Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Monday

Members of Team Villar are farmed out to save the third term incarnation of the Mayor Villar Political Machine, Mayoral Candidate Wendy "The Villar Greuel"

The Villar Greuel's "Left and Rights Turns" have discombobulated her campaign message. 

Will Janell Erickson be able to right the floundering, pandering campaign vessel of the Villar Greuel?

Former Mayor Villar's Chief of Staff Jeff Carr "favorite duo" of Janelle Erickson and Matt Szabo.

Hola and great Cesar Chavez Day to all as Spring Break begins for hundred of thousands of LAUSD charges, with shuttered city facilities, in honor of the great anti Illegal Alien Activist.

You have to admire the adaptability of the Third Floor Duo of Mayor Antonio Villar’s Deputy Mayors Janelle Erickson and Matt Szabo. Szabo who recently return home to unpack his carpetbag after his fail attempt to replace Mayoral Candidate Eric Garcetti on the City Council, is back to work for his endorsing boss, according to Daily News Rick Orlov’s latest Monday “Tipoff Column”.

As Szabo returns, his partner in “mayoral office power games” (think the ouster of Former Chief of Staff Jeff Carr) Janelle Erickson, has been farmed out to save the imploding Wendy “The Villar Greuel” Campaign. Erickson will assume the duties of Campaign Manager, which would be second nature to her, having done the same for the “Villar Greuel’s” past city council campaigns.

Numerous discerning political observers (Parke, the Calitics Blog)  are openly questioning the rationality of these latest campaign team changes and skeptical of the Election Day outcome for the “Villar Greuel Campaign“.

** The tabulation of outstanding Provisional and Absentee Ballots from the March 7 Elections, will take place tomorrow at the City Clerk’s Piper Tech Office. The final tally could determine whether CD 1 City Council Candidate Gil Cedillo wins outright and avoids a runoff with current City Council Ed Reyes Chief of Staff Jose “Mini Density” Gardea. The final results could also push CD 7 City Council Candidate Felipe “Mini Padilla” Fuentes into a May runoff with Nicole Clark.

** While “Mini Padilla” Fuentes awaits his quest to become the next CD 7 City Councilman (then in short order, “City Council President Mini Padilla II”), he is not lacking for income as new Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra, has found ample public duties for the former assemblyman, to justify a $8,500 a month pay check (pardon the “bullsh.. cough“).

** A great turnout took place for the Eagle Rock dedication of the Art Snyder Community Room. County Supervisor Mike Antonivich, City Councilwoman Jan Perry, Former City Councilmans Richard Alatorre and Mike Hernandez were in attendance. But notably absence was current CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar.

Lastly, we bring you this episode of State Parole Agent minus brain cells, who brings his new “AK 47 toy” to assigned CD 9 job site, which contains hundred of violent parolees. From the Pacovilla Corrections Blog.

los angeles sleuth says:March 25, 2013 at 02:23Information received by more than 20 individuals, parole agents and parole supervisors from several different assigned locations. PA 3 did take his new purchased toy ( assault weapon ) unclear if weapon was loaded or not to the previously referred to South Central Parole Complex. He was observed showing off his new toy to fellow co-workers by a parole administrator who then called Region 3 Headquarters and reported the incident. Many are saying that this PA 3 received an LOI less than 3 months after the initial date of the incident. Many unanswered questions. DOM written policies were violated. Unanswered questions. Did anyone notify CHP, after all the location of the incident was in a State Office ? This PA 3 placed the lives and welfare of his co-workers , clerical staff and others in harms way. He should have been re-assigned until a formal and complete investigation was completed. Formal letters to be sent out next week to many to and include state elected officials, State AG’s office , news media, LA. DA office, and others informing them of this latest incident and cover up by the Queen of parole MF and others. I have been told of yet another attempted cover up by parole administrators in Region 4 where a Parole Supervisor lost his cool and some type of altercation took place with a parole agent. I have been told that this incident took place in the Pomona-Ontario Parole Complex. Both parties involved has been transferred to other parole locations. I was also told this is why the current head of Region 4 made the decision to retire now than later. ( soon to retire.)

Lastly, we will have later posts on the growing list of "Waste, Frauds, and Abusers for the Villar Greuel".

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Matt Szabo has lead in CD 13 Election Poll

Mayor Villar staffer/confidant Matt Szabo has lead in early CD 13 Poll

CD 13 City Council Candidate Matt Szabo.

Could Matt Szabo next office number be a lucky "13"?

According to this poll, that may come to fruition.

MEMORANDUM

January 18, 2013

TO: INTERESTED PARTIES

FROM: PAUL GOODWIN
Goodwin Simon Strategic Research

RE: Key Findings – Voter Survey in LA Council District 13 

---

A telephone survey of 301 likely March, 2013 voters just completed by Goodwin Simon Strategic Research finds Deputy Mayor Matt Szabo already in the lead for the open seat in L.A.’s 13th Council District.

An initial vote question, giving voters only the names and official ballot titles of five of the leading candidates, yields the following:

So Szabo starts ahead based on his name and his title of Deputy Mayor. But the survey suggests that this initial edge is only the first of Szabo’s several advantages in this race.

Second, we see that Mayor Villaraigosa, who has endorsed Szabo in this race, is very popular – with a 69% favorable rating overall and 79% favorable among voters undecided in the council race.

