Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Wednesday

Bryan Stow with his children

"Democrat in all-Republican district has just won the Buffalo-area seat for Congress. Every Repub member of Congress just upchucked."~Michael Moore tweet

There has been a stunning upset in the NY congressional district 26, a Republican stronghold where Democrat Kathy Hochul has defeated Republican Jane Corwin in a special election. Hochul ran on a platform that railed against the GOP plans to gut Medicare, and it certainly paid off big yesterday.

Even more backlash against the GOP, after House Majority leader Eric Cantor refuses to allow aid to tornado devastated Joplin, Missouri, unless it is tied to spending cuts in other programs. Unbelievable.

The LAFD is owed almost $248 million, mostly in unpaid ambulance fees, and DOT is owed $213 million in unpaid traffic tickets. Those figures, along with other debt owed to the City was enough for the City Council to create the position of "Collection Czar" on Tuesday.

The family of Dodger Stadium beating victim, Bryan Stow, have filed suit against Dodger's owner Frank McCourt over the horrific violence that has left Bryan in a medically induced coma. The suit alleges that Frank's mismanagement of the Dodgers led directly to the attack against Bryan;

"Despite being the home-opener against the rival Giants, no security was present in the parking lot or by the areas where taxis were waiting. Moreover, the parking lot had inadequate lighting. The lack of security and inadequate lighting presented a perfect opportunity to commit a variety of crimes."

Michael Moore Goes To Wisconsin

 Michael Moore led a rally before tens of thousands of opponents to Gov Walker's union busting budget reform bill on Saturday in Madison. Moore marched with Madison Firefighters Local 311 to attend the event."You have awoken a sleeping giant, the working people" Moore said to the crowd.

“Never forget the three biggest lies of the past ten years, Number one: America is broke. Number two: there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Number three: the Packers can’t win the Super Bowl Without Brett Farve.”-Michael Moore

Michael also referred to the Budget Reform Bill as "the scam of the century" and pointed out that Four hundred of the very wealthiest Americans have more wealth than 155 million Americans on the other end of the scale combined. And yet it’s the teachers who need to sacrifice.

Recent polls are showing overwhelming disapproval of Gov Walker's attempt at dismantling unions as protests enter their 4th week.

More on why the public employee pension threat is a myth   (sorry, Paul Hatfield).

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Sunday

The Pasadena Star News reports on one of the reasons why Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was snubbed at the recent Democratic National Convention in Denver: the Obama campaign viewed him as being in the same league of another politician and philanderer, John Edwards. The News also slams the Mayor for turning his back on San Gabriel Valley transportation needs and the transit tax scam he and Zev Yaroslavsky are pushing for which will benefit the Westside but be paid for by the entire County.

Liberal blowhard filmmaker Michael Moore suggested that the likely landfall of Hurricane Gustav just prior to the start of the Republican National Convention was a sign that God favored the Democrats. Yes, Mike is a deep thinker. In the meantime, Republican nominees John McCain and Sarah Palin will be joining Mississippi Governor Hayley Barbour for a briefing from the state's emergency officials. The latest word from the Obama bin Biden campagin was that the Democratic nominee has no plans to visit the region but will give a phone call.

The annoucement of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate has proven succesful at least financially for presumptive Republican Presidential nominee John McCain. Friday, the day of the Palin selection, saw a one day total of nearly $7 million in contributions to the McCain campaign.

Michael Cohen writing at LA CityWatch disects the legal battle in last week's closing arguments in the case against Measure R, the shady term limits law in the City of Los Angeles. Cohen makes a good point that the court, should they hand a victory to the city and allow them to put measures on the ballot that cover multiple subjects, could be setting a bad precedent. Cohen rightly notes that the arrogance of City leaders in pushing this kind of fraud on the voters is what's helping to simmer a coming revolution against them such as Ron Kaye's Saving Los Angeles Project.

One of the best Britney Spears impersonators around is a man. Derrick Barry has been a professional Britney impersonator for five years and who was seeking to make the finals in the reality show America's Got Talent but was eliminated in the semi-finals when, according to Wikipedia, he failed to "wow" judge Piers Morgan.

Michael Moore Wants Obama-Kennedy

No not Ted Kennedy. Not Joe Kennedy. Not Robert Kennedy, Jr. Not Ted Kennedy, Jr. Not even Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. But former First Daughter Caroline Kennedy.

That's right the self-important, goofy liberal filmmaker Michael Moore is urging one-half of Barack Obama's VP search team to nominate herself.

Not sure what Michael had to eat tonight, but this is what he said:

This is the moment, Caroline. Seize it! And Barack, if you’re reading this, you probably know that she is far too humble and decent to nominate herself. So step up and surprise us again. Step up and be different than every politician we have witnessed in our lifetime. Keep the passion burning amongst the young people and others who have been energized by your unexpected, unpredicted, against-all-odds candidacy that has ignited and inspired a nation. Do it for all those reasons. Make Caroline Kennedy your VP. “Obama-Kennedy.” Wow, does that sound so cool.

You can read the rest of Moore's long ass, rambling screed here.

Congratulations, Arnold

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has placed eighth in the UK Telegraph’s list of 100 most influential U.S. liberals.

Leaving him off the conservative list was a difficult decision but Schwarzenegger’s defiance of Republican orthodoxy and move towards California liberalism leaves him better placed to influence the liberal sphere.

Arnold appears just behind Michael Moore and ahead of Oprah Winfrey. Curiously, there’s nary a mention of our own rising Democrat star, Antonio Villaraigosa.