Whistleblower hotline: (213) 785-6098
mayorsam@mayorsam.org

Monday, May 16, 2005

$30,686.15

moneyThat seems to be the going rate for a Democratic Mayor to get an endorsement from a Republican hack.

That's what Mayor Hahn PAID LA County Republican leader Doug Boyd for his support in this race, with the most recent payment being just a few days ago.

Edee Blevins, Director of Volunteer Management, for the LA County Republican Party has also received $5000 from the Hahn campaign. She was spanked by the local GOP for using their email system to support Hahn.

Whether Jimmy Hahn or Tony Villar wins tomorrow, following the elections, Mayor Sam is going to be like white on rice on our current local Republican leadership. We're going to take to task Doug's wife Linda Boyd - current RPLAC chair - as well as all the other tinhorns at the RPLAC for their utter mismanagement and failure to elect Republican candidates. And for allegedly offering some use of party resources to Democratic candidates for office.

It isn't going to be pretty. Stay tuned.

58 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said:

How desperate can you get? It's too late! All the negative posting won't compare to the top news stories of today. Antonio would have given David Avila probation cause he's soft on criminals.

JURY RECOMMENDS DEATH FOR CHILD KILLE
SANTA ANA, — A jury Monday decided a factory worker should get the death penalty for killing Samantha Runnion, a 5-year-old girl who was seized kicking and screaming outside her home in a case that stirred outrage and led to stronger efforts to rescue abducted children. Alejandro Avila, 30, was convicted last month of murder, kidnapping and sexual assault in the 2002 slaying.

The jury had a choice between the death penalty and life in prison without parole, and took about seven hours over two days to decide.

May 16, 2005 12:32 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Give the tape to tv media.

The tape just aired on KFWB. It's a tape of Villaraigosa and Meruelo... sort of incriminating, but ADV says "I can't do that for you" but still asks for help.

May 16, 2005 12:38 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Why can't people READ and post comments that only relate to the topic?

May 16, 2005 12:56 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Damn it, I just got another e-mail from John Kerry telling me to vote for Antonio. What the hell is he doing campaigning this hard for a candidate LAPD officers don't want. Can you imagine Antonio supports the very criminals LAPD want behind bars, gang members, child abusers and drug dealers. He allowed a major US drug dealer off who was caught with 800 lbs of cocaine. The media is forgetting that 30 black men are still doing time for that crime and Antonio forgot about the black guys. Word to South CEntral about that is spreading fast today I hear.

May 16, 2005 12:57 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Okay -- relate to topic:

Good for the GOP operatives for helping keep the more harmful, rabid leftist ADV out of office.

Three cheers for the GOP for being pragmatic (and earning some cash in the process).

That's the capitalist way. Socialists like ADV just do it under the table -- like with Murelo.

May 16, 2005 12:59 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Boy, here goes another topic, What happen? too much bad news for ADV that your have to change tracks? I just heard the news on KFWB ADV being exposed for what he really a loser!

Another votre for Hahn

May 16, 2005 1:03 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

I'm gonna have to go visiting the other political blogs... this one is ignoring all the real developments in the campaign, and just rehashing weeks old drivel.

Must be some REAL good news out there for Hahn is they're working so hard to hide out here.

May 16, 2005 1:05 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

ADV wants to get rid of the elephants at the zoo?? He can't even get rid of the 800-lb gorilla riding on his back -- NO CHARACTER.

May 16, 2005 1:10 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

This election can not end fast enough for me. In my opinion, this whole thing has been just horrible for the city, and has made us hate and distrust each other more than I'd previously even thought possible. I wish it'd ended in March.

Patrick Meighan
Venice, CA

May 16, 2005 1:22 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Jerome's blogging about Hahn's website theft on MyDD... check it out:

http://www.mydd.com

Hahn's campaign looks like a bunch of losers....

