DEVELOPING: Election Day Shadiness in Los Angeles?

The Drudge Report states that election materials were not delivered on time to multiple polling places through out Los Angeles. No further details, stay tuned.

LAist reports various problems such as Ink-A-Vote readers malfuctioning, poll workers not understanding primary ballot procedures, polls opening late, etc.

If you notice any shadiness, corruption, mistakes, irregularaties, etc. post it here!

Mexican American Political Association Endorses Obama

In a stunning blow to Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton - and her surrogate in Los Angeles, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa - the Mexican American Political Association has endorsed Senator Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination for President.

On the heels of the endorsement of the Illinois Senator by labor leader Maria Elena Durazo Clinton's prospects of gaining significant support amongst California's Latinos appear to be fading.

Motivating the decision has been the campaign tactics of the Clintons in South Carolina and elsewhere that some have criticized as race baiting.

MAPA's National President Nativo Lopez issued the following statement:

“Something nasty in the national campaigns reared its head over the past two weeks, which motivated us to consider another endorsement for a presidential candidate of the Democratic Party primary elections. We have observed with utter disgust the use of racially divisive and polarizing tactics employed by the Clintons, both Hillary and Bill, against Senator Barack Obama, not the first presidential candidate of African American origin. This is something that we would have expected from Republican candidates, but instead it surfaced from the bowels of the center-right institutional currents of the Democratic Party. The tactics are absolutely deplorable and clearly demonstrate what the Clintons think of all people of color."

Lopez' full statement can be viewed here.

Losing support of both the African American and Latino communities in Los Angeles could have a chilling effect on Clinton's prospects in California. It would have a greater impact and reflect poorly on politicians in the state such as Mayor Villaraigosa, Speaker of the Assembly Fabian Nunez and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom who've been working hard on behalf of the Clintons.

Clintons Not Welcome in South Central

As President, Bill Clinton made many a stop to predominantly African American churches such as First AME. Parishoners found him to be as nearly proficient at sermonizing as the best of the preachers. Indeed, some have declared Bill Clinton to be the "first Black President."

However the welcome mat has been withdrawn as Capitol Weekly reports that the Clintons were told they could not appear before the congregation at First AME last weekend. Pastor Dr. John J. Hunter told his members that he had not allowed the visit which drew applause from several hundred in the church.

African Americans nationally are not comfortable with the tone of the attack Hillary Clinton took towards Senator Barack Obama in the South Carolina Primary and it appears that mood has expanded to Los Angeles. Representative Diane Watson, a Clinton supporter, stated that she had warned the New York Senator the South Carolina campaign could hurt her in South Central Los Angeles. "I've had people tell me they would support Hillary until the attack," Watson said. "I told her, ‘Don't take South Central for granted."

Though African Americans are a shrinking part of Los Angeles' population they still make for a significant part of the local Democratic electorate. Their support for Obama will have a chilling effect on the Clinton campaign.

Ironically, the person who originally declared Clinton "the first Black President," author Toni Morrison, has endorsed Obama.

"The Hustle" No on Measure S Commercial

Walter Moore No On Measure S Commercial

No On Measure S

Home Depot Thinks You Need ID to Stand on the Sidewalk

More of my video from trip last weekend to Sunland-Tujunga and the site of the ill fated Home Depot. Yes, its the very trip that forced the old, dead Republican Mayor to do a KERRY-ESQUE flip flop and become a Home Depot opponent. Now my libertarian soul hasn't gone the distance to believe the city should force this to happen; but I realize that it's probably the only way. Though I'll continue to try to embarrass the brain dead not deserving of the fruits of free enterprise clowns at Home Depot out of it.



This video follows a few of the sights and sounds of Sunland-Tujunga from my journey and further footage of the altercation between myself, No 2 Home Depot Chairman Joe Barrett, North Valley Reporter publisher Nina Royal and a Home Depot security guard. The guard - a sweet young woman just trying to do her job - was under the mistaken impression that citizens can not shoot film on a public sidewalk and apparently need some kind of identification to do so. The culmination of the scene is my call to Home Depot spokes-hole Kathryn Gallagher's cell phone. Kathryn didn't take my call but emailed me the next day offering an interview with a representative of Home Depot's real estate division. A little too late I think considering I've been covering the story for over a year (staunchly on the side on the side of Home Depot) and the very first time I ever hear from Home Depot is the Friday before I go to Sunland-Tujunga.

As much as it breaks my objectivist heart; I can't waste my time defending stupid capitalists.

