Morning Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Monday

Buying flowers for LAUSD School  Board President Monica "Gorda Boo Boo" Garcia, is not enough to keep the founders of the West San Fernando Valley's Ivy Academia Charter School, from being found guilty of "illegally taking or misappropriating" $200,000 in public school funds.

The powers of air brushing and photo shop, cannot cover up out-going LAUSD School Board President Monica "Gorda Boo Boo" Garcia's enabling support of controversial Charter Schools. 

Great blustery Monday to all as the cold winds blow.

While we doubt that even this wind event would be strong enough to blow out-going LAUSD School Board President Monica "Gorda Boo Boo" off into the Mayor Antonio Villar failed education wastelands. The recent guilty verdicts in the fiscal misappropriation case against the founders of the Ivy Academia Charter School, may begin a needed extensive investigations of Mayor Villar/ School Board President Monica "Gorda Boo Boo" Garcia linked Charter Schools allies.

If there is any Mayor Villar/ School Board President Monica "Gorda Boo Boo" Garcia's Charter School supporter that merits immediate scrutiny, then you need to look no further than at the Academia Semillas del Pueblo Charter School and its husband and wife duo of Marcos Aguilar and Minnie Ferguson.

While the recently convicted founders of the Ivy Academia "emphasized the teaching of entrepreneurial skills", the collectivist-rooted dogma teachings of Academia Semillas, gave more than just flowers to "Gorda Boo Boo".

Maybe this is why the "Gordo Boo Boo - fearing" LAUSD Inspector General was more willing to investigate the Ivy Academia than the campaign donors to "Gorda Boo Boo"? After all, campaign contributions have a longer political protection shelf life than a dozen roses.

** We have unity in the community! At least for the moment within the LA City Council African-American Delegation as City Clowncil Central Committee Strongman Herb "Mini Amin" Wesson, joined with Councilpersons Jan Perry and Bernard Parks, in endorsing their colleague Eric Garcetti for Mayor. We sense that "Mini Amin" is acting in self-preservation in crossing the Mayor Villar Machine.

** We are awaiting comment from "CD 2 Sock Puppet Constituent Tracy" regarding Daily News Rick Orlov's "Tipoff Column" which highlights another City Councilman Paul Krekorian staffer supposed run for state office.

** . The "Old Gray Collectivist Hag on Spring Street" notes that City Attorney Carmen Trutanich is running behind in endorsements to challenger Mike Feuer. But if you believe Feuer's undercharging "Private Citizen/ Campaign Consultant" John Shallman, the 'hundreds of Bet Tzedek attorneys" should give Feuer a major endorsement mark up. 

** This just in, Congresswoman Maxine Waters has announced her endorsement of the "Villar Greuel". Amazing how many ethically-challenged "Politico Wastes, Frauds and Abusers" of the public trust, are down with Wendy "The Villar Greuel".

** Lastly, we express our sadness in the lost of two great women, Maggie Thatcher and Annette Funicello.
Your thoughts ..................
Scott Johnson in CD 14  

Jan Perry, not Wendy Greuel, is the African-American Candidate for Mayor

Maxine says: Vote for JAN, not
the Valley Greuel!!

Just as Wendy the Pixie was trying to channel the late Mayor Tom Bradley to endorse her campaign, on a double dip historic day of the first African-American President in history (other than Bill Clinton, another FOW {friend of wendy}) being inagurated to his second term on the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., candidate for Mayor Jan Perry wants you to remember she is the real deal. Read more...

Dear Friends,

I was deeply moved to witness President Barack Obama’s swearing in as the President of the United States. It is fitting that it has taken place on the day we commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Both men have had a profound impact on our nation. Both men have asked us to seize the opportunity that America offers and work together to fully realize our potential.

Growing up my mother often shared her experience about taking the bus from Ohio to attend Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. President Obama is right to remind us that working together will make us stronger.

I am honored to have received Congresswoman Maxine Waters’ endorsement. She has been a champion for the people who need our help the most – people living in poverty, veterans, the elderly, and minorities.

I want to honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and build a Los Angeles that leaves no one behind, where all voices are heard and respected. Working together with community leaders, stakeholders and elected officials like Congresswoman Maxine Waters I know that we can build a city that works for all Angelenos.