May 16, 2005 1:26 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

The Boyds are as incompetent and corrupt as Hahn, and both of them should step down immediately. They are a disgrace to our party. If they do not step down both of them will be tossed out very soon. Their conduct has completely embarassed the Los Angeles County Republican Party.

May 16, 2005 1:35 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

You mean ADV's campaign Are a bunch of losers....

May 16, 2005 1:36 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Previous poster, Hahn and his posse of clowns are less than 36 hours away from being completely embarassed! A sitting Mayor to lose re-election by 11-13 points? How humiliating!! Hahn has no one to blame but himself. He is too stupid, too corrupt and too lazy to handle being Mayor of LA. He has done nothing for the people of LA, and tomorrow the people are going to toss him out. Carrick and Kam have done a real disservice to Hahn by failing to articulate a vision. If I were Hahn I would demand a refund.

May 16, 2005 1:42 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Nice retort, 1:36... wow!

May 16, 2005 1:43 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

"Jerome's blogging about Hahn's website theft on MyDD..."

Fucking morons, its a public domain image from a county Website -- WE paid for it, COUNTY taxpayers!!!

May 16, 2005 1:57 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

"If I were Hahn I would demand a refund." said 1:42 p.m.

If YOU were Hahn I'd actually vote for that loser moron ADV.

But you're not...

Viva HAHN, Un Hombre de Su Palabra!

May 16, 2005 1:59 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

AGAIN, suddenly ALL the vapid, air-headed liberal democraps huddling close to keep ADV warm are SO embarrassed for the county GOP!

PLEASE!

May 16, 2005 2:00 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Not true, dumb ass... the Villaraigosa campaign created its own graphic, with its own text, its own look -- and the Hahn campaign stole the whole thing, as is.

I mean, at least you could have changed the font or something, so it didn't look as blatant! But totally uncool to just steal the identical thing and put it up front and center on your own website... stupid and lazy, plain & simple.

May 16, 2005 2:01 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

The tape I'm talking about is not Meruelo...that must be another one. The one that is going to air tonight is Villaraigosa and some of his staff in a definite incriminating situation. The Muruelo was not the one I heard.

May 16, 2005 2:07 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Ulysses, let's have lunch and talk about the website all day today, tomorrow and after the election. I'm sure you can find a nice cafe by your office to visit, right?

May 16, 2005 2:12 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Listen,

All of the Villaraigosa staff visit me for witchcraft, voodoo, and magic spells, I have a prediction for Tuesday. If you want to know the results AV staff email me at uwillose@mayoralelection.com

May 16, 2005 2:15 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Oh, Mayor Sam and Chief Parker, what have you done? Reached back from the other side to create an employment opportunity for professional pro-Hahn bloggers? Ugh!

May 16, 2005 2:18 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

So can anyone defend the Hahn campaign's online theft? Pretty lazy and pathetic to me...

May 16, 2005 2:22 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

No one cares about your stupid little alleged tape. No one. Literally, not one single voter in all of Los Angeles will be change his or her mind. Hahn is still going to get CRUSHED tomorrow because he is stupid, he is lazy and he is corrupt. Play your tape all you want. Loser.

May 16, 2005 2:23 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

I heard a different story on KFWB as well... two judges (one a former L.A. City Attorney but not Reiner.... both sounded Jewish ... before my time) attacking Hahn for letting violent spouses off the hook when he was city attorney.

cheap shot by ADV camp at the last minute.

i'm sure the husbands Hahn let off were facing bullshit trumped up charges anyway.

May 16, 2005 2:25 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

i'm sure the charges were trumped up. Hahn had the courage to stand up for fathers' rights while he was city attorney and while he worked in the office under Burt Pines. Is Burt Pines a judge now?

May 16, 2005 2:26 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

abusive spouses are among the criminals Hahn represented as a criminal defense lawyer.

he's a damn hypocrite. while he complains about ADV's (admittedly pathetic) support of the ACLU's challenge to gang injunctions, hahn was contributing to the ACLU and helping fund the lawsuit.

