HOT Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Monday

As the Sanctuary Ciudad de Los Angeles City Clowncil Central Committee returns from its Thanksgiving Break manana, its first order of business will be to create an "Ad Hoc Committee on Immigration Affairs" as it joins with Mayor Eric "Gar-SOFT-ee" in seeking to preserve LA's Federal Funding ..........., while providing "Sanctuary" for Illegal Immigrants. 

"Mayor Gar-SOFT-ee" engaging in Verbal Gymnastics in regards to Sanctuary City Enforcement.

** Blogger's Notes: Great Monday after Thanksgiving as Angelinos can boast with pride (or bow heads in shame) that Cuidad de Los Angeles is indeed a Sanctuary City ..........., for self-serving Political Turkeys. The Gobblers that comprise the City Clowncil Central Committee, along with the Mayoral Tom-Tom known simply as "Gar-SOFT-ee", return to 200 Spring Street after its well-compensated break, focus on the singular goal of continuing its hypocritical need of preserving "SANCTUARY" .........., and receiving Federal Largess.

While the Californianista One Party Ruling Class continue to regurgitate racist pronouncements regarding the in-coming President-elect Donald Trump Administration, their Ciudad de Los Angeles City Clowncil Central Committee Comrades will surely approve manana, the creation of an "Ad Hoc Committee on Immigration Affairs", with re-election-seeking, CD 1 Clowncilman Gil "Broken Deal Cedillo" serving as Chairperson. 

But while many of those in the country illegally and residing in the supposed "Sanctuary Shadows" of Ciudad de Los Angeles, may find temporary solace in the actions of "Mayor Gar-SOFT-ee" and "City Clowncil Central Committee Members", we should advise the vast majority of those seeking a better tomorrow, that the paramount reason behind the Democrat/Californianista/Cuidad de Los Angeles Politco's Public Pronouncement, is continuing the flow of Federal Money .........., to continuing the exploitation of those "in the shadows", for their self- political preservation.

** The Resignation of LA-32 President and "Mayor Gar-SOFT-ee's" Crisis Team Volunteer Jennifer Markewych.   

Mayor Gar-SOFT-ee's Crisis Team Volunteer Jennifer Markewych (standing in front).

The latest "Disempowerment LA"/CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar-approved Presidente (and 100 proof-loving Frontperson, allegedly) of the LA-32 Neighborhood Council Jennifer "Hillary" Markewych, has joined her Chicago Friend Keith Survillas, in resigning from the supposed "Community Entity" ........, but not without casting allegations of financial misdeed against Treasurer Michelle Corzantes in a "Self-absorbed Pronouncement".

On a significantly more pragmatic note that should be of great concern to each of you, I assumed this position of President with a single, very clear stipulation, that there would be a competent, honest, professional treasurer. Although the Treasurer at times is very good at the position, there have been professional and ethical improprieties that I simply can not abide by. When we took office, I was operating under the impression that the grievance that we just defended in relation to the prior board was a one time misunderstanding. There have now been several instances during our term where the treasurer has acted unilaterally and without the approval of myself or the board. Two weeks ago, she contacted the Division Chief of the City Clerk's Office to deliver a harsh, unfair, and untrue criticism of our Funding Supervisor without contacting me, the Vice President, the Executive Committee or any of you. This was grossly unprofessional and a significant leap past the chain of command. After addressing those issues, I was then contacted this week by our Funding Supervisor who forwarded e-mails to me from the Treasurer. She deliberately submitted improperly filled out funding forms and flat out lied about my availability to sign these forms. There have been other instances where you all have raised questions to me about her "shopping" for events. She will not return my calls to discuss these issues, so I have no other recourse than to notify you of these actions. I simply will not take ultimate financial responsibility for an organization when a treasurer behaves in this fashion. How we handle our finances can have actual legitimate legal consequences and I simply can not tolerate this unpredictability. I am very sorry to have to share this information with you in this fashion.

Memo to Grayce ............, maybe the LA-32 NC needs a "Council for Councils Intervention"? To be continue.

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

Bloggin Happy Hour Musings on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Tuesday

Another Happy Hour Drink via Tony Villar.

Great Happy Hour Musings on the LA Political Machine for Tuesday. Join us as we tip the glass and enlighten you on these political items that may find their way into someone's decaff morning coffee in the A.M. ; ) --- Scott Johnson.

Former HACLA Official sentenced to 51 months in Prison.

Former HACLA employee Victor Taracena is heading to the Federal Pokey, who will be next?

From the LA Times .............

A former construction official with the Los Angeles housing authority has been sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for conspiring with his two brothers to steal more than $500,000 from the city agency.Victor Taracena, 41, was sentenced Monday after pleading guilty earlier this year to conspiracy in steering $527,000 to four dummy companies created by his two brothers, Diego and Bennett Taracena.The latter two Burbank brothers, who pleaded guilty and were each sentenced to 21 months imprisonment in June, paid kickbacks of nearly $107,000 to Victor Taracena. At least $30,000 of that money was wired to a bank account in Guatemala and some was used to buy property there, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.Victor Taracena worked at the housing authority from 2003 to 2007, managing the construction program for public housing units for disabled residents. The money steered to his brothers was supposed to go toward the installation of ramps and railings for low-income wheelchair users, but no work was actually performed, federal officials said.Housing authority officials said Tuesday the economic recession appears to have made their program a more tempting target for fraudsters. Tips about potential fraud (in past RAC boards for example?) have increased over the last year or so, and the authority has increased its number of investigators, according to Annie Kim, housing authority spokeswoman.

but what about the Taraceno's past alleged dealings with politically connected firms as noted below?

