Rejecting Paul Koretz and Ron Galperin, LA Times Regains Some Of Its Marbles

By Daniel Guss

@TheGussReport - Like a rare hybrid eclipse, this column finally aligns with at least the essence of the Los Angeles Times' first two endorsements for the upcoming June primary, which are best summarized as:

• Paul Koretz should not be the next LA City Controller
• Ron Galperin should not be the next California Controller

Considering that the Times repeatedly endorsed locals like convicted felon Mitch Englander; indicted Jose Huizar and Mark Ridley-Thomas; Gavin Newsom, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gray Davis; Eric Garcetti and Antonio Villaraigosa; Nury Martinez and Herb Wesson; Kamala Harris, George Gascon, Mike Bonin, bigamist Curren Price (despite his denials), other fakers and takers, and yes, Koretz and Galperin, it may now see the consequences of those disastrous recommendations.

I don't entirely buy that the Times gets it, yet, and neither should you.  But rejecting Koretz and Galperin in 2022 is a good start.

To read the rest of this column and see earlier ones, go to: https://danielguss.substack.com/ and sign up for the free subscription.

You may also follow me on the Twitters @TheGussReport.

Sigan adelante gente increibles.....

(Daniel Guss, MBA, was runner-up for the 2020 Los Angeles Press Club journalism award for Best Online Political Commentary and was a runner-up in 2021 in the Activist Journalism category.  He has contributed to Mayor Sam, CityWatchLA, KFI AM-640, iHeartMedia, 790-KABC, Cumulus Media, KCRW, Huffington Post, Los Angeles Daily News, Los Angeles Magazine, Movieline Magazine, Emmy Magazine, Los Angeles Business Journal, Pasadena Star News, Los Angeles Downtown News, and the Los Angeles Times in its Sports, Opinion and Entertainment sections and Sunday Magazine, among other publishers.)

Eric Garcetti, Falsus In Omnibus

By Daniel Guss

@TheGussReport - The Latin phrase falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus is one that you'll only hear in legal circles or from the keyboard of a raconteur.  It means that if a person lies about one thing, you can reasonably conclude that they're lying about everything.

Five years ago tomorrow, the Los Angeles Times gave an unwarranted 46th birthday gift to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti; an endorsement for a second term as the city's chief executive, despite 16 years of astonishing failure, lies and a corrupt City Hall (and its typhus outbreak) as a Councilmember, City Council President and Mayor.

But today, Garcetti has once again proven to the nation that he is willing to lie about anything, for any reason or no reason at all.  And thanks to us trusting the Times, he has once again shown the entire nation what disengaged rubes are are for following its advice.

I explain further in my new Substack.

"Eric Garcetti, LA's Prince of Maskless Privilege. Thanks, LA Times!" by Daniel Guss

 @TheGussReport - It is the Monday morning after the L.A. Rams' victory in the NFC Championship Game (played in Inglewood, not L.A.), and the local team punching its ticket to the Super Bowl in two weeks isn't the only headline-grabber.

The other national headline from the game is that L.A.'s Prince of Maskless Privilege, Mayor Eric Garcetti, mugged for photos with unmasked Magic Johnson, S.F. Mayor London Breed, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jessica Alba to name a few.

Shouldn't this be the end of people considering the L.A. Times' political endorsements with local primaries right around the bend?

I delve in my new Substack.   You can read it here and be sure to subscribe and share.  It's free.

Also, follow me on The Twitters @TheGussReport.

Classic MayorSam: Mayor Loses His Democratic Mojo

In honor of Mayor Villaraigosa's role as the Chairman of this week's Democratic National Convention, we're going to post a few of our past Antonio stories from the Mayor Sam Archives. This gem from August 21st, 2008 details how the Mayor was virtually ignored by the Obama campaign during the 2008 Convention. My, what a difference four years have made.

  It's not a good week for Mayor Villaraigosa when it comes to being a Democratic party superstar.

First off the Mayor was passed over for a speaking spot at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.  Next Barack Obama didn't pick the Mayor for his Latino- but Bill Clinton was chosen.  Finally Villaraigosa's home state Democratic rival Gavin Newsom will be hosting a big deal.

Speculation is rampant that the Obama campaign wants to distance themselves from the Mayor due to his high-profile extamarital affair with former TV newswoman Mirthala Salinas.

