board Candidate and current School Board President Monica Garcia's Chief of Staff Luis Sanchez. Further, if I remember correctly, the host of this fundraiser are "construction industry types" (TELACU and the Seville Group come to mind). Things that make you go hmmmm.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Betty Pleasant and her Shady Friends

We've documented many times that "journo" Betty Pleasant has a major obsession with Councilman Bernard Parks who she view as responsible for all the troubles in the 8th District.

Betty is a classy sport who once told Phil Jennerjahn to tell me that she said "He can kiss my ass."

Practicing the old adage that the enemy of my enemy is my friend Betty has offered kudos to two potentially questionable figures whose only merit for Classy Betty is that they are somehow opposing  Parks.

Read more »

Take a Ride on the Expo Line!

Interesting video produced by the Transit Coalition over a portion of  the existing right of way that will become the controversial MTA Expo Light Rail line.

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Saturday

The Grown Ups Now In Charge of CD2 | Photo by Mayor Sam

Members of the Police Protective League are baffled why their leadership spent nearly a half million dollars to elect Chris Essel to the City Council when eventual victor Paul Krekorian had a good record of supporting those in uniform.  Perhaps the PPL bosses listened to Phil Jennerjahn when the former mayoral candidate blogged that Krekorian wanted to be a gang member.

Is Michelle Mowrey, who heads up bicycle programs for the LA Department of Transportation saying that Los Angeles isn't white enough to be a bicycle friendly city? Metroblogs notes some racially tinged remarks by the official when comparing Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon in response to a question by Clowncilman Bill Rosendahl saying "With all due respect the City of Portland is 450,000 people. It’s a homogeneous community that is very white, and very progressive with respect to transportation."

Friday Team Krekorian began their first day of fumigating the CD 2 offices. It's nice to see the grown-ups in charge again in the Second District.

CurbedLA reports a developer in Santa Monica is causing NIMBY outrage for proposing a 71 foot high building near the new Expo Line on Olympic Boulevard.  As a Curbed reader  notes if the developer really wanted a 71 foot tall building they should have proposed one 142 feet.

Franklin Avenue blogs some cool old local television commercials from back in the day including those for stores who are no longer here such as Gemco and May Company.

And finally the Walt Disney Company proves it's family friendly mettle by resurrecting an homage to a now deceased alleged child molestor.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Friday

Is Burbank based Assemblyman Paul Krekorian going to announce he is running to replace Wendy Greuel on the City Council? That was the buzz around  town Thursday evening.  Stay tuned!


Celeste Fremon thinks that it would be a good idea to change the City Charter so that His Imperialness Bill Bratton can serve ad infinitum as LAPD chief.  One wonders how consistent an old lefty like Celeste is and did she favor the Christoper Commission's term limits back when Daryl Gates was chief? I am also curious if Celeste thinks that the Police Chief should be dabbling in partisan and electoral politics, again much in contravention of the findings of the panel that sought to reform the LAPD in the wake of the Rodney King beating.  This is no different than the Republicans who were aghast at FDR's election to four terms and sought to change the constitution to prevent that from happening again.  Yet, when those very same term limits meant no more Ike after 1961, they wanted to change the game again.  Fortuanately, Ike was smart enough to know that was wrong.

Zach Behrens notes that Obama California campaign manager and Measure B godfather Mitchell Schwartz thinks there was a message in the defeat of the controversial proposition and hopes that LA's leaders take the hint. “When something that should be very popular doesn’t pass, it is a wakeup call to the mayor and the City Hall establishment," Schwartz told  Daniel Heimpel at the LA Weekly.

No wonder some of the "umbrella organizations" over Neighborhood Councils get scant participation from all but a fingerful of NC members citywide. Perhaps folks don't see these organizations as ready for "prime time." A recent notice I got from the Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition said "The LANCC meets on the first Saturday of each month: MEETING SATURDAY, MARCH 28TH."  Now, yes, I did graduate from LAUSD but I am pretty sure that March 28th is not the first Saturday of the month.

Now we know why the City has made significant increases to parking meter rates and cut back on hours you can park, severely impacting local business and residents: there's gold in them thar hills! Friday the Clowncil will transfer $56 million from a parking meter fund surplus to help cover the City's budget deficit.