About the same time, Taracena began awarding larger contracts not only to family companies but to the three politically connected firms on the Eastside, each of which received payments of just less than $100,000.Representatives of two of the firms -- the Estrada Courts Residents Management Corp. and Grande Vista Associates -- denied any knowledge of rigged competitions. "I'm just happy that I got a contract," said Gustavo Valdivia, head of Grande Vista.

....... and who did Gustavo work for?


** The Sanctuary City (or growing democratic voting rolls) insanity continues at 200 N. Spring Street as a City Clowncil Central Sub-Committee votes to support morphing library cards, into a legal ID document for illegal alien members of the city's illegal, underworld class

** We are perplex why the "LA Weekjly Weedleaf of Record" is absence in reporting  on the alleged "pot for votes" controversy in last Saturday's Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council elections. But pot heads can stand reassure that the "Weedleaf of Record" will report promptly on the latest DEA visit to a pot shop in Downtown LA or Eagle Rock.

** The LA Street blog has the details on the influx of new Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council members after Saturday's election proceedings. Among the incumbents who were not reelected was ...

Area 2 (bordered by Marengo, Soto, First, and Indiana Streets) was the closest race between two candidates for a single seat with Sierra Jenkins winning by 2 votes (25-23). Jenkins beat Jose Aguilar, the former BHNC board president when the council was nearly decertified in March 2011.

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

Gavin Newsom futures fall sharply

thepartycow, Gavin Newsom, 18th November, 2005 (via Flickr)

San Francisco Chronicle:

The man charged with killing a father and two sons on a San Francisco street last month was one of the youths who benefited from the city's long-standing practice of shielding illegal immigrant juveniles who committed felonies from possible deportation, The Chronicle has learned.

Edwin Ramos, now 21, is being held on three counts of murder in the June 22 deaths of Tony Bologna, 48, and his sons Michael, 20, and Matthew, 16. They were shot near their home in the Excelsior district when Tony Bologna, driving home from a family picnic, briefly blocked the gunman's car from completing a left turn down a narrow street, police say.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom reportedly blames the N.R.A. for the killings. SFC

Special Order 40 Press Conference - Monday at 11 a.m.

There is a press conference tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. in front of Parker Center with the Mexican American Political Association (MAPA), Hermandad Mexicana Lationamericana (HML), the Labor Community Strategy Center (LCSC) and other civil and immigrant rights organizations. They are urging the Mayor of Los Angeles and the City Council to reject the Zine/Smith amendments to Special Order 40.

Click here for the full statement released by the groups; below is an abbreviated version by MAPA and HML National President, Nativo V. Lopez:

“The ‘tough on crime’ posture of many city leaders is fostering right wing, anti-immigrant forces in the region. It’s twisting the tragedy of violence in the streets and advancing policies that will weaken civil liberties and give the LAPD carte blanche to racially profile Chicanos, Latinos, immigrants and young people of color.

“I join others in calling upon Mayor Villaraigosa, the L.A. City Council and Chief Bratton to not only maintain Special Order 40 as written, but also to expand it. Los Angeles should be made to be a Sanctuary City for immigrants. While Mayor Villaraigosa’s 27 March letter to ICE concerning workplace raids is an important statement, we strongly oppose any open-ended invitation for ICE to crack down on so-called ‘immigrant criminals.’ It has been well documented that during the mass ‘anti-immigrant crime’ sweeps led by ICE last October, scores of people taken into custody were collateral arrests of immigrants innocent of any offense. As such, we collectively urge an unequivocal and sound rejection of the Zine/Smith motion, to assure all immigrants that they will not be targeted but rather protected inside the borders of the City of Los Angeles."

(Full Disclosure - I consult for both MAPA and HML.)

Official Negligence

The LAPD Chief’s New Clothes

Had our elected representatives an ounce of warm blood in their collective veins today, the story of Jamiel Shaw would have sent them scrambling for a microphone to be the first to beg for our forgiveness.

The cold-blooded murder of a true rising star—a kid who beat the odds of his own neighborhood, only to be gunned down by a foreign national with a domestic rap sheet—would not be tolerated in any other country, let alone world-class city. Sadly, leadership in Los Angeles is guided by a game of numbers, and in this instance, an ethno-political calculation that bleeds red ink.

If the mayor of Los Angeles is in town today, would someone please relay the news that there’s a crisis in his streets, on his watch?

Teeth and sanctuary

Jon Regardie in the DowntownNews has taken on the Mayor's inimitable smile before. But with this column, it's Regardie himself who's showing the teeth.

Thus, I have come up with a few personal ads that Villaraigosa might consider trying if he doesn't want to be solo in Los Angeles....

Those are all funny, and what a concept. But the Mayor's affair has not only complicated la vida loca at Sixth and Irving. It's also complicated his er, sweetheart affair with the Democratic Party.

And not only that, but as a Former Fishwrap of Record scribe pointed out this week (even if she did try to spin it as a "problem" for the GOP---m'am, it's no problem), the word "sanctuary" especially when coupled with the word "city" is becoming a dirty word in the Republican Party, and one suspects it will become one in national politics before long, if it isn't already.

Now who do you think the national GOP is ready to make the poster child of the sanctuary city movement? If the immigration debate that ignited the biggest sparks in the GOP debate last week proves so formidable that it starts attracting GOP interest, what kind of photo will Rudy or Mitt's ad people be looking for as photo-op gunpowder in 2008?



I said it before, here goes again, and regardless of your politics, you can admit it any time you like: "What sounds reactionary in Los Angeles sounds believable elsewhere." "Sanctuary Cities" are a great wedge issue for the GOP because people are actually are split over them in cities themselves...out there in the tules, it's not even a contest.

Dems had better face it now, or at least the sooner the better: sanctuary cities, fair or no, are revving up to be the Swift Boat issue of 2008.