Greig Smith: Sleep Your Way To Success or How I Screwed The Neighborhood Councils

In honor of Clowncilman's Greig Smith's big slap in the face to Neighborhood Council's Tuesday, here is a campaign video from back in the day when Gre-ig was a wannabe Clowncilman. Count how many promises he didn't keep.



Of course, maybe he was too busy sleeping.

Wake The Fuck Up

The shot was fired across the bow - this time by old, gasbag Richard Kind looking Grieg (where the hell do you get an I in Greg anyway?) Smith who decided to play hardball with the City's neighborhood councils.

That shot fired was the first in the revolution that will be called Secession II: This Time It's For Real.

Are you tired of shady developers, crooked non-profits, selfish public employee unions and politicians who suck at their teats?

Are you tired of immoral low life politicians like Antonio Villaraigosa or fellow Mirthala banger Fabian Nunez, blowhards like Zev, Dennis Zine, Rosendahl, Janice Hahn, Jan Perry or even George Bush (throwin in to be fair)? Or weasels like Garcetti or Weiss?

More importantly are you tired of being taxed to death like trash fees that really don't pay for more cops? Or does your blood boil when politicians like the Mayor bring you shady ways to increase the amount of money you have to take out of your hard earned pay checks with out and out (probably illegal) scams like the phone tax?

It's time to take a stand - secession now.

From the Valley to the South Bay to the West Side to the East Side. The Harbor, Hollywood, West LA, Los Feliz, CD14 and of course the Valley - lets be our own city and leave Downtown to the Mayor and Eli Broad to lord over.

Since the last round of secession, a lot of us "40somethings" got older, bought homes, started paying more taxes and started thinking less about partying and having fun (though those are important and in many ways our Clowncil does things to limit the partying in LA) and looking at our community.

Your spiritual leaders are 40ish hot PTA moms like Kim Thompson and Valley Doll and other no-nonsense folks on the cusp of the Baby Boom and Generation X like Walter Moore, Joseph Mailander and Zuma Dogg.

These are the people who have said enough of the nonsense. We are tired of developers being able to pay off Clowncil people to do what they want to our neighborhoods, we are tired of special intersests hijacking government and blowing money that should be spent on public safety, schools, roads and not things like calligraphy, Hollywood parades and fast food bans and most importantly we are tired of being ignored.

So all the rest of our peers - wake the fuck up. Turn off "A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila (I know. I watch it too but that's what TiVo is for), have one less latte and get out on the streets.

Its time to put this city out of it's misery. Or us.

PS: My dear friend Joseph Mailander in the past has expressed disdain for the use of vulgarities and I have the utmost respect for him. I tend to agree (though I often talk like a sailor) but sometimes only certain words can express the meaning you want). I beg his indulgence and forgiveness; he is for sure a far better man than I could ever hope to be.

First Dailies of Mayor Sam Sunland Tujunga Excursion

Here is the first episode of "Mayor Sam in Sunland Tujunga." Video shot by myself and "Video" Louis Elovitz and edited by Louis.

I believe one of the secret pirates can be seen in the footage.

Matt Dowd's Open Thread

So what's up in Venice today?

No to Home Depot

What a most triumphant time! It's a great day in Sunland-Tujunga.

As I told the folks in Sunland-Tujunga, it pains my free enterprise heart and libertarian brain to come to the conclusion that Home Depot should not open there.

Not because the Home Depot project is ultimately inappropriate, its just that I'm not a big fan of government control in the marketplace.

But much in the way someone who is drunk and disorderly has to be handled by the police, the city in this sense has to step in to deal with a corporate citizen who has refused to be "orderly" and deal with the project in a way that makes sense with the land use and the community around it. Considering how Home Depot wants to build out and operate the store, its not consistent with the lay of the land. Indeed, there's a greater business opportunity there to create destination lifestyle retail location with a fabulous view of the surrounding hills as only one amentiy.

Sunland-Tujunga is a wonderful community with a fantastic history and immense sense of place. In many ways, I'm envious my own community has not matured to this point. I was more than impressed with the graciousness of the people there.

Home Depot on the other hand has bungled the PR war every step of the way, their actions are in fact a major part of my decision. Considering how hot this issue has been on this blog for some time, and given that this blog is the digital fishwrap of record for Los Angeles politics, Home Depot was pretty stupid not to contact us months ago. Finally, we heard from their Communications Manager, Kathryn Gallagher who wasn't so much interested in having a conversation with us it seemed, but I think hoped the blog would fall to lazy fishwrap style press release journalism. Indeed, when Home Depot's private security attempted to remove myself and local publisher Nina Royal from the public sidewalk and bar us from shooting photos/video, Gallagher herself did not take my call nor return my message. Bungle, bungle, bungle.