Sincerely,
Jan Perry

Many of us abhor racial and identity politics. That being said, Jan Perry at least has the honest narrative of personal experience, as opposed to Wendy Greuel who grew up in a pasty white Republican west valley home. And now Wendy wants to throw open the doors of a headquarters in South LA with choruses of "We Shall Overcome." How utterly sickening. 

MayorSam on the Air

I'll be joining John Phillips on the air this evening on KABC Talkradio 790 at 6:35 p.m. (give or take).  We're going to have a little bit of fun with Maxine Waters' latest comments.

UPDATE: Due to breaking news items, my segment is moved to 7:35 p.m.

Los Angeles Politics for Tuesday

Lots of fun stuff in the race to succeed now Congresswoman Janice Hahn in her vacated CD15 seat. The latest is an unconfirmed report posted by one of our readers that the firefighters union executive board split 3-3 on an endorsement of their President, Pat McOsker, for the Council seat. With the panel deadlocked, McOsker claimed the right the cast the deciding vote. If true, this would be a shocking display of hubris by a wannabe elected official.



Read more »

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Tuesday

But Antonio's seats are better than mine!

Man, being an elected official sure has it perks. We all know about Mayor V's free tickets. The latest politician to score free Lakers and USC tickets as well as wine, whiskey, tequila, cigars and cologne is District Attorney Steve Cooley. Of course a spokes-flack says that Cooley has the "highest integrity" and these were gifts from friends. It's nice to have friends in high places.

Speaking of perks for pols Walter Moore makes a good point. Though City Controller Wendy Greuel has released the salaries of City workers her report does not list the perks they receive such as free cars, per diems, insurance, etc. Moore recounts that during an interview with KABC's Peter Tilden, Councilman Dennis Zine hemmed and hawed when asked what perks he gets.

Attorney General Jerry Brown is investigating the pay scandal in the City of Bell but a new report recounts outrageous pay for officials in the City of Oakland when Brown was Mayor there. The situation was so bad that an auditor was brought in following Brown's departure that found a tangled web of high salaries as well as unknown bonuses, paid leaves and vacation buybacks far in excess of salary agreements. The situation was so bad an unnamed Democratic leader said that Brown was “the worst administrator ever to come down the pike.”

Despite serious ethical allegations against her, Maxine Waters, like Richard Alarcon, seems to have not lost support amongst her supporters. Daiquiri Jackson, a member of a South Central church, told reporters that Waters was being targeted because she is a minority woman. However this is nonsense because most of the House members - Republican and Democrat - who have been brought up on ethics charges the last few years have been white males.

The Los Angeles and First blog has given Mayor Villaraigosa a report card and he averages a C minus. With an F in budgeting and a D+ in the economy it's hard to go up from there.

Mulholland Terrace brings to our attention a ridiculous exercise sponsored by the Mayor and the CRA: a "contest" for the best ideas on how to build a "clean corridor" in LA. The purse? $11,000.

Activists and parents from the North Valley are not giving up until an independent review into the death of teenager Zac Champommier. You may remember that Zac was shot down in cold blood by LA Sheriff's Deputies in a shopping center parking lot for no apparent reason. For two weeks now protesters have held rallies in Studio City near the site of Zac's murder.

Did Gavin Newsom Buy Maxine Waters' Endorsement?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Morning Briefs and Outtakes on the Day After CD 2's Last Candidate Forum

"Can Tamar make a clean break from the Villaraigosa Machine??"

Breakaway!!

In reading Phil Jennerjahn's latest in his excellent coverage of the CD 2 candidate forums, one gets the impression that LAUSD School Board Member/CD 2 Candidate Tamar Galatzan has the "political winds" blowing her into the front position, leading up to the final weekend before next Tuesday vote.

Galatzan was endorsed by the Daily News. She picked up the support of prominent community members in Sunland-Tujunga including Joe Barrett and Abby Diamond of the potent "No Home Depot" coalition. And in the latest from the LA "Weekly of Record" Weekly, writer Paul Teetor keenly pens his observation that a Tamar victory would not be received favorably on Spring Street, a development that should help to reinforce Galatzan's "Valley Political Cred".