Not to worry, I think Antonio's sharing a room with Bill Rosendahl and Jack Weiss at the Days Inn and will be on a panel discussion on "travel tips" Sunday before the Convention starts.

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Monday

I recently read an essay by John Taylor Gatto (no relation to Mike Gatto or Daulton Gatto I presume; that they share a surname must be purely coincidental) on what a ridiculous notion our warehouse model of public education is.  We see more games as played by the LAUSD and the teachers' unions as Westchester's local high school is going from the traditional model to that of being a magnet school, more like a university beckoning those how have means to get to what is perceived as a beacon in an educational swamp.  Westchester need not worry! This may be an opportunity to drive their children towards charter schools, private schools and home schooling - new models of education that don't lump the masses into a pre-fab sludge of forcing children to fit into cookie cutters and disrespect the vastly different learning style of each kid.  There, I said it.

Read more »

More Politicians in Costume

Did Gavin Newsom Buy Maxine Waters' Endorsement?

I'm not Gavin Newsom
but I would like to be!

Many have told us that it’s well known within political circles that there is a price to doing business with Rep. Maxine Waters. Specifically, the price is high to get a coveted spot on Rep. Waters’s slate mailer.

Just ask Rocky Delgadillo and Mike Feuer. In 2001, according to the LA Weekly, “Feuer got on the first, primary mailer for $10,000. He was then asked for $25,000 to get into round two. Feuer’s people offered $15,000, and the next thing you knew, the better-funded Delgadillo’s people ponied up $35,000 to replace the councilman on the Waters slate-mailer roster.”

The LA Weekly goes on to say… “So it would appear that, in this specific case, the election was really for sale. And, in a sense, sold. But this appears not to have been the only runoff race in which Waters’s mailerites tried to pull a shakedown. In at least one other city-election race, Waters also tried to put on the bite for a five-figure enhancement from the leading candidate, who asked not to be identified (it turns out that few, if any, politicians want to rankle Maxine Waters). That candidate, however, refused to be hustled. The Waters people then took their money from the candidate’s opponent, who (one wants to say “justly”) lost.”

It gets better… The LA Times reports, “Well-known politicians such as former Gov. Gray Davis, and state Treasurer Philip Angelides have been charged tens of thousands of dollars. Others have paid nothing. A school board candidate paid $250. Al Checchi, a wealthy businessman and political novice who ran for governor in 1998, paid L.A. Vote the most: $171,000.”

And… “Indian tribes have been particularly good customers for both the slate mailer. Since 1998, they have paid $170,000 to the slate mailer operation and $126,000 to her firm for community outreach on gambling initiatives, their campaign reports show. Meanwhile, Rep. Waters has backed the tribes' ballot measures and defended tribal gambling interests in Washington.”

And because of Rep. Waters’s sleazy tactics, the nonpartisan watchdog organization, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), has repeatedly named Rep. Waters to their “Most Corrupt Members Of Congress” list.

Oh look, on May 26th, Mayor Newsom announced the endorsement of Rep. Waters! Something tells me, he'll be on Waters's next slate mailer.

SO WE POSE THE QUESTION TO MAYOR NEWSOM – HOW MUCH DID YOU PAY FOR REP. WATERS’S ENDORSEMENT? We suspect that the next finance report will show a hefty sum forked over to the Waters’ slate mailer.

Polls Not Looking Good for Some Candidates

Gavin is bad ass!

This just in!

Republican political operatives closely aligned with Meg Whitman's campaign have begun to see what the slate of candidates looks like that will be going head to head with what many are calling the most diverse slate of Republican candidates in California Republican history.

Here are their internal results – with one race being particiuarly concerning to them.

Lieutenant Governor:

Gavin Newsom – 39%
Janice Hahn – 33%
Eric Korevaar – 11%
Undecided – 15%

The Republican Party is rooting for a Newsom win – and quite frankly so am I. (Recall we were the first blog in the state to report that Prince Newsom was dropping out) Gavin Newsom will be used as an anchor to tie down Attorney General Jerry Brown and the entire Democratic Party ticket. We need Gavin so I am urging all Mayor Sam readers to donate to his race so we can have a clean sweep in November 

www.gavinnewsom.com 

Even though Newsom released a poll that showed it 47%-26% my “right-thinking” political operative friends tell me that was before any mail had hit and the Hahn campaign has unloaded with several mail pieces while the first Newsom piece landed last night. Their internals have the Voted Already numbers a dead heat 34%-32%. Hat tip to the Hahn campaign for making it close.