Third, we find Szabo has a wide lead over Choi and O’Farrell after we read voters positive paragraphs about the candidates. We told them about Choi’s excellent record delivering quality services to millions of residents and his labor background. We told them about O’Farrell’s close ties to this district as senior advisor to Councilman Garcetti. And we told them about Szabo’s experience working with and for Mayors Riordan and Villaragosa and the City Attorney. The result: a 12 point lead over O’Farrell and a 15 point lead over Choi, as shown on the next page.

We don’t pretend that such “informed” vote questions are totally neutral, but we do try to give the best themes from each candidate, drawn from their own campaign materials, to see where voters go initially -- before turning on the positives for our candidate as we move farther into the poll. That Szabo takes such a substantial lead in a question like this suggests not only that his background is very appealing to voters, but that they were just not that interested in what Choi and O’Farrell are telling voters about themselves so far.

Fourth, the range of positives that Szabo brings to the campaign is broad and so impressive that our main challenge in the polling analysis is to narrow it down to a handful of the most effective and persuasive items. In a district in which the right track numbers are the highest we have seen so far in the city (compared to the other districts where we are polling), and in which 80% of the voters think the Council is doing at least a fair job, we can feel confident that voters are looking for experience and accomplishments. Szabo fits their bill perfectly.

Szabo is very likely to finish first in March, and that this will leave him secure for the May runoff.

Methodology

The telephone survey, using both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking interviewers and both land line and wireless numbers, was conducted with 301 likely March voters between January 13 and January 15, 2013. It yielded a margin of error of about plus or minus 5.8% at a 95% confidence level.

Your thoughts ................
Scott Johnson in CD 14

Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Thursday

The Villar Greuel gets whacked at Sherman Oaks Mayoral Forum while receiving the Endorsement of LAPD's PPL Union.

What did the PPL Endorsement along with IBEW's Boss D'Arcy, do for the political aspirations of the Villar Greuel's friend Chris Essel?

Coming soon to a LA mayoral campaign candidate forum near you, “The Villar Greuel Pinata”.

Judging from last night’s Sherman Oaks Mayoral Forum, the trio of Jan Perry, Eric Garcetti and Kevin James (excluding Villar Greuel’s running mate Emanuel Pleitez), will in the weeks ahead, used their verbal pinata sticks to whack at the multiple political fallacies of the former republican, turned opportunistcrat, now the anointed successor to the Mayor Villar Political Machine.

But as most political observers will agree, it will take multiple whacks at the Villar Greuel Pinata before it falls apart, the endorsement of LAPD’s rank and file PPL Union will help protect the interest of the Villar Greuel in the short term, but recent political history shows that PPL’s endorsement of the Villar Greuel’s friend Chris Essel, along with IBEW, amounted to a major then Assemblyman Paul Krekorian victory.

Another dire indicator for the Villar Greuel Campaign, is an ABC 7 Poll that shows Kevin James as the only upwards trending mayoral candidate, gaining ground on the second place Villar Greuel. We can expect the Villar Greuel to become more pronounce in her strident attacks on James in an attempt to ward off his growing momentum in the days ahead, but that will run counter to more reports on “Calendergate“, as noted with today‘s Daily News story.

** The Los Angeles Dragnet Blog continues its follow-along coverage of our Mayor Sam Exclusive into questionable donations by official and associates of Bet Tzedek, to the City Attorney Campaign of its former Executive Director Assemblyman Mike Feuer. The Feuer Campaign finally commented on the record to the Metropolitan Press-Enterprise, while attacking the Greg Smith Campaign for having the temerity to broach the subject at Monday‘s night City Attorney Candidate Forum at Temple Israel in Hollywood.

“The donations identified in the blog are lawful.  Although not addressed in the blog, one contribution was made in error and returned.  Anyone who tries to score cheap political points at the expense of the poor, the elderly, Holocaust survivors and disabled people who are Bet Tzedek’s clients should be ashamed.”

** The same ABC 7 poll reference above in our mayoral coverage, also showed current City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, holding a lead over Feuer, Smith and fourth candidate Noel Weiss-Hahn.

In the election for city attorney of Los Angeles, the poll finds incumbent Carmen Trutanich edging Assemblyman Mike Feuer, 27 percent to 21 percent.Greg Smith trails in third with 14 percent and Noel Weiss takes 10 percent.

** As longtime Mayor Villar staffer and now CD 13 City Council Candidate Matt Szabo, garners the endorsement (of political death?) of his boss, voters in CD 13 would be wise to read the comments of Robert Guevara at the bottom on the linked report.

Your thoughts …………..
Scott Johnson in CD 14

Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Thursday

Future CD 15 and CD 13 City Council Colleagues Joe Buscaino and Matt Szabo?

Its time for Mayor Antonio Villar's loyal Deputy Mattie Szabo to cut his piece of the political pie.

Rewinding to the night of the Joe "The Average Joe" Buscaino Victory Party in San Pedro, many City Hall power brokers made the journey down the 110 Freeway to bask in the moment of political freshness that was the Buscaino victory over Mayor Antonio Villar's chosen candidate Assemblyman Warren Furutani. Narcissists most insiders/power brokers are, many felt the need (or had a higher purpose) to "intergrate me" into this historic political moment.

One of those was Deputy Mayor now CD 13 City Council Candidate Mattie Szabo who spent the evening working the room late into the festivities. It would seem that Szabo was looking ahead beyond to July 1, 2013 when he hopes that his next gig in Los Angeles Politics will come with a seat within the Horseshoe.