But as Tamar seeks to distance herself further away from the "Carpetbagging Two" of the "Big Three", one can't help to think, "can Tamar make a clean break from the Villaraigosa Machine??" I say this in reference to the above photo that accomplices Tamar's "This Election is About Us" post on her campaign website. Tamar is right to say that this election is about the future direction and preservation of the identity of CD 2. But the voters in CD 2 need to look beyond the symbolic verbiage and see the true intentions and political linkage of their future councilperson.

Galatzan, as she forges ahead in her quest to become the "temp" CD 2 Councilperson would be wise to study the past of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Tamar will find that Villar/Villaraigosa does not value those who are loose with their loyalty to him (think Gil Cedillo) and Tamar should not think that the Mayor will welcome her with open arms if she were to win the CD 2 race.

The best advise for Tamar in these final days would be this, make a clean break from your past linkage with the Villaraigosa Machine and forge a political path forward, for there is no looking back in the eyes of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, upon used up political goods. The informed masses in CD 2 deserved this from their future leader.

OTHER NEWS:

** KABC 790 AM Morning Host Doug McIntyre has the subject of "Mayor Villaraigosa's True Love" as the topic of his weekly column for the Daily News. Note to Doug, Villaraigosa would seek a divorce from the divorce process if it would advance his personal agenda.

** The Daily News editorialize on those "Political Punters on Spring Street" that keep kicking a solution to the budget problems at City Hall to the Unions for runbacks.

** Incarcerated Community Organizer Najee Ali favorite Congresswoman Maxine Waters, is the subject of a Congressional Ethics Investigation into her husband ties to a bank receiving federal bailout funds.

** The "Coalition of Unions" might want to contact "Deputy Chief of Staff" Matt Szabo and schedule a meeting with new City Hall enforcer "Mayor Vetovillar". No surprise here as once again the former Antonio Ramon Vilar/Tony Villar/Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa/Latino Tony Blair/ changes his persona and becomes "Mayor Antonio Vetovillar" the protector of the city's monetary integrity.

** Memo to LAPD Chief Bill Bratton, LA Weekly's Patrick Range McDonald has some salient observations about your track record on political endorsements. Hmm, with County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas under "federal" investigation for his ties to the Tyrone Freemon SEIU Scandal. Can you pledge your support of Councilman Jose Huizar in 2011, before leaving in October ??

** And lastly, what is in the DNA Chain of the Villar Family Clan that one must bend over backwards for the Anschutz Entertainment Group when they seek exemptions from public laws ?? We present this from LA Weekly's Tibby Rothman and Jill Stewart, "Mushroom Season in Poisonous Sacramento"

This year, one “mushroom” attracting headlines is by Assemblyman John Perez, who represents the Eastside of Los Angeles and is Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s first cousin. His Assembly Bill 813 would benefit just one Colorado billionaire, Philip Anschutz. First reported by the Los Angeles Times, AB 813 would waive a law that currently prohibits Club Nokia and other entertainment venues from slathering the interior of their spaces with ads that promote the alcohol companies whose products they sell at a steep profit.

Anschutz wants to sell big ad spaces inside the unattractive, boxlike Club Nokia, near Staples Center, to squeeze out more profit. The state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control this year ruled such liquor-ad peddling to be illegal.

Your Thoughts..................

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Friday

What is the City of Los Angeles doing with some of it's Federal stimulus money? Buying up houses, refurbising them and renting them or selling them.  Since when did the City of LA become a real estate developer and property management company? This is so not a function of government and yet another sign of Obama's creeping socialism.  The City of LA can't pave streets, run a zoo, keep water rates down or anything else succesful.  The better move would be to lower taxes and encourage investment so private individuals could buy homes and provide affordable housing.  As it is high taxes and strict regulations make only high value housing profitable.  Who's behind this? Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Congresswoman Maxine Water.  We all know how Maxine deals; so expect lots of fraud, waste and abuse here.