Insurance Commissioner:
Dave Jones: 37%
Hector De La Torre: 29%
Undecided: 33%

Insurance Commissioner is pretty low-level job and whoever wins will be skewered by Assemblyman Mike Villines as part of the Sacramento problem of higher taxes and out-of-balance budgets.

Donate to Mike at: http://mikevillines.com

Attorney General:
I personally like District Attorney Steve Cooley and think he will be beat whoever the Democrats put up.

But this might be some not-so-great-news for the Harris campaign, who Republicans really want to see as the Dem nominee as well.

Attorney General

Chris Kelly: 16%
Kamala Harris: 15%
Rocky Delgadillo: 11%
Pedro Nava: 10%
Ted Lieu: 5%
Alberto Torrico: 4%
Undecided: 39%

I believe this is the first poll showing Chris Kelly with some sort of a lead or “traction” as the pros like to put it.

Again we want “anti-death penalty” Kamala Harris to go win this – so again I urge a donation to 

www.kamalaharris.com
Alright folks – remember this is the place for politics – Los Angeles or Statewide.

Why Janice Boycotts

The Great Councilwoman Janice Hahn!

Why did Janice Hahn lead the effort to have the City boycott business with Arizona? Pure and simple she's in a race for Lt Governor with the controversial but still popular San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. If Newsom, who is also leading a boycott effort in his city, or Hahn are to earn the Democratic nomination they'll need to reach out for Latino votes. With neither having a natural Latino base both must do whatever it takes to get every last vote.

The whole thing is ironic because whichever of the two gets their party's nod will face a Latino in the general election, Republican Lt. Governor Abel Maldonado who has shown an ability to attract votes from Democrats and independents.

Now on the other hand there is Hahn's partner in crime on the matter, Councilmember Paul Koretz. Right now there is a whole lot of buyers' remorse in the 5th Council District where Koretz barely won election over Neighborhood Council favorite David Vahedi. Koretz, in making bizarre remarks comparing Arizona to Nazi Germany has earned the scorn of critics from various Jewish groups to radio talk show host Tim Conway, Jr. who stated on his KFI radio show Saturday that Koretz really sounds like someone who should be institutionalized.

In the meantime while this nutty circus plays out under the big top on Spring Street the Clowncil won't have the time to address more important issues like the City's budget mess. Though they are putting some window dressing on that

Related stories:

Blogger Paul Hatfield praises Councilmember Greig Smith for being the only vote against Hahn's measure.

LA's elected officials are urging the Los Angeles Lakers to somehow boycott the Phoenix Suns in the NBA playoffs. The Lakers' response: "We don't do politics."

In response to the LA boycott and other attacks upon it, Arizona has formed a "truth-telling" task force to fight back.

Saturday Hotsheet

The City Clowncil can't decide if it wants to ban billboards or tax them.  Herb Wesson is pushing for a tax on advertising that could generate $50 million a year.

Five of six medical marijuana dispensaries in Atwater Village will close when City officials begin to enforce new laws on the pot shops.  The lucky winner in AW? Oaksterdam University reportedly America's first "cannabis college."

We reported all kinds of worrisome troubles in the operation of San Franciso's police department and Attorney General's office under the administration of Gavin Newsom.  Now his Lt Governor primary challenger Janice Hahn has issued an attack ad taking Newsom to task.

The wife of LA Dodgers' owner Frank McCourt - Jamie McCourt - has won the right to over $600,000 per month in spousal support in the McCourt's messy and public divorce.  The whole thing might be good news for a Cougar cub who allegedly once showed great interest in the MILFy new ex-Mrs. McCourt.

And finally what is this all about? Mayor Villaraigosa birthers???