All of this being said, lets just move on, send Home Depot back to Georgia, end the silly lawsuit and find a responsible developer willing to invest in this community. It will pay rewards.

Savvy?

Thanks to Joe Barrett, Abby Diamond, Nina Royal, Katherine Russ and crew for an amazing tour, day and experience. I certainly look forward to my next visit!

Run-In At Home Depot

We just visited the site in ST and got major harassment from the security guard for standing on the sidewalk and shooting video.

I called Kathryn Gallagher from Home Depot but got no response.

Why does HD keep shooting themselves in the foot?
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Mayor Sam LIVE in Sunland Tujunga

Check it out periodically for live coverage.

Live blog from Joe's Car

We've visited Bolton Hall, beautiful little hoods in Tujunga and a memorial for a fallen officer in horse country. Off to the San Fernando Home Depot and then the famous ST Home Depot.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Sunday Morning Mimosa

JM, Candy Aisle, 7-11, 1.10.08 / click to enlarge


Joseph Mailander a guy in la • elsewhere • email

Wordwatch: Jeremiad. It's bound to pop up this week in the fishwraps to discuss State budget predictions.

You know you have a crazy State budget on your hands when you hear more hopeful talk about it in prisons than on your local editorial pages. Consider this Sacto Bee lede:

The first is a heroin dealer, the second a drunken driver, the third a former prescription drug and methamphetamine addict.

Right now, they're doing time at Folsom State Prison. But if Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's early-release plan becomes law, the three will head home to their old neighborhoods in Stockton, Sacramento and Pollock Pines a little sooner rather than later...

Similarly, our own former fishwrap of record slanted the budget case toward Armageddon and away from exhuberence yesterday. Listen to this one: "The state's ability to protect children, renters, workers and the elderly as well as California's wildlife and its land would be impeded under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposals for closing a $14.5-billion deficit, state agency reports show."

Children, renters, workers, the elderly---at risk! But did the fishwrap include the specific name of a single one of these reports? Nah. We are supposed to take their authority from the fact that they were submitted by the agencies most affected by the prospective cuts. Agencies that collect cash from the State on behalf of serving children, renters, workers, and the elderly.

In Evan Halper's piece, "Ambition, reality at odds in gov's budget" Schwarzenegger's budget comes off as conflicted with his own previous hopes for the State.

The State's non-special budget is about half education expenditure, and predictably, here's a guy who's on the LAUSD's Construction Bond Citizen's Oversight Committee (I'll say there's some oversight going on) who's providing "talking points" for opposing any cuts to educational spending.

Meanwhile, in our own humble pueblo, Mike Feuer is clearing the way for---taxes. He wants to bring a bill to the Assembly to make it easier for cities and counties to raise taxes for roads.

And Zev, who doesn't get a vote---he wants a temporary sales tax hike, as the Daily News reported Friday.

Los Angeles City Council Agenda Item For 1/15 Includes Preparation of Lay Off Lists & Potential Financial Emergencies (Aka: City Hall Scare Tactics)

First of all you know Prop S (for "shady") really is shady, because Eric Garcetti is running around town trying to scare/threaten unions of lay-offs if they don't vote "yes" on Proposition "S" ("shady").

And now, for a hilarious comedy/propaganda scare tactic...here's something from the agenda for January 15, 2008 regarding the Katrina-like devastation the City of Los Angeles will be suffering if people do not dig deep into their pockets and vote "yes" on Prop S (for "shady"), the newly created cell phone and internet tax, that Antonio Villaraigosa is trying to mislead you into thinking is a tax reduction. Read the ballot language.

Does this look like it is a brand new tax that will be added to your bill; or something that you are currently being billed for that will go down if you vote yes?

"Proposition S updates, modernizes and reduces the current telephone tax in Los Angeles. " -Shady Ass Mayor and Clinton Campaign Co-Chair Antonio Villaraigosa (Hey Antonio...go canvas the City for absentee ballots. Make sure you don't fill them all out in the same handwriting.)

Meanwhile, here's some scare tactics coming to a council chamber near you. Make sure you show up at City Hall on Tuesday January 15th and sing a verse of "Prop S Punk" and tell those shady coffer drainers what you think about Proposition "S" (for "shady").

ITEM NO. (7)

07-4036

BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT relative to preparation of a fiscal contingency plan.

