Berman Gathers Up Support Over Sherman

Peter Musarlian of Globalist Films covers a recent event for Congressman Howard Berman - who is locked in a weird race as of the result of re-districting and California's new open primary against fellow Democratic Congressman Brad Sherman.

There's an awful lot of Democrats in this video and one of the kings of the blowhards, Zev Yaroslavsky, but it sure seems like if you have to choose between Berman or Sherman, Berman is the way to go.

Friday Free for All: That's SO Jerry Edition

Antonio Villaraigosa came to Sacramento this week to call for the nuking of Proposition 13. Wednesday, the Mayor was dissed by Governor Brown who says he's not interested in making any changes to the holy grail of California politics.  "I will focus my attention on ensuring financial stability and making the state more efficient,"  Brown told the Associated Press.

Last year the City Clowncil voted to boycott doing business with any company based in Arizona in protest of the Grand Canyon state's successful immigration reform law. Since then, the City has failed to avoid to do business with Arizona companies.  The latest opportunity to give an economic whammy to our neighboring state exists in the form of a pending $90 million contract with Arizona based Honeywell, to upgrade computer systems at LA's sewage treatment plants. The computers are needed to replace out of date monitoring systems and help alleviate the odds of an ecological disaster. Councilman Ed Reyes plans to vote no on the contract and a losing bidder is trying to peg a second chance to the boycott being complied with.

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Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Friday

Martinez, Huizar: Photo by LA Downtown News

The LA Weekly profiles CD 14 candidate Rudy Martinez - who is scaring some of LA's power brokers - and we learn a few interesting things.  Martinez is pissing off diva incumbent Jose Huizar.  Huizar campaign manager - fresh off the Janice Hahn and Measure B victories - Mike Trujillo doesn't know Martinez is Latino.  And apparently Huizar doesn't tip waitresses.  Should be fun!

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Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Monday

Looking good baby, looking real good!

Paul Hatfield has some excellent analysis around why Prop 27 must be defeated and Prop 20 must win in order to bring some sanity to the process of creating legislative districts in California.  Entrenched shady Congressmen like Howard Berman are fighting this because they know taking redistricting out of the politician's hands is bad news for hacks like Berman.

David Berger takes a look at how it easy it is these days to create animated political ads

The Daily News talks to some folks who are perennial candidates for public office.  Yet not one mention of Phil Jennerjahn..

Speaking of Phil Jennerjahn he's figured out a route for District Attorney Steve Cooley to the post of United States Attorney General.

If you like beer, we know many of you do, and you didn't make it to Union Station by Sunday you missed out on the Second Annual Beer Festival.

On the other hand if your tastes go more towards champagne on Tuesday evening the Paley Center hosts a tribute to LA icon Lawrence Welk.  Yes a one and a two celebrating the bubbles, Myron Floren, the luv-ley Lennon Sisters and more, you can't beat that.

Blumenfield/Berman: "Beyond the Envelope"

The controversy continues for Assembly candidate Bob Blumenfield as the issue of a questionable independent expenditure committee set up by his father Michael Blumenfield and employer Congressman Howard Berman.

Linda Sutton, a writer and active supporter of Blumenfield opponent Laurette Healey said "Of course, we have to really IMAGINE that there is no coordination between the campaign and the father across the street and the employer of 18 years. This IS a stretch, but, hey, can we really IMAGINE THIS???"

"the actions of the Blumenfields go far beyond the envelope as it is usually interpreted"

The Sister City had the opportunity to speak with a veteran of several campaigns who knows a thing or two about campaign finance law. Our source told us that "the actions of the Blumenfields go far beyond the envelope as it is usually interpreted. On just about every campaign where it has been an issue, the rules on coordination have been applied to mean that you can barely even have a social conversation with anyone affiliated with an IE. If one Blumenfield said to the other something as simple as 'We aren't getting much support east of the 405', that could be a violation. And if the parents were canvassing, they certainly know where the campaign is investing time and resources."

Is the District Attorney investigating?

So When Is Coordination Not Coordination?

If you support a candidate for office in California you can raise money on their behalf and receive contributions in excess of the maximums allowed for one individual to donate directly to a candidate. You can then campaign on their behalf, print brochures, run TV commercials, make phone calls, etc. provided there is no coordination between your independent expenditure committee (IEC) and the candidate's campaign itself.

Normally IECs are formed by unions, associations or other special interests that want to elect a certain candidate. In this situations it is easy to maintain the "wall of seperation" between the IEC and the candidate.