As most astute observers will note, Szabo's positive relationship with the Coalition of Unions, plus his ability create "Pay Pal Accounts", should make him a top tier candidate to replace Councilman Eric Garcetti.
** We had a noontime dedication to Mattie from "Mini Amin Wesson and the City Clowncil Dancers"

Mattie, hope you join us soon!

 
  ANOTHER SOULVINE THURSDAY

South LA Wave Newspaper Columnist Betty Pleasant

In this weeks incarnation of the Soulvine, Betty interjects herself into the national controversy over the health issues of Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.

AND FINALLY — Come on now; let’s have it — what’s wrong with Jesse Jackson Jr.? The man is a member of Congress and holds a precious Democratic seat and he cannot be allowed to be off in a medical facility somewhere being treated for some condition that nobody wants to talk about. This is ridiculous. The man was elected by the people; he is public property and nothing about him is private. His Chicago constituents and The Soulvine need to know what is wrong with Jesse Jackson Jr. Is he in rehab? Is he in an insane asylum? Does he have AIDS? Is he well enough to be re-elected in November? Heck, we need to know, because all this mystery around him can cause us to lose a valuable Democratic seat in the House of Representatives. It’s too bad he didn’t pull this stunt during the primary election when the voters could have chosen another Democrat to face the Republican. But no-o-o he’s doing it now.

Don't expect Betty to get offer any of the Jackson's Budweiser business anytime soon.

** Lee Baca is calling upon his political friends and county political office holders to return their stinking badges to him pronto.

** City of Los Angeles Chief Budget Guy Miguel Santana reassures angelinos that LA will not become the "Stockton/Mammoth Lakes/San Bernardino" of Los Angeles County. Would Richard Riordan care to comment?

** KCBS/KCAL Investigated Reporter David Goldstein once again has dire news about another top City of Los Angeles official. Wonder what the response from Mayor Villar will be this time?

Your thoughts ..............
Scott Johnson in CD 14

Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Thursday

Newly elected CD 15 City Councilman Joe Buscaino and potential CD 13 City Council Candidate and current Deputy Mayor Matt Szabo.

** Mid-Day Update: Szabo talks up CD 13 potential run with LA Times David Zahniser.

Hola and great Thursday morning from Cuidad de Los Angeles, where we chance upon those searching for "greener councilmatic pastures" when a certain "Failure Mayor" leaves hundreds of their fellow staffers  unemployed in 2013. One of the more high profile job seekers in 2013 would be former blogger turned Deputy Mayor Matt Szabo. Somehow, someway Szabo has survived two terms within Team Villar while others such as former Chief of Staff Jeff Carr peel away the tire tread from being thrown under the bus (by Matt). But facing a loss of pay and long term linkage to a "Failure Mayor", it seems that Szabo went "rouge" and is serious about becoming "City Councilman Matt Szabo of CD 13 in 2013". Maybe thats why he was so readily amenable to have his photo taken with the "Average Joe Buscaino" at his victory celebration on Tuesday evening. One can envision some "Pay Pal love for the Average Szabo for CD 13" in the near future.

Assemblyman Mike Gatto at CD 15 City Councilman Joe Buscaino's Victory Party.

Lucky for this blogger that Assemblyman Mike Gatto did not go the "Cease and Desist Route" on taking his photo Tuesday evening in San Pedro. But for some lobbyists in Sacramento, they may cease from riding with Gatto via limo, to any future San Francisco Giant games because the Silver Lake native pulled a "So Cal" and  lefted the game early in the limo, leaving the lobbyists to find their way back to Sacramento.

We under stand that CD 2/7 City Councilman Richard "Zorro Marxist" Alarcon and wife spent some time in a courtroom Wednesday as the trail over his supposed false residency crawls onwards. But as AlarCON seeks to rejoin the State Assembly, this blogger was told sometime back that Michael "MEAT" Trujillo would be managing his campaign.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14   

Occupy LA videos of City Liason Meeting with Deputy Mayor Matt Szabo 11-23-11

Blogger notes: Occupy LA has uploaded to Youtube videos of their 11-23-11 Meeting with Deputy Mayor Matt Szabo. Szabo stated to the group that the "park space" around City Hall would be close next week, forcing Occupy LA to relocate. Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council Member and Occupy LA "Red Rabble Organizer" Mario Brito responded that Szabo's statement were "tantamount to a declaration of war on Occupy LA". Highlighting the collusion between Occupy LA and SEIU,  Brito relayed a message from Mike Garcia of SEIU stating that any actions against Occupy LA would meet with "major street actions by SEIU". We should note that Matt Szabo does a good job of playing "good cop" with supposed empathy for the cause of Occupy LA. But come a week from today, his verbiage will be remember as double talk with restoration efforts getting underway around City Hall---Scott Johnson in CD 14. 

Part One with most of the action.

Part Two with follow up comments.

Part Three, the rambling ends.

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

"Chief of Staff for Mayoral Fence Building" Jeff Carr? ** Plus, tales of Third Floor Infighting

Job Discription: Chief of Staff to oversee wall construction at Getty House

File this under creative job creation (or hush money) via Mayor Antonio Villar. Los Angeles Times City Hall Scribe David Zahniser uncovers the latest recipient of Mayor Villar's expensive "golden parachute" for those who's services are no longer needed or a political liability. 