Speaking of Villaraigosa and shadiness (the two do go hand in hand; hope the Jerry Brown and Gavin Newsom people are writing all this down) two major contributors to his 2005 Mayoral campaign have been ordered to pay a significant fine.  Sean Anderson and Richard Manhire, owners of Miami-based Travel Traders, agreed $108,000 in  fines as part of a settlement with the Los Angeles Ethics Commission where they admitted to laundering campaign contributions for the Mayor.  Travel Traders had been seeking major contracts to run concessions at LAX, had dinner with the Mayor and the next day the pair began making contributions to Villaraigosa.

Bitter Bernie continues his resentful hatred towards the LAPD, the agency he once led and was fired from, now wanting the City Council to decide when officers can blow the siren and speed in the pursuit of fighting crime.  Do we really want the Clowncil members making these decisions or the trained professionals who make up the LAPD?

LA Times reporters don't understand why they will be soon out of job.  The market is changing and if they don't change with it; there will be no more LA Times.  The reporters - standing on journalistic "principles" - are up in arms that the Times ran an ad on the front page for an NBC show. It was a creative effort at a time when both newspapers and advertisers have to be creative (sorry guys Macy's ad on the back page don't pay the bills anymore).  But hey it's better to be broke right?

Here's one where we have to give credit to Walter Moore.  All of a sudden now there's a ruckus about the Clowncil and Mayor's $1 million calligraphy budget.  Uh, Wacko pointed that out long ago, way before he got all hung up on sanctuary city Kentucy Fried Chickens.  Does it take a recession to finally illuminate fraud, waste and abuse? I guess so.

And finally someone at Curbed LA must have taken one of our April Fools' stories seriously.  No, Eric Garcetti has not announced he's running for Governor.  At least not yet.

Caruso Watch for Tuesday

7 days and counting. He says he's still thinking about it.

Is he or isn't he? We were the first to report he is and now the rest of the media is getting on board.

The dean of the City Hall reporters, Rick Orlov, notes developer Rick Caruso's flirtation with running for Mayor and even gives us props for staying on the beat.  Orlov postulates that Caruso may have some trouble with the African American community because he was on the Police Commission when they declined Bernard Parks' bid for a second and of course because he once called Maxine Waters a name that rhymes with, uh, rich.

I told you previously that two big name local politicans are set to endorse Caruso over Villaraigosa.  Last time I hinted that one of them has a mustache.  I'll tell you the other one has an M in their name.

If Caruso runs he won't be alone in challenging the status quo.  Ron Kaye broke the news that longtime civic activitst and DWP Commissioner Nick Patsaouras has announced he will run against Council Member Wendy Greuel for City Controller.

Caruso could have an uphill battle in his effort to topple Mayor Villaraigosa because he's rich, a Republican and worst of all, a developer! But alas, Cal State Fullerton political scientist Raphael Sonenshein told the LA Times "That said, I wouldn't write off Caruso. First of all, when you have lots of money, you can control your own fate in many ways. The question is: Is the disappointment with Villaraigosa so widespread?"

Capitol Alert examines the story and the impact a competitive race will have on Villaraigosa's designs to run for Governor in 2010.  A bruising primary and general election battle will drain the Mayor's war chest and put him quite a bit behind potential Democratic gubernatorial  opponents Jerry Brown and Gavin Newsom.  Sidenote: Caruso donated $12,000 to Brown.

Uber-liberal blog Calitics declares that a Caruso victory "would be simply horrendous for the biggest city in the state" describing the developer as "a right-wing Bush Republican developer who created the great eyesore that is The Grove in Los Angeles along with Americana at Brand in Glendale." Are they afraid Caruso won't fill the potholes?

And finally a blog called "Talented Earthquake Productions" urges Caruso not to run, saying that "Antonio is doing a solid job. He may not be the transformational Mayor we all want and sort of expect from him, but he hasn't made any major mistakes."  Advice from the old, dead, Republican Mayor: If you stop expecting politicians to be "transformational figures" you won't be disappointed when you find out they are not.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Monday

We started the weekend with two candidates for Mayor and could wind up with five real soon. As noted here, joining current declared candidates Antonio Villaraigosa and Walter Moore, Friday evening longtime community activist David Hernandez announced his candidacy. Sunday Zuma Dogg declared his candidacy and proceeded to lay out his platform on his blog. And finally, longtime developer and civic leader Rick Caruso sure made it sound like he was going to run at Friday night's Lincoln Club dinner where he was presented with the 2008 Spirit of Lincoln Award by local Republicans.