Recommendations for Council action, as initiated by Motion (Parks - Greuel - Garcetti):

1. INSTRUCT the City Administrative Officer (CAO) and the Chief Legislative Analyst (CLA) to:

a. Commence preparation of a fiscal contingency plan, as a potential response to drastic reductions in City revenues that could hit the City in the near future. The plan should be submitted for consideration in conjunction with the Mid-Year report to be released in early January 2008. The plan should include detailed recommendations for extraordinary budgetary controls to be implemented March 1, 2008, that will maintain key City services while balancing the City Budget and restoring the Reserve Fund to prudent levels.

b. Work together to develop, as part of the City’s Financial Policies, clear and concise re-opener language for all Memorandums of Understanding addressing potential economic downturn/financial uncertainties and/or declared financial emergencies.

2. INSTRUCT the Personnel Department to immediately commence preparation of potential lay off lists for implementation, as necessary.

(If The City of Los Angeles were a stock, looks like you should sell! And if you are thinking of investing in the City...looks like you should be thinking a lot more than twice. It's the Countrywide of U.S. Cities, y'all!)

SUMMARY: I hope George W. Bush is reading this. Los Angeles Mayor and Hillary Clinton Campaign Co-Chair Antonio Viagraosa has declared a financial emergency for the City of Los Angeles and Bush should be ready to help bail the City out and maybe have one of those Live Aid style Saturday International fund raisers where all those super-groups reunite for charity.

Or maybe Eli Broad can stop donating to museums 10 million dollars at a time and help out where it's needed.

How about having Antonio have The Bill Clinton Foundation kick in and help save Los Angeles. Now there is a worthy cause! Remember VillarClintons...you can't take over the budget of a school system, if there is no City?

Maybe if Antonio wasn't always flying to Asia, or New Hampshire, or Iowa, or Florida, or trying to take over the state school districts, or always running from photo op to photo op -- we wouldn't be in this mess.

But the real problem is that his whole administration has been one big con job. Why should he start being ethical now? (Someone from the mayor's team assured me last year that AB 1381 was fully constitutional and would be upheld by judges...it wasn't and it wasn't.)

Zuma's Prop "S" (for "shady") Mayor Sam Thread f/Walter Moore
Zuma Dogg - "Prop S Punk" Music Video

SUNDAY UPDATE: Daily News piece on Prop S (for "SUCKERS")

Disclosure: LACITY (short)

Jan Perry's Dumb Idea Gets Even Dumber

Councilwoman Jan Perry thinks that people who live in South Central are too fat and the reason is because there are too many fast food restaurants and not enough sit down restaurants.

Of course any of us with a brain - particularly those of use who have fought the battle of the bulge - know it comes down to making appropriate food choices.

Jan Perry's magic bullet of more sit down restaurants however could actually be off target. A report in Men's Health finds that sit-down restaurants could be unhealthier than fast food!

Sit-down chain restaurants don't want you to know that their food is actually considerably worse for you than the often-maligened fast-food fare. In fact, our menu analysis of 24 national chains revealed that the average entree at a sit-down restaurant contains 867 calories, compared with 522 calories in the average fast-food entree. And that's before appetizers, sides, or desserts --selections that can easily double your total calorie intake

Did You See LA'S Biggest Embarassment, Antonio Villarigosa Introduce Hillary Clinton in Commerce, California

Did you see LA City Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa introduce Hillary Clinton in California on Friday? They have been airing it on C-Span.

Antonio mentioned that he was in Iowa three times -- and spent five days in New Hampshire. No wonder he had to declare a financial emergency for Los Angeles: He's flying all over the country doing everything under the sun, except his job as mayor. (Then when he gets back into town, he has to run the school district.)

The nerve of this guy to brag that as mayor, he flew to New Hampshire for five days. (How is THAT in the best interest of the City? I say they should count against his vacation days!)

Anyway, if you want to bankrupt the country, by spending all your money on "helping" people, vote for Clinton. I though government's job was to fix the roads and provide basic services. Not run everyone's lives for them.

Clinton announced she wants a 90 day moratorium on foreclosures to give people time to figure out what to do since they were victims of predatory lending. So she wants them to simply keep paying whatever they can currently afford (the current interest rate they are locked in at, without paying the new higher rate).

She called for Congress to pass an economic stimulus package that could cost as much as $110 billion to help low-income families keep their homes, to subsidize heating costs this winter and perhaps refund some taxes.

Well, that's very nice Hillary, but what do you tell the people who were responsible and didn't over-extend themselves and didn't buy more than they could afford. Now the people who made the irresponsible and fraudulent decision to by more home than they could afford, will be paying less, for a nicer home than people who stuck to the rules.

I agree, that if I ran a bank, I might not raise people's rates, and take in something, rather than nothing in this housing market...but that should be up to the bank who made the loan to decide for themselves.