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Thursday

"El Payaso"

Paul Hatfield of the Village to Village Blog is reporting that longtime Studio City Neighborhood Council board member Michael McCue was removed from the panel Wednesday evening on an 8-4 vote. Despite the vote Hatfield reports that the majority of the audience in attendance supported and spoke out for McCue, much to the displeasure of some of the Studio City board members. Hatfield promises more details later Thursday. Mayor Sam readers may remember that McCue was one of several candidates who originally ran for the Second Council District seat vacated by Wendy Greuel.

A group of several medical marijuana collectives facing closure under an ordinance passed by the City Council are banding together to sue the City over the law. The Times reports that one of the dispensaries in the coalition attempted to place a referendum on the ballot to overturn the law but failed to garner enough signatures. So much for the idea that pot shops can get signatures as easy as a hash brownie!

Ok here's a random fact that I never knew. San Francisco Mayor and Janice Hahn's opponent for Lt Governor Gavin Newsom is the nephew of legendary actor Ed Asner. I am sure some of you smart people knew this but I didn't. Who knew?

Here is my LAist/Zach Behrens impression: Los Angeles City government may not illicit the high tech imagery of Silicon Valley but if City Council President Eric Garcetti has his way that may change. The 13th District Councilman announced he is releasing "Garcetti 311" a free iPhone app that allows city residents to snap and submit photos of potholes, dead animals and illegal dumping to City employees to be addressed and resolved. But the app right now is only for residents of Garcetti's District however if the year long test goes well it could be expanded citywide. Okay, LAist impression over.

Gavin Newsom Flips Out

From CBS 5 in San Francisco

In his first extensive interview since dropping out of the California governor's race, Newsom wanted to talk solely about the city's budget plight, but CBS 5 pushed him to answer questions about his uncharacteristic absence from the public limelight since ending his gubernatorial bid.

Newsom seemed to be agitated and annoyed at the questioning, proclaiming that he had made 69 public appearances since his decision to quit the race for governor - although his staff could not provide specific details about those appearances, which were not reflected on the mayor's public schedule.

Check out the video.

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Monday

 

Whether you like it or not! | SF Weekly

The LA Times opines that with the former LAPD Chief William Bratton, City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo and City Controller Laura Chick all gone now the real "Villaraigosa Era" begins now at City Hall.  With term limits rendering the Mayor a lame duck and nowhere to go but up Villaraigosa may find its now or never to accomplish something and leave a legacy. Hence his push to speed up rail construction.  With a controversial City Attorney and a continually dysfunctional City Council the Mayor might just be able to seize an opportunity to lead. Indeed, the Mayor's first big opportunity to have an imprint on City Hall will come Monday when he announces HIS choice for Police Chief.

In the wake of Gavin Newsom's crash and burn, the Times asks if Mayor Villaraigosa should get back into the Governor's race.  In an unscientific poll about 70% of Times readers responding say no.  Its not going to happen folks.  Villaraiogsa is now in full legacy mode; as well too much of the Villaraigosa machine is embedded into Team Moonbeam that a jumping back in would be logistically and politcally tough for the Mayor.

CityWatch is not sure if City Attorney Carmen Trutanich is a clown or a bully or a wolf or their bully or wolf (or their clown or bully or wolf) but its really the SLAP-happy Citybeat readership AKA the AARP that eggs Nuch on to go after stupid crap like pot and billboards.  With gang crime and violence (a solemn reminder that its still out there when two men were shot a North Hollywood synagogue last week) plaguing the City its clear that these type of distractions simply must be removed from Nuch's plate.  One shot at that comes in the State Legislature actually moving towards legalizing pot.  In the meantime City resources are being expended on non-issues like mobile billboards.

Here's something you need to put on your radar.  The City Council is considering a plan by Council Member Richard Alarcon to create "banking districts" in Los Angeles.  As is usually the case, the plan has a well meaning objective - to get low-income people to use banks.  However this plan is a huge invitation to fraud, waste and abuse.  Consider five words that are part of the plan: "council district discretionary fund deposits." Uh, yea.  We say no to banking districts.  There are other less shady ways to reach this goal without giving banks corporate welfare and letting Council Members play with bank funds.

Efforts to implement instant run-off voting in Los Angeles are getting a boost from the candidates running for then open seat in  CD2.  Both Chris Essel and Paul Krekorian have endorsed the plan.

Yet another water main burst in LA, and one in Orange. Who is keeping track?