Former Mayor Villar's Chief of Staff and "General Secretary of Gang Intervention" Jeff Carr is still getting full pay some months after getting shone the Third Floor door. Carr who wanted the General Manager position at Recreation and Park, instead was retain at his same level of pay to oversee the moat, whoops security wall construction at Getty House. In addition, Carr was to advise the city on 21st Century innovations for its golf courses but as Rec. and Parks GM Jon Kirk Mukri noted in the Times, he was unclear on how much time Carr had devoted to the golf course issue since announcing he was stepping aside. Over the past four months, Carr asked three times about the completion of a consulting report on the topic. "I only received two emails and a phone call," Mukri said.

"The Ant-Jeff Carr Fan Club Janelle Erickson and Matt Szabo".

Jeff Carr, who had a reputation as a bully, was forced out after Erickson and Szabo went to Mayor Villar. As reported in the Times, Erickson, with the mayor's blessing, met personally with Carr on July 1 to tell him that it was time to go, said four people familiar with the situation, all of whom sought anonymity either because they were not authorized to speak or feared retaliation. That meeting was also attended by one of the mayor's lawyers.

After Erickson left, those sources said, Carr began calling Villaraigosa to demand a one-on-one meeting. The mayor could not immediately provide one because he was at the Aspen Institute's Ideas Festival in Colorado. Villar out of town and away from reality as usual ...........

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

Scott Johnson in CD 14

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Thursday

Los Angeles's public libraries serve tens of thousands of school children every day yet they are under attack from the City's Mayor.  Patrick Range McDonald, writing in the LA Weekly, reports that the City has decimated the libraries through draconian budget and service cuts.  While the economy has hampered public budgets all over the country, of major cities, only LA's elected leaders have not fought to save the venerable institutions.  McDonald notes that Mayor Villaraigosa, like Mayor Bloomberg of New York, chose to cut to the bone in the library's budget.  Unlike New York however LA's City Council rolled over and allowed the Mayor to strike a blow against literacy.

There's more...

Read more »

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Wednesday

Poor Matt Szabo! The Deputy Mayor and former Mayoral spokeshole has been doing the bidding of the Mayor for a very long time. In fact we've been told that Szabo doesn't break wind without first checking with the Mayor and then getting an all clear from Mike Trujillo.  But we digress.  We've been worried about Szabo's condition having worked for Villaraigosa for several years.  Now poor Matt got upbraided by Jan Perry in Clowncil Tuesday when he was all tongue tied over his presence at a DWP meeting.  More from Mulholland Terrace.

Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes is known for carrying the water for lobbyists and special interests in Sacramento having passed some 11 lobbyist written bills. He's also received tens of thousands of dollars in contributions from these interests.  Now the Daily News asks nicely "Please stop."  If anyone is actually working over there, maybe the Daily News might want to look at the independent expenditures some other Assembly members (including a recently elected one) have benefited from and watch what bills they pass.

If you thought Jan Perry giving Matt Szabo a "what for" in chambers Tuesday was fun, our very favorite spokes-hole, Jeremy Oberstein of Paul Krekorian's office tweeted Council Member Dennis Zine and former DWP GM David "The Green Cowboy" Freeman's dialogue from a comical tragedy known "Freeman and the Zine."

The comedy continues on Spring Street.  CMs Bill Rosendahl and Paul Koretz have introduced legislation allowing the number of cats one household may own to be increased from three to five cats.  Though I don't believe in such laws to begin with, who the hell needs five cats? I am glad however these esteemed legislators are on top of this pressing issue of such concern to all of Los Angeles.

We all know how the Mayor has managed to solve so many problems in Los Angeles that he has the bandwidth to add one more duty to his job description, that is the ability to perform weddings.  Currently California law only allows Mayors to perform weddings if temporarily deputized by the County Clerk.  A bill brought by San Francisco Assemblymember Fiona Ma would have given Villaraiogsa such power but alas it was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger.  His reasoning? The law only extended to charter city mayors and not all of California's mayors and gosh darn it we want any mayor in California to have the right to goof off right?

Can You Say "Deputy Chief of Staff, Matt Szabo"?? Mayor Villaraigosa says Yes

"Matt Szabo learns of his promotion"

Begging, pleading and getting verbally abused can be good for one's career.

In the case of now former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's Press Secretary Matt Szabo, it means that his past exploits of civic begging, pleading civic poverty and playing the role of "John and Ken's "Little Buddy", have earned him a promotion to "Deputy Chief of Staff" as Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa continues his second term reorganization of the Third Floor.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa made the announcement this afternoon as noted in the Los Angeles Times.

Matt Szabo, senior press secretary to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, was elevated today to deputy chief of staff for the mayor and will act as his point man in crises.

Villaraigosa’s office said Szabo would be one of the mayor’s chief strategists and would report to the Rev. Jeff Carr, who was recently named chief of staff. One of Szabo’s first tasks will be to work with city leaders and labor unions to tackle the city’s worsening financial picture.

Szabo's crisis management skills were put to the test during the "non-permitted" AEG/Michael Jackson Memorial. Szabo pleading civic poverty, establish a "Pay Pal" site to accept donations from the public, which Mayor Villaraigosa panned as ridiculous upon his return from Africa.

Szabo was also the point person in stonewalling requests regarding the public cost of Mayor Villaraigosa's trips to Africa and Iceland. His work in deflecting queries about Villaraigosa's travels no doubt influences these remarks form his boss.

In a statement, Villaraigosa said Szabo “always performed best when crisis called for tough, decisive action. As these challenging times require tough, decisive leadership, Matt will serve as a voice of my administration throughout the corridors of City Hall,” the mayor said.

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

Like what I have to say?