Speaking of the Mayoral election, former President Bill Clinton hosted a fundraiser for Mayor Villaraigosa Saturday at the home of record producer Clarence Avanat. According to the Daily News' Rick Orlov, Clinton threw his endorsement behind Villaraigosa saying "Whether it's rescuing the city's lowest performing schools, putting 1,000 cops on the street, taking on the gang problem or transforming LA with a path-breaking environmental agenda, Antonio has laid a foundation for fundamental change in the City of Angels." Is the President talking about OUR Antonio? Just wanted to check.

Speaking of some of the collateral damage of the Clinton Administration, the New York Times via Street Hassle identifies Clinton Housing Secretary Henry Cisneros as a chief player in causing the housing bubble. Cisneros was one of the chief proponents of the failed policy of encouraging those who could not afford mortgages to get them, as promoted by everyone from Clinton to Maxine Waters to George Bush to Barack Obama and Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac. Cisneros, a poverty pimp who has parlayed his government service into corporate millions, should be ashamed of himself.

Yet another reason to vote no on the Mayor's transit tax scam, Measure R: the MTA could be facing potential bankruptcy. In the last twenty years or so, the MTA made a number of deals with investment groups to buy its buses, rail cars and other infrastructure in exchange for cash and then the MTA would lease the equipment back. The problem is that the MTA contracted with in-trouble financial services firm AIG to guarantee the leases. With AIG out of funds and near collapse, MTA is on the hook to pay billions in leases to the investors. MTA doesn't have the cash to cover this so cuts in service are certain.

And finally we welcome a new contributor to Mayor Sam's Sister City, Donna Barstow.  Donna, who writes the Griffith Park, Interrupted Blog has been a cartoonist for the New Yorker, LA Times, Glamour, Barron's, WSJ, and several other publications.  lots more. Barstow is the cartoonist for Parade Magazine and is the author of  the books What Do Women REALLY Want? Chocolate!, and Love Me or Go to Hell. Donna describes herself as "Picky eater, great friend, curious observer, elitist artist, midnight writer, voracious reader, omnivorous chocoholic, impatient driver, and so-so lover."  Donna will be writing about a number of issues and topics ranging from Griffith Park to Dancing With The Stars.  Welcome Donna!

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Monday

With YouTube video showing Maxine Water's duplicity in what lead to the current banking crisis precipitated by the fall of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, voters in Los Angeles can send a message to the Macy's shopping grand dame of Los Angeles politics, finally ejecting her from Congress (long overdue) and elect Ted Hayes to Congress. Check out this video of Waters being challenged on Real Time with Bill Maher (hardly a Republican show) about her alleged lies about contributions she received from the two mortgage banks.


More than $40 million is being spent by both sides in the battle over Proposition 8, which removes the right of same-sex couples in California to wed.  Be sure to read my commentary urging you to vote no on the measure.


A blogger runs into Council Member Dennis Zine having lunch at the Eastside Market Italian Deli in Downtown Los Angeles.  No word on what Dennis was actually eating.

Here's yet another story illustrating the politically correct goofiness that has changed the meaning of youth sports in America.  It used to be that sports were to teach kids teamwork, responsibility and being their best.  May the best team win.  However in recent years because of concerns about children's "self esteem" these sports programs have worked to make everyone a winner such as giving a trophy even to losing teams and anything else to deman the efforts of the best performers.  The latest is a story about a prodigy nine year pitcher from a Connecticut Little League team, who has been disqualified from playing, because he is "too good."  Unbelievable.

You may wish to read my essay "The Audacity of Non-Conformity" over at my personal blog, Absolute Random Nonsense.  I detail my experience of being on the opposite side of the Presidential question of most folks I know as a young idealistic Democrat in 1984 and as a middle aged pragmatic Republican a quarter century later.

D'Oh! Obama's Democrats Said There Was No Issue With Fannie Mae But McCain Wanted To Regulate Them. In 2006

New video unearthed today from 2004 showing that Congressional Democrats made the claim that there was nothing to worry about at Fannie Mae, and in fact even went as far to inject the race card because then Fannie Mae CEO Franklin Raines - a former Clinton Administration official - happened to be African American.