Plus, she wants to spend $70 billion to hand out to low income people who are victim of circumstance. (Because they are not as successful as Eli Broad or AKG -- and it's not their fault!)

And remember, when she says, "all people in America..." -- she means, "all", as in anyone and everyone...no questions asked. (You don't even hear the VillarClinton team say, "all Americans". NOW, it's "all people in America." (And there IS a difference!)

One thing seems clear: Clinton and Villar are two peas in a pod. He should take her out to dinner at one of the illegal hot dog carts on the street, then buy her a counterfeit purse, watch or some other gift from an illegal sidewalk vendor.

"This economy may be working for some people, but it sure isn't working for everybody," said Clinton, to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers with union members.

She mentioned something about out of work construction workers who can't pay their health care: HOW DARE SHE SAY USE THIS EXAMPLE, WHEN HER OWN CAMPAIGN CO-CHAIR (Villariagrosa) ALLOWS ANY NON-DOCUMENTED, NON-CITIZEN TO WORK ON THESE CONSTRUCTION SITES. (Yes Hillary, if you replace employed citizens with non-citizens, the citizens will be unemployed and won't be able to afford health care. Especially when you keep adding new trash, bulky item and other fees and new taxes -- LIKE PROPOSITION S .

THEN, you want to spend $70 billion and $110 billion to fix the problem. WOW, I thought I was listening to a Janice Hahn speech!

Meanwhile, it was Hillary's best delivered speech that I have seen so far. It was the best I have ever seen her do. Even if I don't feel she means a word she says and is a complete phony. I get reaaaaaal nervous when I see Hillary, Nunez and Villaraigosa standing together in cahoots.

IF ANYONE FROM BARACK OBAMA'S CAMPAIGN IS READING THIS...START MAKING SURE ANTONIO & NUNEZ DON'T CANVAS ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND COLLECT UP ALL THE ABSENTEE BALLOTS...BEWARE THOSE HOUSE PARTIES...AND WATCH WHEN A BUS CARAVAN PULLS UP TO THE POLL. (You know you can close a gap, real quick that way since they don't check IDs and the people who work the polls like to keep their backs turned.) VOTER FRAUD...It IS an issue in Los Angeles, Barack...WATCH IT. I say you are gonna get creamed in Nunez/Villar's district if you don't watch the polls the way college students watched the polls in Venezuela and prevented Chavez from pulling his usual tricks.

OH NO...Hillary just said, "I'm glad Mayor Viagraosa is here, because L.A. is known as one of the cleanest, greenest cities." REALLY? Is that big yellowish-gray cloud hanging over the city a special eco-cloud. (I thought it was smog.) But remember VillarClinton, keep repeating something over and over, and they'll believe it!

[Note from ZD: I know some of the stuff I'm saying may surprise some folks. I really do see both sides. Compassion vs Free Market. (And sometimes you have to "fudge" things to make the system work in reality. But I just don't trust the VillarClinton team on this one. Like putting a nursery school class in charge of the candy store...or in this case, bank vault.)

Neighborhood Councils rally behind LAPD

In order to raise community opposition to the Financial Disclosure Order, David Hernandez first addressed the Congress of Neighborhood Councils requesting they take the issue back to their Neighborhood Councils for discussion and a vote.

On January 9th, Hernandez addressed the Mid-Town North Hollywood Neighborhood Council. He presented the Motion authored by Council members Jack Weiss and Janice Hahn. The motion which called for the City Council to asset jurisdiction over the action taken by the Board of Police Commissioners relative to the proposed Financial Disclosure program and Special Order. The Council voted to support Weiss’s motion and is preparing a letter to be present to the City Council.

The issue was presented to the North Hollywood North East Neighborhood on January 10th. After much discussion, the Council voted to support Council member Weiss’s motion. A letter of Support is also being drafted.

With the Motion going in front of the City Council on January 15th, Hernandez is reaching out to other groups for support of the motion.

Over the protests of Los Angeles Police Officers, The Los Angeles Police Protective League and residents of Los Angeles, the Police Commission voted to approve the Financial Disclosure Order.;

The Order would have required officers in the Gang and Narcotics Units of LAPD to under go stringent investigations into their finances, debts and business dealings. In addition it would require Spouses to submit to the investigation and any and all business relations as well.

The response from the Protective League was a stern caution, that this action would prompt officers in the Gang and Narcotic Units to transfer out of the details.

Hernandez as well as representative from other organizations will be in Council Chambers on January 15th to address the Council on the Motion.