The LA Times reports that Bergamot Station art museum in Santa Monica could be a victim of the Expo Rail Line.  Local NIMBYs want the legendary location to be used as a maintenance yard for the line, instead of a nearby industrial property that is within the NIMBY's line of site.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Monday

The shadiness that is the City's Measure B solar boondoggle continues to grow.  In addition to the general fraud that is the measure that claims to bring "green" energy to LA but is really a backdoor way to increase DWP rates and payoff politically connected special interests a series of "something rotten in Denmark" events have popped up over the last week or so. First off was the LA Times David Zahniser's report that a "secret" internal report highly critical of the measure was allgedly suppressed by Council President Eric Garcetti.  Now, it's the Mayor and supporters of the measure in an Orwellian move hauling opponents of the measure including former Daily News editor Ron Kaye into court for being bold enough to shed light on the fraud being foisted on voters.  Stay tuned.

In a business busting move to suck a few more dollars out of City residents, Los Angeles has imposed massive increases on parking meters Citywide - some as much as $4 an hour - and increased the hours in the day the meters run.  While merchants from Highland Park to Chatsworth are up in arms, nowhere is anger greater than in the fledging NoHo Arts District.  Theatre owners are aghast that formerly free nighttime parking is no longer available and are finding impratical for patrons to step out of a production to feed the meter.  An aide to Councilman Tom LaBonge has told NoHo theatre owners their office is "looking into it" but local business owners hold out little hope for relief.

Residents along a section of the MTA's Expo light rail line near where it runs close to two schools have asked the state Public Utilities Commission to require either a rail or pedestrian bridge rather than the MTA's proposed at-grade crossings.  The PUC will make a final decision at the end of January; it is estimated that if the pedestrian bridges are required it could delay opening of the line by three years. I find that tough to be believe but even if true, in the light of LA's deadly record of rail accidents I'd rather wait three years if it means safety for schoolchildren and others.

The City wants to establish an "Inspector General" position for the Los Angeles Fire Department primarily as part of reforms following the Tennie Pierce "Dog Food" multi-million dollar lawsuit.  The thinking is that such an individual could root out issues of harrassment, hazing, etc. before they get to the lawsuit stage and hence have placed Measure A on the ballot to create the spot. Yet, an insider who has copied us on a note to Walter Moore supporting his opposition to Measure A notes that for nearly decade the LAFD has employed two individuals responsible for this function each receiving salaries upwards if not more of $100,000 per year.  The writer makes the claim that it is an open secret within the LAFD that neither of these individuals are "doing their job" yet will be rewarded with this soon to be created Charter position (and presumedly greatly increased salaries).

Lots of hand wringing about the slowly dying dinosaur also known as THE OLD GRAY HAG ON SPRING STREET but the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News are instead trying some innovative ideas to move the paper into the current century.  Among the changes enhanced digital content channels online, limiting at home delivery to the most popular days only and providing subscribers with exact online copies of the day's print edition.

Not sure if this is the kind of endorsment Britney Spears was looking for but fellow pop tart Lindsay Lohan "praises" Spears for getting her life back on track. In the meantime Spears is denying that she is dating ‘Good Charlotte’ rocker Benji Madden.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Friday

From GetLiberty.org.  Used with permission.

The Expo Light Rail line from LA to Culver City has hit a roadblock.  A California Public Utilities Commission Judge has ruled against the authority building the train and their desire to have two at grade crossings near Dorsey High and Foshay Learning Center.  Community activitists as well as the LAUSD argued that these crossings would be dangerous to children walking to school and the judge agreed, ordering the Expo Line authority to construct bridges at the crossing adding perhaps $18 million and three years to the project.  The Commission itself will have the final say in November.

A Glassell Park community forum turned into a debate on the fate of the Southwest Museum and a controversial plan to use funds from a bond measure to fund facilities for the Los Angeles Community College at the Museum.  Though the District denies this, activists say that the Southwest is included in an LACCD "wish list" of projects should the measure pass. 

Like Mayor Villaraigosa, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has managed to pass his own version of shady term limits extension but he didn't have to bamboozle the voters to do it.  The New York City Council voted 29-22 (God damn, could you imagine having 51 CLOWNCIL MEMBERS?) to extend his (and their) terms by another four years, despite the fact that Big Apple voters have twice passed term limits meaures capping the Mayor and Clowncil at two four year terms.  Dang and we thought our Clowncil was shady!

An attorney for John McCain's wife Cindy has sent a protest letter to the New York Times for their recent hatchet job story on Cindy McCain.  That's part of the usual bloviating of campaigns though it does seem unfair the Obama Times would dredge up McCain's past but not look at Mrs. Obama's background, of which there are some questions.  That being said the more disturbing issue of the whole affair is that the writer of the story - Jodi Kantor - scoured the Facebook profile of McCain's 16 year old daughter Bridget and contacted classmates of Bridget McCain in order to dig up dirt on the McCains.  Incredible.

And fnally, Britney Spears has decided what she's going to dress up as for Halloween: herself.  Brit's going to put on a bald wig and trick or treat as her old crazy self a few years ago.