However one controversial IEC of late is one formed by the father and employer of a candidate. Bob Blumenfield is running for the Democratic nomination for the 40th Assembly District and his father political consultant Michael and employer Congressman Howard Berman have donated over $100,000 to the younger Blumenfield's campaign and claim there is no coordination. Though many wonder how an IEC run by the father and employer of a candidate could truly be considered independent.

More alleged evidence of coordination between the IEC and the Blumenfield campaign surfaced Monday as Blumenfield's parents were reportedly walking precincts for the campaign in an area surrounding the Blumenfield campaign office. A voter in the area received a personally signed campaign brochure from Blumenfield's parents, a scan is below:

Mayor Sam Scoops The LA Times; More Charges Against Blumenfield

More of the news before it happens here on the blog. We reported last week about Fair Political Practices Charges filed against 40th Assembly District candidate Bob Blumenfield by the campaign of fellow AD40 candidate Stuart Waldman. The Waldman complaint alleges illegal laundering of campaign funds by Blumenfield's father, political consultant Michael Blumenfield and the younger Blumenfield's employer, Congressman Howard Berman. Blumenfield, Sr. and Berman are accused of funneling additional campaign funds to an independent expenditure committee (IEC) that is campaigning on the candidate's behalf. Under the law individuals can contribute larger amounts to these committees than they can to individual candidates provided there is no coordination between the independent committee and the candidate. Typically these committees are formed by unions, political groups and other special interests who favor a given candidate and want to ensure their election. It is not at all common for these committees to be formed by family members and/or employers in that it's difficult to maintain the wall of separation necessary to deflect charges of coordination.

A few days after our story the LA Times picked up on the thorny issue of the Blumenfield independent expenditure committee. The article mentions "Observers say they've rarely seen a candidate's family run a campaign outside the control of the candidate, although in 2001, five brothers and other relatives and friends financed a $10,000 radio ad campaign on behalf of Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge."

The latest twist in the AD40 saga includes yet another complaint filed with the FPPC against Blumenfield. According to the Waldman campaign, a television commercial (below) released by the elder Blumenfield's IEC that features video allegedly shot by the campaign.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday

A big day for one of the projects on our list of faultlines for the Coming City Superstorm happens Tuesday in the Los Angeles City Council Chambers. Councilman Greig Smith will seek to put an end to work by the City of Los Angeles on the environmental impact report for the controversial Las Lomas development. Smith will battle Councilman Richard Alarcon who is seeking to bring the project under the control of the City of Los Angeles despite objections from the County and the City of Santa Clarita.

Mayor V wants to raise your trash fees and he supports raising your electricity and water rates too. If you want to protest the trash tax, KFI's John and Ken are encouraging you to mail your trash to Tony Villar.

Our friend Jon Regardie at the LA Downtown News has a great piece - the Tony Villar re-election announcement press conference that wasn't. But we can dream right?

Rick Orlov is right that it won't go anywhere but a group of "progressive" Democrats held an event to issue a "no-endorsement" for Democrats Henry Waxman and Howard Berman. I guess Waxman and Berman are not liberal enough for this group. (Okay I'll stop laughing.)

And finally Mayor Villaraigosa won an award from a Filipino group and told attendees gathered "Filipinos are not invisible to me." By the way the event was held at the Autry National Center, another faultline on our list of The Coming City Superstorm.

Anatomy of a "Deal?"

Somewhere along the way to Assemblyman Lloyd "The Bachelor Wannabe" Levine endorsing his longtime Chief of Staff Stuart Waldman for his soon to be termed out seat (a seat the Waldman was and is far more qualified for than Levine could ever hope to be) insiders said a deal was made that threw the loyal Waldman under the proverbial bus.

The alleged deal goes like this. Levine, locked in a tough primary race against fellow Assemblymember Fran Pavley for a State Senate seat, needs some juice to have a shot against the popular Pavley. So, along with his mentor and daddy - political strategist Larry Levine - Lloyd goes to local king maker Congressman Howard Berman.

The tale continues. Yes indeed Howard will give his blessing to young Lloyd. But there's a price. Levine must retract his endorsement for Waldman to succeed him and transfer it to Berman's protege, Bob Blumenfeld.

Then in a move that baffled many at the time, Levine unceremoniously pulls the endorsement and fires Waldman from the job he held and excelled at for many years - several of those years with Levine's predecessor Bob Hertzberg.

Though Levine issued statements that hinted no deal was made; visit Levine's website and indeed - Berman's endorsement is prominent!

So tell us - there was no deal?

By the way - can anyone tell us why Lloyd has a legal defense fund with contributions from the likes of AT&T?