Hi! I'm Matt_Szabo.

http://twitter.com/Matt_Szabo

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Matt_Szabo Posted at 11:26am from TwitterBerry
Mayor: Los Angeles is a "world class city." Providing police and fire protection is "what we do."

Matt_Szabo Posted at 11:25am from TwitterBerry
Mayor just told reporters he will not ask AEG or the Jackson family to cover city expenses for Michael Jackson memorial.

Matt_Szabo Posted at 3:09am, Jul 11, 2009 from web
Let's hope next week's Michael Jackson memorial hearings provide more substance than showmanship. Mayor agrees w J Hahn. http://bit.ly/jzDTL

Matt_Szabo Posted at 1:47pm, Jul 10, 2009 from web
RT @RevCarr The Tidings (Catholic weekly for Greater LA) excellent profile of Rev. Carr's gang reduction efforts. http://bit.ly/ZNX4V#fb

Matt_Szabo Posted at 3:31am, Jul 10, 2009 from web
John & Ken discuss MJ memorial cost w CM Zine. Listen carefully. Mr. Zine discredits his own $4M assertion. @12:00 http://tinyurl.com/m3tgsf

Matt_Szabo Posted at 8:10pm, Jul 09, 2009 from web
The City deployed $1.37 m in ADDITIONAL public safety resources than it otherwise would have. Same accounting we used for Laker parade.

Matt_Szabo Posted at 8:08pm, Jul 09, 2009 from web
We respectfully disagree w CM Zine's $4 million assertion, which assumes the city otherwise would not have deployed ANY officers.

Matt_Szabo Posted at 7:57pm, Jul 09, 2009 from web
@KFIAM640 *** FOR THE RECORD: The total cost to the city for the MJ memorial was $1.4 million ($1.37 to be exact). Breakdown forthcoming...

Matt_Szabo Posted at 7:15pm, Jul 09, 2009 from web
Good follow-up by Times on LAPD crime maps, w thorough explaination by Chief: http://tinyurl.com/lepwx5 LAPD reax: http://tinyurl.com/m7ygvk

Matt_Szabo Posted at 1:54am, Jul 09, 2009 from web
Nothing to LAO's Myr V "tweeter uncovered" post. Mayor either tweets himself, or I approve w direct authorization http://tinyurl.com/mnk2ge

Matt_Szabo Posted at 1:12am, Jul 09, 2009 from ShareThis.com
LA Times headline on LAPD crime stats badly misleads. LAPD reports ALL crime stats. Comp glitch caused mapping errors. http://shar.es/hEUn

Matt_Szabo Posted at 6:36pm, Jul 08, 2009 from web
@KFIAM640 Correction: Cost to city is $1.4m, not $1.6m ... RT@KFIAM640 t-rae here...in the news, szabo says total cost to taxpayers?$1.6 mil

Matt_Szabo Posted at 6:12pm, Jul 08, 2009 from web
RT @villaraigosa Our statement on the #MJ memorial donations here: http://bit.ly/k0cJ6 Donate here: http://bit.ly/ABdlp

Matt_Szabo Posted at 3:55pm, Jul 08, 2009 from web
Total cost for additional city services required for the MJ memorial service is approx $1.4 million - far less than expected by some ...

Matt_Szabo Posted at 11:58am, Jul 08, 2009 from web
Will release info on donations thru the MJ site asap. City treasurer having trouble w large response & several crashes http://bit.ly/ABdlp

Morning Briefs and Outtakes with Multiple Choice Exam on this Week's Events

"Overlord Leiweke of AEG"

In the spirit of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's "Partnership for Better Education" efforts with financial support from those "corporate welfare junkies" at AEG. We present this multiple choice quiz on what AEG did not do, errrrrrrrr, center's the world's attention on an vast "City of Angels" that embrace one last time, the "King of Pop".

Question # 1: AEG's Tim Leiweke is...............

A. Visionary creator behind the LA Live Complex.

B. Front man for the whims of Phillip Anschutz.

C. Bagman for AEG at City Hall.

D. Councilman Dennis Zine's worst nightmare.

E. All of the above.

Question # 2: Mayor Villaraigosa's Spokesperson Matt Zsabo taught us..............

A. Begging on the behalf of your city is cool.

B. My boss is going to kick my rear when Lu and him get home from Africa.

C. KFI's "John and Ken" have their own little boy to play with.

D. Spinning on behalf of your boss can win you awards.

E. All off the above.

Question # 3: Which event does not require city permits ??

A. Firework displays at our local parks.

B. A funeral for the "King of Pop" attended by thousands at Staples Center.

C. Corporate picnic at a local park.

D. Laker parade after winning NBA Championship.

E. Too hard to make a choice.

Question # 4: What was the cost to the City of Los Angeles Taxpayers for the Michael Jackson Memorial Services ??

A. 0-$1,000,000 dollars.

B. "This letter bought out by the AEG Group"

C. This letter was twittered by Matt Szabo before his text was fact check.

D. $3.9 million and counting as stated by Councilman Dennis Zine this afternoon on KFI's John and Ken Show.

E. Bound to be higher.

Question # 5: When given $50,000 to spend on food for LA's First Responders, one would select.......

A. The most one can get for $50,000.

B. Shop out of county for lower sale taxes.

C. Find some exotic location.

D. Practice common sense with the tax payers money.

E. Wrightwood Jenson's Market is the best, damn the taxpayers.

Question # 6: The political winners in the Michael Jackson Memorial/AEG controversy are........