And finally remember that Mayor Sam's Sister City - the home of Los Angeles Politics - is indeed the place to get the news before it happens.  In case you might have missed it, this blog was the first to break the story that Gavin Newsom would drop out of the Governor's race.  Quickly following our post others in the mediasphere ran with it and shortly thereafter we knew it was true.  We've developed a great network of insider sources throughout Los Angeles and California without whom we could not bring you the items you read here first often (and it is because of them not me you get this info).  There is simply not enough digital ink available to express our gratitude to them but we are so grateful to them.  Like I always say, stay tuned, you'll never know what will happen here next.

Breaking News: Newsom to drop out of Governor's Race

UPDATE: The San Mateo Daily Journal reports at 3:05 PM Gavin is out:

"This is not an easy decision. But it is one made with the best intentions for my wife, my daughter, the residents of the city and county of San Francisco, and California Democrats," Newsom stated in the release.

Full Newsom statement at MS2
SACRAMENTO - (developing) We don't know if this is a Halloween prank (and if it is it's not mine cause I only do April Fools Jokes) but sources in the Capital are telling us that a handful of high profile donors to candidate for Governor Gavin Newsom say the San Francisco Mayor is going to announce this afternoon his withdrawl from the race, after failing to gain traction in the race.

Stay tuned.

PS: Don't get pissed off if this doesn't happen. It's coming from four good sources and I wouldn't put it up if I thought it wasn't possible. Things change and people lie. So if Gavin stays in, I'll have a drink. I might have one anyway.

Blog away dum dums.

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Friday

Jill Stewart of the LA Weekly asks a great question: "Is the Los Angeles City Council the stupidest political body currently active in Southern California?" And the answer is clearly yes when, as Stewart points out, with funding and staff near the level of the Obama White House, the LA City Council is facing a crumbling city yet spends it's time banning 7-11s from the hood.

The DWP is part of the City that's crumbling. Yet for now the Clowncil may have got it right for a change when they rejected a DWP water rate hike. In the meantime while some members of the Council are seeking what many community activists have long fought for, a DWP ratepayer advocate, newly re-minted DWP head David "Cowboy" Freeman is intrasigent insisting "I am the ratepayer advocate," evoking memories of Paul's TV owner declaring "I am the king!"

Remember shady Measure R? Lots of politicians were chomping at the bit to raise sales taxes in the middle of a recession to build choo-choo lines around LA. As many animals do, the electeds often eat their own and this is evident as its Zev against the Eastsiders who are attempting to divert funds the Supervisor wants for the Red Line on the Westside to the Gold Line for example serving the Foothills. If Zev doesn't get his way he's going to put another measure on the ballot to get his.

And finally looks like Gavin Newsom thinks he's Obama:

Afternoon Gavin Snack

By now you've already read the buzz about our buzz that Gavin's floundering at present (don't worry he should be able to bounce back whether you like it or not).

A few more fun items however have crossed our desk that may just cause Garry South to tug at his "hair."

First off Gavin - a big believer in social media - held an online town hall that appears to have been a real LOL.  Using online live video provider Ustream, Gavin held a session, with faux campaign rally signs in the background that attracted about 115 participants according to the LA Times.  The Old Gray Hag said the event was hindered by technical issues (obviously an embarrassment to Ustream co-founder John Ham who served as the broadcast's moderator) and Facebook refugees dropping in and out as topics covered medical marijuana and a public option for healthcare.

Next, in honor of Newsom's impending 42nd birthday, the San Francisco Weekly is sponsoring Comb Your Hair Like Gavin Newsom Day this Friday.  The Weekly describes the Newsom coif as being akin to the "straight-back Pat Riley look" but Newsom's not tight along the scalp.  Whether or not Weekly writer Joe Eskenazi turns out to be succesful in his attempt to replicate the Gavin-doo the fishwrap intends to celebrate the day "whether you like it or not!"

Late addition, Calitics also buys Garry's spin as if it were a free Starbucks vanilla bean soy latte.  As one veteran insider who gave me private props said if it weren't true "why would Garry have a cow about a crazy piece on a piss-ass blog?" Nor would respectable fishwraps and in-the-know blogs pick up on it? Dems are certainly questioning where the hell Gavin is at and looking for another entry into the race. Maybe a second chance for Mayor V?

Newsom Fail: You Heard it Here First!

