HOT Brief on the "Broken Deal Cedillo Political Machine" for Monday

The Cracks in the Political Foundation of now CD 1 City Councilman Gil Cedillo;s Community Coalition, continue to widen as 2013 CD 1 Third Place Candidate (and Cedillo's Runoff Supporter) Jesse Rojas, pulls 2017 Campaign Papers to challenge the Second Term-seeking Officeholder. 

One Bill Gil's recent proclivities for reneging on promises has earned him the new moniker "Broken Deal Cedillo".

Highland Park Business Owner Jesse Rojas endorsing Cedillo during 2013 CD 1 Runoff.

** Blogger's Note: In an ideal Political World, the challenge to a City Council Incumbent, especially when the Officeholder is the renowned/infamous Gil "One Bill" Cedillo, would be Front Page-garnering Breaking News.

But in a 21st Century "Ciudad de Los Angeles", the Act of Pulling 2017 Campaign Papers by now Councilman Cedillo former supporter Jesse Rojas, becomes a "bloggin HOT Monday Topic in chronicling a growing CD 1 Backlash against the career politico, now known as "Broken Deal Cedillo".

We bloggin rewind to a "2013 Better Yesterday", when a diverse community coalition help the then nationally-recognized "One Bill (Driver Licenses for Illegals) Gil" narrowly defeat challenger, former CD 1 City Councilman Ed Reyes Chief of Staff Jose Gardea by a triple-digit margin.

A key endorsement in the Cedillo Victory over Gardea, was provided by Third Place Candidate Jesse Rojas, who's block of support surely played an important part in Cedillo succeeding the much-disliked Reyes.

Yet, three years-removed from endorsing the current Officeholder, Rojas pending challenge is another example of a growing backlash by former 2013 supporters from all neighborhoods within CD 1.

Rojas joins Pico Union Neighborhood Council Activist Miguel Amaya in a growing list of "Grass Roots Davids" seeking to unseat the Union-back Political Goliath .........., and the speculation is rampant on who else may join in.

Flying Pigeon Bicycle Shop Owner Josef Bray-Ali, who has been a front person espousing opposition to Councilman Cedillo's Figueroa Transit Plan and Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council President Monica Alcarez, a vocal critic of Cedillo (and BIG supporter of CD 14 Councilman Huizar) are other prominent names mentioned as potential 2017 Candidates.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14 

A "David (Highland Park Community) vs Goliath (McCormick, Barron and Salazar Developer)" Court Victory

** Blogger's Note: Former Mayor Sam Blogger Solomon "Antonio Watch" Wolfson (who we hope is well), wrote the following below in 2008, about the proposed "Highland Park Transit Village". 

A few miles down the Arroyo, the Highland Park Transit Village is coming. A four story, multi-block, all-but-certainty, residents are told. Minor details yet to be worked out include: a) what it will look like, b) whether or not it will include retail, and c) whether or not it will supplant all existing public parking spacesand provide adequate parking for the new residential units. Oh—and, what will become of the “market-priced” units when the market fails to deliver. One thing is certain: 75% “affordable” means developers Kevin McCormack, Richard Baron, and Tony Salazar will sleep soundly—far from Avenue 56 and Figueroa.

In late 2015, despite the efforts of current CD 1 City Councilman Gil "Broken Deal Cedillo", his predecessor Ed "Density" Reyes, along with the then local Southwest Society Insiders Cabal, featuring the likes of Carol Jacquez, Pat Griffin and Jenny Krusoe, the community altering (adversely according to some) trio of McCormack, Barron and Salazar, will be mulling the legal costs (both past and future), as they ponder their "Goliath Legal Beatdown" by the "David-like Friends of Highland Park".   

The connected Developer, which is synonymous for the Density Housing, espoused by the likes of former CD 1 City Councilman Ed Reyes and CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar, will likely join with the City of Los Angeles, in appealing the decision, that would force them to restart the approval process (which includes a new EIR). 

In lieu of a potential appeal to the California Supreme Court, the victorious "Friends of Highland Park" and its Legal Counsel Dean Walraff, will host a 2 P.M. Press Conference today (view Press Release below), which include details on the court decision's impact on the Highland Park Community and city wide-----Scott Johnson.   

Page 1 of Friends of Highland Park Press Release.

Page 2 of Friends of Highland Park Press Release.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Monday

Rick Orlov reports that most see a run-off in the race for City Attorney with perceived front runner under well funded challenges from both Carment Trutanich and Michael Amerian. Many within the Weiss camp are nervous that the 5th District Councilman may not even make the number two spot with reports that Trutanich and Amerian are both performing quite well.

KABC's Doug McIntyre hosts the "Pitch Fork and Torches Tour" pre-election rally Monday evening at the Four Points Sheraton at LAX. All of the insurgent candidates promise to be there as well as other surprise speakers. For more information click here.

Neighborhood Council members David Bell and Robert Blue ask a good question: "Where was the Times this election?" Good question. We're waiting for an answer.

Does Walter Moore see candidate Phil Jennerjahn as a threat to his campaign? If he doesn't, there's no reason for Moore to slam Jennerjahn for having dropped out of law school, as he did at a recent USC forum. Say what you want about Phil's experience, but even those who are not supporting Jennerjahn sense his sincerity is far greater than anything Moore could ever muster.

Politicians are catching the radar of paparazzi and tabloid television. Especially so for Gavin Newsom whose actress-wife appears in a new film in a threesome. The San Francisco Gate chronicles how Zuma Dogg caught Newsom and his political consultant Gary South recently in Malibu in some pre-election activities.

The LA Times has begun to finally catch on to how the internet is transforming political races. Political consultant Steve Afriat tells the fishwrap however that even with a strong internet presence candidates must still have a message or "the Internet just becomes the lipstick on the pig." This is true as we saw with CD1 candidate Jesse Rosas' website.

Residents on skid row who watch over the air television broadcasts may be out of luck when television goes digital in June. A quirk in Federal law prohibits the FCC from sending the coupons to residents of SRO hotels, group homes or non-profit housing. Most Skid Row denizens don't have the money to purchase the converter boxes themselves nor to get cable.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Sunday

Retired DWP employee Leon Furgatch is the latest to join the chorus of voices against the controversial Measure B on Tuesday's ballot.  Writing in a Daily News Op-Ed piece, Furgatch says that B "violates every tenet of good utility management and municipal fiscal responsibility," and that the scheme "affects an existing DWP green power program, including a project already in the works to do the same rooftop job called for by Prop. B."

Need a reason to vote for anyone but Jack Weiss for City Attorney? Here are least four.  It appears the message is getting out. Our tipsters are telling us that Jack is at about 31% in the polls and may not even make the runoff.

Joe B. has been doing great work posting up the excerpts from last Sunday's Great Debate. Check them out before you vote!

If you want to pick up some of those famous Walter Moore lawn signs before they're all gone this is your last chance.  Moore will have them available at his campaign office Sunday afternoon, first come, first served!



Another blogger takes City Controller candidate Wendy Greuel to task for her controversial television commercials. This time its not calling her out for criticizing programs she voted for but a grammar blog that critiques Greuel's mis-use of nouns.
Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Granada Hills needs to expand to continue to provide services to the community but the controversial project has been caught in the crossfire of local NIMBYS and unions upset that the hospital's nurses voted not to join.  So Councilman Richard Alarcon and other Council Members are holding up the project's EIR, effectively stalling it. Hospital officials are fighting back, telling patients that the delay in services is due to Alarcon's blocking of the project.  Even Alarcon's own family members heard the pitch during a recent emergency room visit.