A. City Attorney Carmen Trutanich.

B. City Councilman Dennis Zine.

C. City Controller Wendy Greuel.

D. All of the above.

Question # 7: Who authorize the use of city resources for a private funeral ??

A. Acting Mayor Jan Perry

B. Decline to state.

C. Decline to state.

D. AEG NEED NO STINKIN PERMITS TO PROFIT ON A DEAD SUPERSTAR!!

E. Refer to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's past contributions from AEG.

Question # 8: Who will Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa "terminate" for this PR fiasco ??

A. MATT

B. MATT

C. MATT

D. MATT

E. All of the above.

Question # 9: The political losers in the Michael Jackson Memorial/ AEG controversy are....

A. Acting Mayor/ Councilwomen Jan Perry.

B. Lets blame it on the guy who bought the food in Wrightwood.

C. The lame duck Mayor who is on vacation in Africa.

D. City Hall recipients of AEG money.

E. The guy who bought the food will take the fall.

Question # 10: The following will pay the tab for public services used at the Michael Jackson Memorial.....

A. This letter is reserved for the weak-knee public official who seeks the middle-ground.

B. City of Los Angeles, after a contributions to the Summer Night Lights Program by AEG.

C. The Jackson Family.

D. AEG, if they want to avoid a boycott of LA LIVE!!

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

Special Jackson Memorial Edition of the Ass Clown Award

" Matt spins his way to prestigious honor"

Memo to Matt Szabo in the "Third Floor Spin Chamber" on Spring Street.

Back in the beginning of the New Year, a kind-hearted blogger step forward with an offer of help for your "affliction of spin" for all things, Tony Villar.

To turn down this thoughtful act of compassion was either based upon stout resolution or feeble denial of what ails someone who was in the recent past, consider one of the more thoughtful bloggers in the City of Los Angeles.

And as the world turns their attention to the spectacle that was the final act of exploitation involving Michael Jackson in "physical form", the assemble media was treated to the City of Los Angeles role in exploiting the Jackson Legacy for monetary gain, and crafting the message was none other than Mayor Villaraigosa "minister of spin" Matt Szabo.

From somewhere in the "Southern African Bush" came the directive to ask the general public to pony up cash for something that others should pay for. In this case, those "others" are the corporate welfare recipients from the Anshultz Entertainment Group (AEG).

Withstanding concerns from Councilman Dennis Zine, City Attorney Carmen Trutanich and many in the community, Szabo was out the doors of the "Third Floor Spin Chambers" with talking points in hand and pay pal/website set up (Wonder if Community Partners was consulted again ??), where suckers could donate what AEG should cover in their "2009 Exploitation's of Jackson's Legacy Tour".

Szabo meet with journalists who made him do the "Moonwalk of Spin" to skeptical reviews, in his selling of this act of "civic begging". (Matt did you offer free copies of Lu's report on "pubic grooming" for any contribution over $100.00 ?? Think PBS).

One even speculated that Szabo was on the phone with "Bubbles the Chimp", seeking to shakedown some "bananas of contributions", that was not confirmed.

But then Szabo attempted to "Jump the Shark of Spin" by appearing on the "John and Ken Show", in the 4 o'clock hour, and sell the act of civic begging to an audience that was relishing a chance to nail the Villaraigosa Administration for again, granting corporate welfare payments, in form of free public services, to AEG.

Now I don't know if Szabo fancies himself the "Fonz of Spin" or models himself after former Nunez spokesperson Steve "Moo Boy" Maviglio for that matter, but Szabo launched himself toward the "sharks".

......and was torn to threads.

And as Szabo and his "body of spin of all things Antonio Villaraigosa" were torn to threads by the "shark teethes of retorts" from "John and Ken", one wonders if Szabo was heard to cry, whine and sigh, "WHY DID I EVER GO TO WORK, CRAFTING SPIN, FOR TONY VILLAR ??

Thus Matt, in my act of "Blogging Tough Love", I bestow you with the honor of being the winner of the Special Jackson Memorial Edition of the Ass Clown Award.

A award worthy of someone who lowers the dignity of our once great city by spinning "civic begging as honor", and corporate welfare for the likes of AEG as an "civic duty".

Repent while you can Matt!!

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

EXCLUSIVE: Mayor Villaraigosa Responds to Parks and Smith

For the first time in our nearly five year history Mayor Villaraigosa's office has "officially" contacted the Sister City to respond to a post on our site, that being Council Member's Greig Smith's and Bernard Parks' controversial stands on the City Budget.

Here Mayoral spokesman Matt Szabo very clearly dissects and refutes the Smith/Parks positions and offers the Mayor's rebuttal. Read and judge for yourself:

As you know, it has not been the regular practice of the mayor’s
office to respond to individual posts on your site. But I have to
take issue with the recent posting of Councilman Greig Smith and
Councilman Bernard Parks' respective statements on their decision to
balance the Fiscal Year 2009-10 city budget by gutting police and fire
services. I take no issue with your decision to post the statements.
But the statements themselves are riddled with errors and
inconsistencies, and I’d like an opportunity to correct the record.

Let’s start with Mr. Smith. He writes
(http://mayorsam.blogspot.com/2009/05/free-gift-for-michael-trujillo.html):

*****
“On Wednesday May 13, I voted with the majority of the City’s Budget
and Finance Committee to fix Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s proposed
budget which is balanced on $326 million of uncertain assumptions that
would have bankrupted the City by the end of this year.”