May 16, 2005 2:29 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Back to the original thread:

He got the Republican support for $30K?

Damn, he gave the ACLU $26K over three years and all he does is blast them.

May 16, 2005 2:31 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

On the stolen Web graphic: I work with the designer who made it specifically for Villaraigosa's site. Notice how the "CLICK HERE" font matches the other small-font labels on Villaraigosa's site. And notice how the graphic is missing a top blue border on Hahn's site; it's because it doesn't need one on Villaraigosa's site. And of course the colors match Villaraigosa's site. We take it as a flattering compliment from Hahn's Web team. =)

May 16, 2005 2:37 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Lazy? Well, well, the one whom has not done thier job IS ADV, The proof is in Cd 14 not in the pudding.

From a once supporter of AV. Now going to vote for Hahn.

May 16, 2005 2:38 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Anonymous : 2:23 PM
Speak for yourself. I want to know what's on that tape. As far as I know, I can vote until tomorrow evening.

May 16, 2005 2:50 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Antonio is going to "roll up his sleeves" and "bring people together" to "build a coalition" of support from "all parts of the city" (except CD 14) to have a "regional" approach to (fill in blank) (i.e., LAX, Gangs, Housing, etc.).

Of course I'm voting for him because he's got such a record of accomplishments as Chair of the Transportation committee and member of the Education committee.

BTW, under what context is it okay to vote against imposing a higher penalty for child abusers who kill the child?

Just tell me the context since the ADV lovers claim Hahn is taking the vote "out of context." The vote speaks for itself and just like the Vignali decision ADV has no real explanation for his actions.

May 16, 2005 2:53 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Type, type, type as hard as you possibly can, Hahn-lovers. If you type hard enough maybe Hahn will win. HA!

May 16, 2005 2:59 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Anything usable that is on tape would have been used by now so it would have at least 36 hours of life in the news cycle... and the FBI REFUSED TO CONFIRM that it is Hahn on the tape. Sure looks like Hahn, and the audio sounds like him, but not conclusive.

May 16, 2005 3:02 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

But it is conclusinve that the other two people at the table are Troy Edwards and Mark Abrams.

May 16, 2005 3:07 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

The District Attorney's office says it is NOT HAHN. They got the security surveillance tape from the restaurant. Otherwise, you are correct about Abrams and Edwards. #3 has his back to the camera.

May 16, 2005 3:10 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Cut the act, Fake GOP... you'e been exposed already. Government is going to "create wealth" under Tony V.

HA!!!!

May 16, 2005 4:30 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Yeah, ACE that fake ID out of the database, dude!

May 16, 2005 4:31 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Yeah, you said you were quitting Lincoln clubs anyway...

Yuck, yuck!

May 16, 2005 4:32 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

I know who Republican for AV is.

He is a Republican.

He is a Lincoln Club Member.

He is not a fake!

May 16, 2005 4:36 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Not by ANY modern definition... PLEASE. GOVERNMENT CREATES WEALTH??

Plays with Lincoln logs, maybe!

Nope, he tripped that booby trap BIG time.

May 16, 2005 5:08 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Lincoln logs, my ass!

Didn't you see today's Daily News editorial? It clearly points out that Villaraigosa has the Republican fiscal positions, not Hahn! Hahn raised trash taxes and sold out to the unions.

May 16, 2005 5:22 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Buy an endorsement. It just don't get no worse than that...

Hahn and Boyds shuold be drummed out of politics.

The electors will take care of one tomorrow; the others will take good Republicans to do the work.

May 16, 2005 5:46 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Your ass is right... because that's what your head is up if you believe ADV will follow any "position" except that one that leads TO the next position for HIM.

Do you know what his "positions" were in 2003 running for City Council.

1) I will not run for mayor, I will serve a full term... (enough said).

2) "12 homicides in CD14 in the first part of 2003 is TOO MANY -- it's the fault of the sitting councilmember. CD14 deserves better (me)." Two years late 16 HOMICIDES in the same period of time...