Whether you like it or not!

 
When we tell you that you've heard it here first, we mean you've heard it here first.  It didn't take long for California political scribes to jump on our analysis that the campaign of Gubernatorial candidate Gavin "I'm running whether you like it or not" Newsom is dangerously close to imploding. 

The thrust of our piece Monday was that Newsom has had such major trouble collecting any real campaign jack the San Francisco Mayor had to throw a hail mary pass and roll out a way earlier than usual endorsement of a former POTUS - Bill "BJ" Clinton in an LA photo opp at a green college building earlier this week.

According to the Fishwrap by the Bay, the San Francisco Chronicle the nod from the husband of the head yenta of the Sisterjhood of the Traveling Pantsuit netted G-New the endorsement of mega-bucks Democratic donor Susie Tompkins-Buell, Hilz BFF and multi-millionaire founder of Esprit who also dropped about 30Gs on Newsom.  We won't know for a few days how much dough a Gavin fundraiser held here in town with BJC scored, and then we can only glean that from required financial filings.

Though the Chronicle couldn't choke down attributing our story to uh, well, mainly us they did include a quote from Newsom svengali Garry South who said our story was "bullshit."  That, along with Betty "Pay to Play" Pleasant telling the old, dead Republican Mayor to "kiss her ass" really made our week.

In the meantime Newsweek also picked up the story of Gavin's potential implosion with a piece that makes pretty much the same point we did.

And then to add to the fun Calbuzz, pulling a Kevin Roderickesque no-comments move, gives South the chance to rant further with the boys there buying his well-crafted spin.  To South, who in his quote made a Freudian like prediction of a Jerry Brown primary victory, we say "uh-huh."  South fantasizes Jerry tweeted Gavin's troubles directly to the Sister City, which is laughable, he'd probably be surprised at our actual source.  Memo to the Buzzards, our headline was NOT a typo; it was intentional, G-New has indeed released "The Clinton."

Its nice to know that such major fishwraps are reading Mayor Sam! Maybe Betty Pleasant will want to take lessons.

The real reason why Team Newsom unleashed the Clinton so early in it's campaign.

Background: San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and President Bill Clinton are in Los Angeles today.

As we just witnessed in the Valley with the campaign of Krekorian and Essel – money does matter. And because it was a special election after Greuel won her Controller’s race money mattered very quickly.

And it is with that thought in my mind that I venture to delve into the Governor’s race:

Team Newsom unleashed Clinton because they might just have to fold up their tent in December.

You heard it here first on Mayor Sam – according to various accounts across California, Garry South has scolded Prince Gavin into a corner and is forcing him to finally fundraise if he wants to be viable. In fact, South has made his pronouncement to many outside of Team Newsom to the point that this old dead Mayor would now hear it. Either raise $5 million by December or drop out!

Some of you dum dums might demand that I back this up with some facts, so here you go.

Fact #1:

Garry South forced Eric Jaye Newsom’s longtime friend and strategist to quit http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/matierandross/detail?entry_id=44362

Fact #2 :

Typically a major endorsement by a former President would wait until voters pay attention to ensure massive media coverage, and that media strategists would be used to get this big endorsement out.

Yet we see that it was Newsom’s fundraisers who pushed Bill Clinton and forced the campaign to use him extremely early to meet Garry South’s demand.

http://www.calbuzz.com/2009/09/newsom-clinton-how-the-endorse-deal-got-done/

Fact # 3:

Newsom is either broke, in debt or getting ready to have a fire-sale.

Since July Newsom has only raised a paltry $152,541.00 in donations over $5,000.00. In fact, since the announcement of the Clinton endorsement only one person from Los Angeles has even donated $5,000 (Jeffrey Kwatinetz) or more. That is going to make for a sad VIP area unless they open it up to smaller donors.

Now you might be claiming that perhaps Newsom gets most of his donations under the $5,000 limit and thus would not have to report those donations within the 24 hour period that these large donations require once received.

Want to see the proof? Look here.

Since the beginning of Newsom opening his account he has raised approximately $3.7 million dollars with approximately $1.3 million coming from donations larger than $5,000 but smaller than $25,900.00.