*****

It’s totally inaccurate to suggest that the mayor’s budget contains
$326 million in uncertain assumptions – unless Council volition is
inherently an uncertain assumption.

While it is true that the mayor intends to balance $231 million of the
$530 million budget deficit through “shared sacrifice” realized by
ongoing labor negotiations, those savings are far from uncertain. If
the mayor and the other executive employee relations committee members
(Garcetti, Greuel, Parks and Zine) are unable to reach consensus with
labor on adequate concessions, then the remainder of the savings will
be realized through mandatory furloughs and/or layoffs. But in the
mayor’s view, furloughs and layoffs should be the last resort – not
the first option – since these alternatives trigger service reduction
and job loss at a time when Angelenos can least afford it.

Setting aside the $231 million in “shared sacrifice,” the remaining
$90+ million in so-called “uncertain assumptions” comes in the form of
$10 million in slush fund money (AB 1290) which the committee refused
to give up, and $80 million in parking structure/meter revenue, which
is the minimum first-year revenue which would be realized if the
Council approves the mayor’s proposal to lease the city’s parking
structure and meter facilities to private operators.

Smith continues:

*****
“… the Mayor has engaged in scare tactics and fear mongering instead
of working to find solutions for the City’s financial problems.

Even worse, Police Chief William Bratton threatened to take away
Police Officers from the districts of Councilmembers who do not cave
to his agenda and the Mayor’s budget-breaking demands.”

*****

The trite “scare tactic” and “fear mongering” rhetoric doesn’t require
serious response, but the Bratton charge does.

Reacting to the Budget Committee’s vote to cut 520 cops this fiscal
year, Chief Bratton said that he would have to pull 25-30 officers
from each of the City’s 21 community police stations should the full
Council adopt the proposal.

Chief Bratton was not issuing a threat, he was simply using math. The
City currently has 21 community police stations. If you reduce the
police force by 520 officers, then, on average, you will have to
reduce sworn staffing at each station by 25 officers [520/21 = 25].

Staff reduction at the community police stations within Councilman
Rosendahl’s district would be a required consequence of the full
Council’s adoption of the Budget Committee’s recommended cut – pure
and simple. To dismiss the reality of officer reduction as a
retributive threat ignores the basic properties of third grade
arithmetic.

More Smith:

*****
“Mayor Villaraigosa’s plan to remove current rank-and-file Police
Officers from the streets with mandatory furlough days to pay for his
new Officers fails to make sense. Furthermore, the Mayor fails to
provide a viable revenue source for these new hires. His budget relies
on hundreds of millions of dollars in union concessions that he has
failed to obtain in 15 months of ongoing negotiations.”

*****

This is perhaps my favorite ‘graph because it is 100% inaccurate.

(1) The mayor has no plan to remove officers from the streets with
mandatory furloughs. Furloughing sworn personnel is an absolute last
resort, just as layoffs are a last resort for civilian personnel.

(2) The mayor HAS provided a viable revenue source for the new hires.
It’s commonly referred to as the trash fee - which the good Councilman
and every single one of his colleagues voted to raise from $12 to $38
per month while promising to expand the police force by 1,000
officers.

(3) The Councilman is not a member of the Executive Employee Relations
Committee and has no direct knowledge of the mayor’s efforts to
achieve “shared responsibility/sacrifice” savings from labor. The
truth is most major bargaining units are at the table and are working
in good faith to contribute to the budget balancing solution. Stay
tuned.

Councilman and Budget Committee Chairman Bernard Parks offered a much
more tempered and serious assessment
(http://mayorsam.blogspot.com/2009/05/sleepy-has-spoken-here-comes-dopey.html).
But the Chairman propagates two pieces of misinformation that must be
corrected.

*****
“As of today, if the City does not enact a hiring freeze, over 7,000
civilian employees will be laid off.”

*****

With all respect to the Chairman, this charge is simply not true. The
mayor has proposed several cost-saving and revenue-enhancing options
which would reduce the number of required layoffs. However, no
scenario – not even the “do absolutely nothing” scenario – would
require 7,000 layoffs. Again, using math, 7,000 layoffs equates to
approximately $630 million [using the Full Time Equivalent figure of
$90,000 per employee (including health care and benefits)]. The
current budget deficit is $530 million, so the absolute maximum number
of layoffs we would need to execute absent any other solutions would
be ~ 5,900.

Last issue with Parks’ statement:

*****
“A few years ago, members of the public were told that an increase in
trash fees would be used only to hire new officers. This, however, is
not the case and was never the case. The trash fee was increased to
help cover the cost of collecting trash from single family homes. The
City has fulfilled its commitment to fund a significant number of new
police, but it is important to clarify that the entire trash fee was
never committed or intended to be used solely for the hiring of police
officers.”

*****

Again, with all due respect to the Chairman, this seems to be
revisionist history. At the same time the City moved to enhance the
trash fees, it made the commitment to expand the police force by 1,000
officers. We have not yet fulfilled that commitment, and any hiring
freeze effectively reneges on that commitment.

Spin This, Matt.

An Intervention for Matt Szabo?

I am beginning to get concerned for Mayoral spokesman Matt Szabo (pictured here with co-spokesflack Janelle Erickson).  I first met Matt about six years ago when I was working as a volunteer for Wendy Greuel's first Council race. In addition to working phone banks, Matt's team sent me to canvass goats in Sunland-Tujunga.  