3) "Sitting councilmember (in 2003) has done some good things, but I'LL do MORE." He did FAR less by ANY measuring method...

4) "Budget cuts won't stop me from doing better, I have connections and can add funds from outside sources." Not ONLY not true, he spent $1 million LESS than he was allowed of the CITY budget within his district.

5) "I am committed to Open Space." Six major attempts to save open space by his constituents, totalling nearly 100 acres in heavily congested areas -- he was NO help whatsover; nearly ALL are now being overdeveloped, others are in limbo.

6) "My staff will be head and shoulders above the old CM's staff."
Constituents, including his OWN supporters dread dealing with his staff -- and THEY have alos been far less productive the previous staff by ANY measure.

7) "I will be there, and will ROLL UP MY SLEEVES" (yes, he said it then, too). He has been in his district, in his council seat during sessions, and in his committee assignments LESS than any other current councilmember. His absentee rate if higher the the NEXT THREE CM's in line behind that record.

8) "I will bring people together." He has torn people, communities and neighborhood councils apart. Two NCs in his district were the first to be threatened with decertification. Opposition to him a FAR greater and more poisonous that when he ran to unseat a relatively popular CM in 2003. His staff is abusives and unprofessional. He has rewarded campaign contributors with favors while snubbing others (there are ethics complaints on file -- at least a dozen at last count).

THAT is what becomes of ADV's positions.

It's ALL about his career... HE wants to be on the TOP, while screwing his constituents -- that's the ONLY position that counts in the end.

May 16, 2005 11:38 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

What about Flora being bought off by Playa Vista? Check out today's LA Times; Playa Vista is trying to buy the election for Flora!!! Another environment-hating developer for Flora! I didn't think it was possible, but it just got a lot dirtier in the gutter...

Westside Council Candidates Fighting to the End
Independent spending of $45,000 by Playa Vista officials touches off another skirmish.

By Steve Hymon, Times Staff Writer


Candidates for the Westside seat on the Los Angeles City Council spent their final day on the stump Monday trading barbs over the massive Playa Vista housing project, which has become symbolic in a campaign largely about development and traffic.

The latest exchange between the camps of Bill Rosendahl and Flora Gil Krisiloff ignited after three men with ties to the sprawling development south of Marina del Rey reported spending a total of $45,000 since Friday in support of Krisiloff, according to the city's Ethics Commission.

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The independent expenditures included $10,000 from Douglas Moreland, a Playa Vista senior vice president; $10,000 from Randy Johnson, the project's chief financial officer; and $25,000 from Robert Maguire, one of the original owners who is now involved with commercial property at Playa Vista.

The Ballona Wetlands Committee to Stop Playa Vista has spent $11,406 in support of Rosendahl.

An independent expenditure is money spent in support of a candidate by individuals or groups. Candidates are not allowed to coordinate such spending with donors.

The City Council last year approved Playa Vista's second phase, which includes 2,600 housing units, 175,000 square feet of office space and 150,000 square feet of retail.

Rosendahl has said he wants to slow down or stop the second phase. Krisiloff has said that she wants to see how litigation involving the phase is resolved before taking a stance.

"Playa Vista is trying to buy the election," said Mike Bonin, Rosendahl's campaign manager. "We've been trying to make clear for months now that there is a huge difference between the candidates on Playa Vista and this clearly underscores that Flora Gil Krisiloff is Playa Vista's choice."

Rick Taylor, Krisiloff's campaign consultant, said:

"This is a woman who developers feared the most in the town when she was on the Planning Commission because she held them up to a very high level. She's been a community activist for 20 years while [Rosendahl] has been representing special interests as a cable television lobbyist. He's trying to reinvent himself."

Playa Vista official Moreland said that he got tired of Rosendahl spreading misinformation about the development.