"Mr. Chairman, we do not have a crisis at Freddie Mac, and in particular at Fannie Mae, under the outstanding leadership of Mr. Frank Raines. Everything in the 1992 act has worked just fine."
-Representative Maxine Waters in 2005

"The responsibility that the Democrats have may rest more with resisting any efforts by Republicans in the Congress or by me when I was president to put some standards and tighten up a little on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac."
-President Bill Clinton, this week

"If Congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the housing market, the overall financial system, and the economy as a whole."
-John McCain in 2006

At the same time Republicans including John McCain called for more regulations and more control on Fannie Mae while usual suspect Democrats Maxine Waters (please, please Ted Hayes win and send Maxine packing) and Barney Frank saying this was not necessary.



Amazingly, yet another video shows Obama at an event in 2005 celebrating Fannie Mae, from which he was the second highest recipient of campaign contributions in the US Senate though Obama has been in the Senate less than four years.



Thank God for YouTube because we have video showing that McCain supported regulation of Fannie and Freddie, and along with many others including then Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan, express serious concern over what was to come.



Oh and where was Barack Obama on this? Apparently he voted present.

What's the new term these days? Epic Fail? Yea, Senator Obama, you and your Democrats did. What's more, you got PAID to do it.

Community Activist Najee Ali gets four years in prison for attempted bribery

One can't wait to see comments from the likes of Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Police Chief Bill Bratton on this story.

From the LA Times.

Activist Najee Ali, known as an outspoken critic of law enforcement, was sentenced to four years in state prison today after pleading guilty to trying to bribe a witness in his daughter's criminal case.

Ali, 45, was arrested and charged on March 11 with attempting to intimidate a witness and attempting to bribe a witness. The former gang member, now a community activist, allegedly tried to tamper with a witness outside his daughter's preliminary hearing at Superior Court in Alhambra earlier this year, said Sandi Gibbons, a district attorney's spokeswoman.

The charges against Ali's daughter -- two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of leaving the scene of an accident -- stem from an incident involving her vehicle and a group of motorcyclists on the San Bernardino Freeway, Gibbons said.Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Frederick R. Rotenberg sentenced Ali after the activist pleaded guilty to attempting to bribe a witness at the Alhambra courthouse.

A court clerk initially said Ali pleaded no contest, but Gibbons said the activist entered a guilty plea. Prosecutors dismissed a count of witness intimidation. Immediately after the sentencing, he was taken into custody and placed in isolated detention at the downtown jail because of his notoriety, officials said.

.....and the sound of silence falls upon South-Central, ....at lease until the next Maxine Waters News Conference.

Friday Hotsheet for a silly week

Capping off a week the Daily News is calling Silly Season, Councilmembers Jan Perry and Wendy Greuel were spotted hailing cabs with giant foam fingers and Police Chief William Bratton is taking flak from some West Hollywood pol for “outing” Lindsay Lohan.

But it looks more like Gloomy Season back at the Daily News. Denim is out, as is Chris Weinkopf, reports L.A. Observed. Employees unsure of what to wear are advised to “recall how you dressed when you interviewed for your position.” Columnist and Friendly Fire blogger, Weinkopf, will call it quits August 22nd. Perhaps we’ll see more meat on his personal blog in the coming months? Here’s to two ex-DN employees telling us how they really feel.

In case you missed any of our fabulous bloggings this week, here’s a little roundup:

• Mayor Villaraigosa bailed out of a speaking engagement over the weekend.
• Dennis Zine responded to us with a list of synchronized traffic signals in the Valley.
• Maxine Waters went nuts (again) and gang czar Jeff Carr resurfaced.
• There’s more, apparently, to the proposed new anti-gang contracts than meets the eye.
• L.A. shook, Dennis Zine reported live from the scene, and Villaraigosa missed another big-time photo op.
• Leland Wong was nailed hard for corruption (our readers predict his buddies get ratted-out next).
• Greig Smith stuck his finger in your eyes and Jan Perry got her Happy Meal.
• José Huizar’s attempt to run roughshod over Boyle Heights residents became a P.R. problem.
• Ed Reyes, Eric Garcetti, and José Huizar offered up a room at City Hall for car wash owners and workers to negotiate a living wage.
• Mirthala Salinas resurfaced in Studio City.
• William Bratton delivered a very politically-incorrect celebrity gossip report.
• And more proof was offered that you must read Mayor Sam every day if you want to be in the know.