I digrees.  Matt seemed like a very nice young man and intelligent political operative - not unlike the character played by Michael J. Fox in Spin City or Rob Lowe in The West Wing. 

Sometime later Matt was hired as Mayor Villaraigosa's spokesman.  It seemed like a good idea at the time but considering everything he's been through - from Mirthala to toilets - one wonders if Matt wishes he could reconsider the decision.

The latest kerfuffle Matt was forced into involved the re-stating of his bosses boastful remarks about the LA Weekly, issued some months after the great Patrick Range McDonald story that made the case Mayor Villaraigosa spends about 11% of his time on actual city business.  You may remember the Mayor got a little too big for his britches when he claimed to Rick Orlov of the Daily News that they were upset because they never got to see his private schedule - something that would actually be illegal.  As PRM reported Matt had to come back and say the Mayor "misspoke." There was only one schedule and indeed The Weekly did have it - which means Patrick's calculations are correct.

So in the latest round Matt sat down with Patrick to parse the Mayor's statement to Orlov word for word.  However it must have been a near impossible task because all Szabo could do was to continue to assert that “Mayor Villaraigosa works harder and longer than any other big-city mayor in America, and everyone in Los Angeles knows it.”  Remember those two clauses because Pat deconstructs both of them.

Pat went to Fred Siegel, no, not the clothing store magnate, but professor of history at the Cooper Union for Science and Art in New York City, strongly.  Siegel - a recognized expert on municipal affairs - finds  Szabo's statement ridiciulous and descibles Villaraigosa as a “ceremonial mayor.”   Siegel grants the title of "hardest working mayor" to Richard Daley of Chicago, Thomas Menino of Boston and Cory Booker of Newark, New Jersey.  He probably doesn't know about South El Monte Mayor Blanca Figueroa who works so hard, statying in her office until 11:00 at night, that her City Council wants to take her keys away from her.

As far as "everyone" knowing and agreeing how hard the Mayor works, Patrick isn't sure about that one too. It appears that beside the usual suspects such as this blog and inflammatory talkradio host Doug McIntyre the story has been covered by decidely non-Villaraigosa haters such as Fishbowl LA and the LA Times.  150 readers commented on the Weekly's piece; most of which were highly critical of the Mayor.

If I was someone close to Szabo, I would perhaps direct him towards another job.  Remember the first part of conquering it is admitting it.

The Secret Is Out! Mayor Finally Releases Names of Mystery Gang Panel

You may remember the LA Weeky's Daniel Heimpel's piece about Mayor Villaraigosa's secret anti-gang committee, that group of unknown commisars, sort of the Majestic-12 of anti-street crime, who were responsible for deciding which of Zuma Dogg's favorite shady non-profits would be the winners in the City lottery of millions of dollars of anti-gang tax money.  The Mayor's office - including the "Why I am still working here" spokeshole of record - the otherwise brilliant Matt Szabo - refused to release the names of this esteemed panel but after much sunshine thanks to our true paper of record - The Weekly - we now have the list.  And here it is:

Chuck Flores - District 4, Operations Coordinator LAUSD
Alexandra Lieben - Executive Director UCLA School of Public Affairs
Greg McManus - Lieutenant LAPD
Faith Mitchell - Attorney South LA Area Planning Commission
Tim Brown - Clear Deputy Probation Director Law Enforcement
Gregory Burks - Chief of Grants CDD
Maria Cardona - Healthy Start Coordinator Nightingale Middle School
Susana Coracero - LAUSD/Monica Garcia's Office
Ed Corbett - Watts Towers Community Action Committee
Mary Darks - Jones Community Resident
Philip Egans - Probation
Lark Galloway - MPA Executive Director Community Health Councils
Ruben Gonzalez - Consultant, Center for the Study of Social Policy
Carlos Gonzalez - Assistant Principal Bethune Middle School
Donna Groman - Judge Superior Court- Kenyon Juvenile Justice Center
Tom Hayden - Gang and Academic Expert - wrote the book "Streetwars"
Nyora Higgs - Community Resident
Kimberly King - Professor CAL State LA
Anthony Koutris - Deputy City Attorney Gang Prosecution and Prevention, Clear Taskforce
Jose Kubes - Parent Center Coordinator Manual Arts High School
Jose Maciel - Director Macarthur Park Recreation Center
Myrian Magana - Community Representative
Rosa Manriquez - Recreation and Parks
Claudia Martinez - Social Worker LADCFS
Tim McDonald - Assistant Principal West Adams High School
Victor McKamie - Executive Director Minority Aids Project
Richard Mora - Assistant Professor Occidental College
Christina Ortega- Libatique DONE Project Coordinator City Representative
Eric Rost - (LCSW) Sheriff's Office
Jose Sandoval - Chair of Gang Comte. Community Resident
Lloyd Scott - Sargeant South Bureau Gangs
LaTanya Skiffer - Professor CSDH
Lynette Smith - Assistant Principal Telfair Elementary
Maritza Sosa - Community Program assistant CCYF
Chinyere Stonehem - Mt. Carmel Recreation and Parks
Gerald Thompson - Executive Director Pathways to our Future
Ailleth Tom - Organization Facilitator LAUSD Local District 5
Lucia Torres - Community Resident
Dea Tramble - Operation Coordinator LAUSD, Local District 1
Rodrigo Vazquez - Youth Justice Coalition
Paul Vinetz - Probation Director JJCPA Cluster 3 Programs
Curtis Woodle - South Bureau LAPD
Stacy Wu - Gang Expert Davis Ja and Associates