"I spent several years of my life working on Playa Vista and I believe it's great public policy for Los Angeles," he said. "I'm very proud of my work and I'm proud of this project, and I decided to stand up and defend it."

May 17, 2005 12:39 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Flora, the developer's lapdog. Kind of difficult to say you're against Playa Vista when they bankroll your campaign.

May 17, 2005 12:42 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

The developers are salivating right now, dreaming of Flora getting into office. Goodbye Wetlands, hello stucco!

May 17, 2005 12:43 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

"Flora's secret mission to destroy the environment" would be a more accurate headline...

May 17, 2005 12:45 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

One more lie by Flora: I am against Playa Vista and will protect the environment. Flora and Playa Vista, 2 peas in a pod, trying to destroy the 11th district, one strip mall at a time...

May 17, 2005 12:52 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Save Ballona From Flora!!!

May 17, 2005 12:52 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Isn't it nice to know that the next positon Antonio wants is U.S. Senator or Governor?

And, guess what? He can't win either unless he does a first rate job as Mayor of Los Angeles.

All he'd have to do is show up to out do Jimmy Hahn, "The Invisible Mayor".

But Antonio will do more; he will stop the divisiveness that plagues this city and bring it back to the days of Tom Bradley. Kum-bay-ah.

Viva Villaraigosa!

May 17, 2005 4:10 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

ADV FUNDRAISER REMOVED FROM COUNTY POSITION!

Campaign "Monkey Business" Moves Closer to Home...


County Removes 7-Year Chief of AIDS Program; The official says he was not given a reason for the decision, which comes after a probe of his fundraising for Villaraigosa.
By Jack Leonard
Times Staff Writer

May 17, 2005

Health officials said Monday that the embattled head of Los Angeles County's AIDS program will no longer run the office, which doles out $82.5 million a year in government funding to community prevention and treatment programs.

Department of Health Services officials declined to explain the removal of Charles L. "Chuck" Henry as director of the Office of AIDS Programs and Policy, a position he held for seven years.

Officials notified Henry's co-workers in a letter Friday that they were searching for a replacement to run the office but did not elaborate. Henry remains a county employee but his new role has yet to be determined, they said. Henry's attorney said his client had not been told why he was no longer director.

John F. Schunhoff, chief of operations at the public health agency and Henry's supervisor, acknowledged that Henry's departure came after a county investigation was completed last week into his role as a fundraiser for Los Angeles City Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa's mayoral campaign.

Schunhoff declined to make the results public, but a preliminary investigation two months ago found that Henry had solicited campaign contributions for Villaraigosa from community groups that receive funds from Henry's office.

County investigators also discovered a fundraising flier for a Villaraigosa event on Henry's office computer, according to a March 7 memo from the top attorney to the county Board of Supervisors. County officials are prohibited from campaigning at work or using county resources to do so.

Henry's attorney, Winston Kevin McKesson, said neither he nor Henry had been given the results of the county's investigation. He said that Henry had done nothing wrong in working for Villaraigosa's campaign.

"Everything he did was open, obvious and above board," McKesson said. "He built a brick wall between his position in the county and his volunteer efforts for Villaraigosa."

Henry was hired in 1998 amid growing accusations of mismanagement at the AIDS office, which county auditors had long criticized for failing to adequately monitor contracts worth millions of dollars.

As director, Henry was a polarizing figure in the county's tight-knit but often fractious world of HIV and AIDS treatment providers. Some lauded his abilities to increase the amount of money the county received in state and federal grants, which rose by nearly 25% under his watch. Others accused him of favoritism in the way his office distributed those funds.

One of Henry's most vocal critics was Michael Weinstein, president of AIDS Healthcare Foundation Inc., itself the subject of a critical county audit released Monday.

Auditors accused the nonprofit organization of overcharging the county $348,000 for services provided to AIDS patients at the group's Carl Bean House hospice in the West Adams neighborhood of Los Angeles. Health officials said they intend to ask Weinstein to reimburse the county.