Which means Newsom on average gets nearly 36% of his money from large donors – something no political reporter has ever published. Which means if we follow the standard trend of 36% coming from large donations – since July 1st the Newsom campaign has raised…$423,725.00. Which is just a few thousand dollars short of the money pro-Essel committees spent to get her less than 5,000 votes in the Valley.

Yet from Jan 1 – June 30th of 2009 Newsom spent $1.5 million. Which is an average monthly expenditure of $215,000.00. The months of July, August and now September are done which would mean they have spent $645,000.00 a net lost of $222,000.00.

Not exactly close to the $5 million Garry South is demanding.

It appears the Newsom campaign is going to be folding up its tent really soon, whether they like it or not.

P.S. What is most depressing about all of this is that not a single fish wrap reporter has even delved into this, they just accept whatever the campaign says and call it news.

Afternoon Briefs and Outtakes before "El Grito" Festivities

"LA Times photo of "guess who" during today's City Council Public Comment session"

It is 4:15 PM and with tonight's "El Grito Celebration" getting ready to begin, 13 well-paid politicians (minus Dennis Zine) sit behind close doors in search of the collective wisdom to draft some sort of resolution to the dire financial state of affairs on Spring Street.

For Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, he has fallen back on his well-worn practice of abandoning others for the sake of political self-preservation by announcing his withdrawal of support for the "Early Retirement Agreement" crafted with the "Coalition of Unions" minus EAA. Villaraigosa has even mention that four letter word "V-E-T-O" as a threat, if the City Council goes ahead with the passage of the "Early Retirement Agreement".

For the likes of SEIU's Julie Butcher and AFSCME's Cheryl Parisi, the Mayor's act of "going back on his word" should not be met with shock or surprise. Many who have "join hands" with Villaraigosa over the span of his political and personal life will all agree that when times get tough or when something comes along that will benefit Antonio, he will act with "self-advancement" as his paramount thought, just ask Jack Weiss, Gil Cedillo, Tamar Galatzan, Martin Ludlow, Corina and his dad.

But in this saga, the bigger issue here is the financial welfare of the city. The likes of LACERS General Manager Sally Choi were the first to assert some needed truthful leadership, in butting heads with the "Coalition of Unions" with her steadfast stance that the fifteen year time period for paying back contributions to LACER, would be fiscally detrimental to the city's financial well-being.

Choi's reward for speaking the fiscal truth was having SEIU's Julie Butcher unleash a verbal tirade and release Choi's personal contact information to her "union brothers and sisters". But Choi held firm even when the City Council's budget committee overrode her recommendation of a five year repayment plan and sided with the unions on the fifteen year option.

Now the council sits behind close doors and mulls over whether to face a mayoral veto, the wrath of the unions. or maybe think of a solution that will place the taxpayers as the paramount interest?

PM UPDATE: Ron Kaye and Chelsea Cody report at "OurLA" that Council President Eric Garcetti has "(He) told members to stay on call and be available to resume the recessed session sometime between 9 p.m. Tuesday and 9 a.m. Wednesday for a vote on an early retirement package being worked out in talks among unions, the mayor's office, Council members and top bureaucrats.

PM UPDATE # 2 at 9:05 PM: Councilman Bernard Parks is currently on air with KRLA's Kevin James discussing today's developments regarding the budget. He has just stated that the pension fund is 3 to 4 billion dollars in the hole!! Further, The CAO, CLA and the Council President are working through the night with union leadership, on a solution to present to the full council by tomorrow afternoon. Parks just stated that there was never the ten votes needed to pass the refinements to the pension plan/ Early Retirement Plan as dictated by State Law.

OTHER NEWS:

** KFI's Eric Leonard reports that Department of Building and Safety General Manager Andrew Adelman has resign this afternoon. Adelman had been placed on paid leave pending the resolution of his sexual assualt case. The LA Times catches up at 6:02 PM and the LA Weekly chimes in at 6:20 PM.

** Former President Bill Clinton is endorsing San Fransisco Mayor Gavin Newsome in the 2010 race for Governor. No doubt in this blogger's mind that the former impeached President has not forgiven Attorney General Jerry Brown for introducing the Whitewater Land Deal in Arkansas into the 1992 Presidential Campaign. Will Mayor Villaraigosa join his "social friend" in supporting Newsome?