Whew! I’m ready for a cocktail and a lazy weekend.

Tuesday Hotsheet for Hot Streets

“I don't trust any police department to investigate itself”

Heat on the streets! The media sure know how to play Representative Maxine Waters against Southern California. Listening ad nauseam to her batty sound bites yesterday on KFI, you’d think nothing else was worth reporting in this town. By now, you know the story: Inglewood officer-involved shootings have killed three people in three months; Waters wants a federal investigation; yadda yadda yadda. Is anyone demanding a federal investigation into the San Francisco program that released a dozen felons to the streets of San Bernardino County? Or, into how AK-type assault rifles are finding their way into our communities? Or, perhaps, into the apparent lack of oversight that broke L.A. Bridges?

Speaking of which, Jeff Carr, the city’s gang czar has resurfaced. He and Mayor Villaraigosa recommend awarding half-million-dollar contracts to six anti-gang programs, effectively replacing L.A. Bridges:

“This is arguably the most pressing social problem in the city of Los Angeles. What we’ve been doing for the last 20, 25 years hasn’t been working. So we’re trying to do something different.”

Surely, we can question the mayor’s motives in hiring out-of-towners to handle such menial tasks as reversing multi-generational gang culture, fixing transportation, and city planning, but I will credit Villaraigosa for starting fresh (amazingly, there remain councilmembers who support sinking more money into L.A. Bridges). That said, L.A. Bridges should not be swept under the rug. An audit and investigation are long overdue.

The cool dudes over at LAist have documented a successful journey down the L.A. River by kayak. The purpose was to prove that the river is navigable, and thus, a river that can be “revitalized.” Blogger Zach Behrens declares, “we need this river for the people!” but with special interest man Ed Reyes’ involvement, isn’t this akin to Tom LaBonge’s Griffith Park for the people?

Finally, Los Angeles Downtown News threw a party last week to celebrate the winners of its annual Best Of. Those in attendance included many of our favorites; LaBonge, Greuel, and Reyes. According to reports, a highlight came when Councilmember Jan Perry… well, just click for yourself.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Monday

Is Eric Garcetti on Barack Obama's short list for Vice Presidential candidates? Not likely but he joined City Controller Laura Chick at a rally to support the popular Presidential candidate.

The LA Downtown News has come out with their "80 in 08" list of people, projects and events that "will power Downtown this year." This blog was honored to be on that list under the category of "five blogs downtowners will visit frequently in 2008."

latinopoliticsblog.com questions the strategic wisdom of the Hillary Clinton campaign having Mayor Villaraigosa tag along in New Hampshire. More importantly - the blog drives home - why isn't the Mayor at home solving problems instead of playing Presidential politics out of state?

So much for "We Report You Decide" at Fox News. Maverick Republican Presidential Candidate Ron Paul has been bounced from their on-air debates as well as third party candidates. An activist group, rockthedebates.org is pressing to get pledges from the Democratic and Republican candidates to debate Libertarians, Greens and other third party candidates. So far Paul and Mike Huckabee have signed on; Barack Obama, Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney are opposed. What are they afraid of?

The one candidate who could take down the incumbent in the 35th Congressional District here in California. Ted Hayes has announced his candidacy for the seat currently held by Maxine Waters.

There's a slew of propositions on the ballot next month that deal with Indian Gaming with some tribes and their money on one side and some on the others and some of them lined up with horse tracks, all in the name of stopping competition. This all points to the fact that Indian Gaming has become a big scam and if we're going to have gambling in California, lets open up casino ownership to anyone.

Like many LA denizens, bloger Los Angelista finds lot of reasons to hate LA - including gangs, traffic and Mayor Villaraigosa - but every reason to love her own neighborhood.

We covered the story of the Disney Company turning NIMBY when someone wanted to build condos near Disneyland. Looks like Disney may have run the developer off with the threat of a ballot measure to shut them down.