Weinstein sharply disputed the audit's findings, saying that the county had long accepted his agency's billing practices. He accused Henry of prompting the audit in retaliation for Weinstein's outspoken criticism of him and said he would fight any attempt to force him to return the money.

"There's no question that we spent the money we got in caring for those patients," Weinstein said.

May 17, 2005 5:10 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Viva Hahn, Un Hombre de Su Palabra

The ONLY "hombre de su palabra" in this race.

Flunky previous said of Villaraigosa:

"And, guess what? He can't win either unless he does a first rate job as Mayor of Los Angeles."

Bogus, bogus... he did a HORRIBLY lousy job as city councilman and his toadies have continued to pronounce him next mayor.

Blind faith in this con-man knows no bounds!

Viva Hahn! Take Tony down before he "runs" up another $5 million campaign based on lies.

May 17, 2005 5:14 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

The natives are obviously restless on Mount Washington, Antiono Villaraigosa's home community for more than a decade. On the very EVE (coincidence) of a vote to make their "Lackluster" City Councilmember mayor of L.A., the largest homeowners group (the one not controlled by ADV supporters), issues a stern warning re: a local issue that definitely sounds like they are at least a little skeptical about Antonio's ability to "kiss the boo-boo away" if/when he becomes mayor - as he promised at a community meeting about the time of the L.A. primary. Is FAITH in local "chieftan" Villaraigosa crumbling all around his holy hill (and if so, is it any wonder -- these people's children would have attended the high school lost to one of Villaraigosa's camapign supporters under very suspicious circumstances).

Maybe they are coming to understand that when he says he "supports" something, Antonio speaks with "forked tongue?"

For immediate release:

May 16, 2005

MOUNT WASHINGTON HOMEOWNERS’ ALLIANCE REJECTS AUTRY MUSEUM OFFER TO EXPLORE “ALTERNATIVE” USES OF THE SOUTHWEST MUSEUM CAMPUS

Alliance Also Calls Upon The Southwest Museum Coalition To Consider An Autry Membership Boycott And An Autry Donor Education Project Until The Autry Makes An Appropriate Commitment To Operate The Southwest Museum

Today the Executive Committee of the Mount Washington Homeowners’; Alliance (“Alliance”), the largest community-based organization in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Mount Washington, issued a letter to the Board of Directors of the Autry National Center (“Autry”) communicating the Alliance general membership’s unanimous rejection of the Autry’s recent public declaration that it would move the Southwest Museum to a new $100 million building to be constructed in Griffith Park and commence a public input process to identify “alternative” uses for the Mount Washington campus of the Southwest Museum.

A few years ago, when the Southwest Museum was struggling financially, the Autry Museum of Western Heritage entered into negotiations to assume operations of the Southwest Museum and its priceless treasure trove of Native American artifacts and art. As part of the Merger Agreement eventually approved by the former Board of Directors of the Southwest Museum and the California Attorney General, the Autry agreed to prepare a Master Plan studying the two museums and their operation under the umbrella name of the “Autry National Center.” This study has never been prepared and released to the public yet in early March of 2005 the Autry announced that it had decided to build a new building for the Southwest Museum on taxpayer-owned land in Griffith Park next to the existing Museum of the American West. In its press release, the Autry also publicly announced that:

“The project will physically merge the multiple institutions that have come together in recent years to form the Autry National Center. A large portion of the Autry’s expansion will be dedicated to the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, quintupling the gallery space currently devoted to its world-class collection.”

The Autry’s press release indicated that other uses would be explored for the current campus of the Southwest Museum: “Los Angeles architect Brenda Levin and urban planner Fred Glick are exploring potential future uses of the 12-acre Mt. Washington campus. . . .”