** Continuing on the subject of questionable land deals, Los Angeles Times Reporter David Zahniser provide the details of what you get when the DWP, Mayor Villaraigosa friend Ari Swiller, Deputy Mayor S. David Freeman and the City of Vernon, all go land banking in Kern County for the same piece of property to build some windmills.

Walter Moore has this salient observation on Ron Kaye's LA post regarding this story.

By Walter Moore on September 15, 2009 2:13 PM
The L.A. Times's headline is misleading.

The DWP was not "outmanuevered" at all.

Rather, the evidence indicates that all the entities are being maneuvered according to a single plan: cronies buy land at low price, then have their career politician lackeys buy the land from them at a high price, using taxpayer money.

This is the same story that happens every day downtown. It's a variant on the multi-million-dollar subsidies for the downtown developers and "anti gang" programs, and the dollar-a-year leases.

They get away with it because the local media -- with a few remarkable exceptions like David Z -- are too lazy to hammer home to oblivious voters how badly they're being ripped off.

Meanwhile, those of us stupid enough to have stayed here this long better start heading towards the exits. There is no scenario where this town pulls out of the nose-dive.

** One should note that among the performers tonight in celebrating "El Grito" at City Hall, is the band "Quetzal". You may remember them for dropping out of the "Festival Shalom" festivities in CD 14 due to the involvement of the Israeli Consulate. Plus they had some kind comments about a certain City Councilman.

** Downtown News Editor Jon Regardie has the latest from City Attorney Carmen Trutanich regarding the continuing legal standoff between the City Attorney and City Controller Office.

Trutanich provided these comments,

At Monday’s event, Trutanich addressed the matter, stating that only the City Council can settle the case, and that the opinion he offered before the election became moot once the judge issued a ruling.

However, after meeting in closed session last week with City Attorney officials, the Council did not settle the case.

The decision could be made final next month Trutanich said that the Controller’s office will conduct an audit of the city attorney’s workers’ compensation program starting Wednesday.

“But does that mean that when Wendy files a request to audit a city councilperson that they’re not going to object to it?

Absolutely not,” Trutanich stated. “If we dismissed our lawsuit we’d have Rocky II, and Rocky III, and Rocky IV. If the lawsuit stands you’re going to have Rocky II, and Rocky III and Rocky IV.

The only way to address the matter now, he said, is to put a ballot measure before the public giving the controller’s office the right to audit elected officials.

“I have already drafted it,” he said of the proposed measure, which has not yet gone to the Council. “I am going to make that available.”

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

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Thursday

What's the difference between former City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo and other termed out ex-politicians? Rocky has become a private sector whore as opposed to a long list of other out of work electeds such as Cindy Montanez, Sharon Runner, Wally Knox, Fabian Nunez, Sheila Kuehl, et al who have all been set up with cushy six figure jobs on the government dime by Mayor V or the Kennedy Republican.  And that's probably only because Rocky is so hated by everyone in politics he had no favors to cash in.  Next up: "Which Way Jack Weiss?"

Big split in Valley Latino politics as Coumcilman Richard Alarcon declares support for Jerry Brown for Governor while State Senator Alex Padilla is in the Gavin Newsom camp. With Mayor Villaraigosa out of the race Brown and Newsom are scrambling to scoop up as much Hispanic support as possible. Alarcon's support for Brown confirms what  I have said for sometime is that Brown is poised to win the Democratic primary as older Hispanic voters - who vote more reliably than younger voters - will flock to Brown remembering his association with Cesar Chavez and historic Latino civil rights battles of the 60s and 70s as well as their general comfort level with the senior and more moderate Brown over the liberal and erratic Newsom.

We recently featured writer/filmmaker Matt Olay's animated spoof on Mayor V here on the blog.  The short which has been posted to numerous local blogs as well as covered by the LA Weekly garnered a lot of chuckles.  However Jonathan Lloyd writing at KNBC's blog seems to have a big problem with it.  He also apparently disputes the Weekly's Patrick Range McDonald's excellent article that exposed how little work Mayor Villaraigosa actually does. Perhaps if the dinosaur media like KNBC actually did some journalism they might discover the utter dysfunction that is LA's reigning kleptocracy.

And finally if you want to see a gorgeous photo of Los Angeles Union Station take a ride over to View From A Loft