Public response to the Autry’s announcement that it would “physically merge” the Museum of the American West and the Southwest Museum was met with universal condemnation by elected officials and the 75-member community-based Southwest Museum Coalition. A public meeting was held on March 30, 2005, attended by over 250 community residents and organizational representatives where a motion was adopted that until the Autry made a legally binding commitment to continue to operate the Southwest Museum on Mount Washington, it should be denied any further development permits to use taxpayer-owned lands in Griffith Park. In the context of these events, at the Alliance’s General Membership meeting on Monday, May 9, 2005, the organization considered and adopted all but one of four motions unanimously. The first motion was based upon the initial policy position taken on March 30, 2005 by the 75-member Southwest Museum Coalition. This motion called upon the Autry to make a legally binding commitment to operate the Southwest Museum as a condition of being allowed to construct any new facility in Griffith Park. Victoria Tanaka, President of the Alliance, observed: “The Coalition has sought for two years to work with the Autry and seek an amicable resolution of concerns about the Autry’s stewardship of the Southwest Museum and its collection. The current Autry plan to toss aside the nationally significant Southwest Museum campus and the investment of millions of dollars of taxpayer transportation funds to build a rail station at the Southwest Museum, without ever fulfilling its promise to conduct a Master Plan study of the entire Autry National Center, is unconscionable. We reluctantly found it necessary to ask our Coalition partners to take a stronger stand against the Autry’s current course.”

The Alliance put on the table three other strong responses to recent Autry actions. The second motion directed the Board of the Alliance to send a letter to the Autry rejecting any proposal to explore alternative uses for the Mount Washington campus of the Southwest Museum until a public input process on uses complementary to the Southwest Museum were first explored -- a promise made to the Alliance membership by the Autry’s CEO, John Gray, last year and never implemented by the Autry. The motion also called upon the Southwest Museum Coalition to work with elected officials to conduct an immediate public input process (with or without Autry cooperation) to identify uses complementary to the Southwest Museum location in order to enhance possible revenue streams to support the Southwest Museum location.

The third motion adopted by the membership of the Alliance called upon the Southwest Museum Coalition to obtain legal counsel and work with elected officials to ask the California Attorney General to open an investigation of the Autry’s fulfillment of promises made in the Merger Agreement with the former Board of the Southwest Museum. The California Attorney General has jurisdiction and enforcement authority over charitable organizations including museums such as the Autry.

The fourth motion, which passed with one opposed and three abstaining, called upon the Southwest Museum Coalition, in the absence of fulfillment of the Autry’s legal and moral obligations to the Southwest Museum, to commence a wide-spread Internet-based campaign to convince Autry members to boycott renewal of their memberships until the Autry makes proper legally binding commitments to the Southwest Museum. Furthermore, the motion called upon the Coalition to also use the Internet-based campaign to educate Autry donors of the substance of the wide-spread objections to the plan to “physically merge” the two museums and call upon such donors to withhold donations or further pledges to the Griffith Park building until there is a resolution of this dispute.

The Alliance’s letter to the Autry indicated that the Alliance would withhold urging the Southwest Museum Coalition to conduct a boycott and donor education program if the Autry offered some concrete commitment to satisfactorily resolve this controversy within the next 45 days.

- ### -

MOTIONS RELATING TO THE SOUTHWEST MUSEUM
Adopted May 9, 2005 General Membership Meeting Mount Washington Homeowners’ Alliance

1. Motion Urging The Autry National Center to Commit to Southwest Museum:

Having been entrusted with the Southwest Museum’s assets and priceless collection through a Merger Agreement with the former
Southwest Museum Board of Trustees in which Autry National Center made certain promises to the former Southwest Museum Board members and the California Attorney General, having been entrusted with a nationally historic building in which millions of state and local transportation funds have been expended to establish a Southwest Museum public rail station at its front door, and occupying taxpayer-owned public lands in Griffith Park free of charge for the Museum of the American West, the Autry National Center has both a legal and moral responsibility to maintain and revitalize the Southwest Museum’s Mount Washington home so that it will play as much of an integral role in the future cultural and economic development of Los Angeles as it did in the past.

The Mount Washington Homeowners’ Alliance joins the Southwest Museum Coalition and other organizations in urging that as a condition of being allowed to retain perpetual possession of the Southwest Museum collection and as a condition of a perpetual permit allowing the maintenance of (or new development of) Autry museum facilities in Griffith Park on lands owned by the taxpayers of the City of Los Angeles, the Board of the Autry National Center make a legally binding commitment for the perpetual maintenance and operation of Mount Washington’s Southwest Museum venue as a primary exhibition site of its collection.

Further, in addition to fulfilling all legal commitments contained in the Southwest Museum/Autry Western Heritage Museum Merger Agreement, the Alliance calls upon the Autry National Center to commit to a thorough programmatic study to determine how the Casa de Adobe and Southwest Museum may continue to be operated in a manner consistent with its founders’ vision, as a reflection of the cultural, historical and artistic heritage of the Southwest, of California, and of the City of Los Angeles.

2. Motion To Initiate The Public Input Process For The Museum In The Absence Of Any Process From The Autry National Center:

The Mount Washington Homeowners' Alliance calls upon and will support and assist the Southwest Museum Coalition and offices of elected officials to conduct one or more community meetings to solicit public input on other complementary uses for the Southwest Museum campus that are consistent with the continued operation of the Mount Washington campus as a primary exhibition location of the Southwest collection -- consistent with the vision and tradition of Charles Lummis, founder of the Southwest Museum. Furthermore the Alliance directs its Board to send a letter to the Autry National Center objecting to an Autry-sponsored public process that only explores alternative uses for the Mount Washington campus instead of carrying out the representations of Executive Director John Gray, made to the Alliance at a meeting last year, that the Autry would carry out a public input process to explore uses complementary to the Southwest Museum operation on Mount Washington.

3. Motion Calling For Enforcement Of The Southwest Museum - Autry Museum Merger Agreement:

The Mount Washington Homeowners' Alliance urges the Southwest Museum Coalition to retain expert legal counsel in non-profit organizations to investigate whether there has been or will soon be a breach of the Autry/Southwest Museum Merger Agreement. If such a breach has occurred or is imminent, the Southwest Museum Coalition is encouraged to work with elected officials to call upon the California Attorney General to open an investigation of the Autry National Center's compliance with the Merger Agreement and to take all appropriate enforcement actions necessary to obtain a legally binding commitment from the Autry National Center to maintain and operate the Southwest Museum in perpetuity as a condition of perpetual possession of the
Southwest Museum collection.

4. Call Upon The Southwest Museum Coalition To Organize An Autry Membership Boycott And Donor Education Drive:

The Mount Washington Homeowners' Alliance calls upon the Southwest Museum Coalition to organize an Internet-based lobbying campaign to spread across Los Angeles and California messages calling for members and donors of the Autry National Center to withhold renewal of memberships and condition any financial support of the Autry National Center's preservation of the Southwest Museum collection upon the Autry entering into a legally binding agreement with the California Attorney General to maintain and operate the Southwest Museum at the historic and culturally significant Mount Washington campus envisioned and constructed by the founder of the museum, Charles Lummis.

For more information:
Mark Kenyon (323) 227-6491
Daniel Wright (323) 223-4797
Victoria Tanaka (323) 223-0944

May 17, 2005 5:32 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Flora, once and for all, please stop the lies!!!

And Flora, leave Ballona alone!

May 17, 2005 6:08 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Playa Vista and Flora were made for each other, and both will be big losers after Rosendahl wins!!!

May 17, 2005 6:09 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Flora Gil Krisiloff, candidate for City Council, sold to the highest bidder!!!

May 17, 2005 6:10 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

I totally agree. Half the posts here are off topic. And I agree with Republicans against ADV. The LAGOP sold us Republicans out. We must get them out of Office for their political prostitution!!! $35,000! And Edee Blevins pocketed $5000. We have to act to ensure these betrayers are removed.

May 25, 2005 9:27 PM  

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