All posts by AriRuiz

Education Leaders respond to Osborn’s negative mailer in #AD50

Last week, I wrote about the negative attack mailer sent by Torie Osborn against incumbent Assemblywoman Betsy Butler on education and the state budget: http://santamonica.patch.com/b…

The mailer which aims to confuse voters, has sparked a response from education leaders and unions. Wait, a union supporting someone who caves to Republicans? Yes, that’s because Torie Osborn’s mailer is not telling the whole story. The state budget that Betsy voted for was the same one that every single Democrat voted including the only two Assembly members who support Torie (Julia Brownley* & Cathleen Galgiani). However, Torie only aims fire at Assemblywoman Betsy Butler, why? Because it is convenient for Torie to do and because it is election time! I agree, the Budget is a mess but it is not fair to attack and blame Betsy for it. She has only been there for a little over a year and California’s budget woes go back a long, long time.

Kathryn Lybarger, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299, which represents University of California workers, hits back in a written statement given to LA Weekly:

“The mischaracterization of Assemblywoman Butler’s support of education was taken right out of Karl Rove’s Republican playbook. This swift boat attack is false, misleading and says nothing about the fact that Republicans were responsible for the cuts in this budget and refused to let voters decide on additional revenues. Assemblywoman Butler has been the legislature’s top educations ally.”

Mitra Moassessi, president of the Santa Monica College Faculty Association who has endorsed Betsy Butler, told the LA Weekly:

“Assemblywoman Butler stood up to Republicans and voted to protect our community colleges from devastating cuts that would have denied access to thousands of students to community college. Her continued progressive stance on education funding is why Assemblywoman Butler is endorsed by the Santa Monica Community College Faculty.”

Allan Clark, president of California School Employees Association, adds,

“This attack on Assemblywoman Butler’s budget vote could not be farther from the truth. The Democratic budget was passed only after Republican leaders refused to put up one vote for a compromise budget, because the cuts weren’t big enough.”

The bigger question here (and not asked in Torie’s mailer) is this: Would Torie vote with Democrats (just like Betsy Butler) for Governor Brown’s budget or would she have joined the Republicans in opposing it?  According to Torie Osborn’s own press release given to the LA Weekly, she would have:

“If I’d been in the Assembly, I’d have stood up against these cuts and voted no.”

Democratic voters in the 50th Assembly District: The only Assemblymembers that voted “no” for the Democratic budget presented by Governor Brown were Assembly Republicans. Is Torie Osborn really telling this District that she would have joined Republican Assemblymembers and opposed the budget presented by Democratic Governor Jerry Brown? A fair question.

Meanwhile, education leaders continue to line up in support of Butler’s re-election campaign in the 50th Assembly District. California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, announced his endorsement of Assemblymember Betsy Butler a few months ago:

“We need leadership and commitment to education and Assemblymember Butler has demonstrated her ability to address the tough challenges our public schools face. Like me, Betsy wants to ensure that every child has a safe environment in which to learn and that our teachers and school professionals have the resources they need to effectively prepare our children for success in the 21st century.”

In addition to Tom Torlakson’s endorsement, Los Angeles Unified School Board Member Marguerite LaMotte has also endorsed Asm. Betsy Butler’s re-election campaign. And just recently, the Los Angeles Community College Trustees endorsed Asm. Betsy Butler in her re-election campaign for Assembly. You have a choice on June 5th, to re-elect a progressive champion to the Assembly or someone who will do and say anything to win an Assembly seat. I hope you vote for Betsy Butler.

*Assemblywoman Julia Brownley has dual endorsed Betsy Butler and Torie Osborn

http://santamonica.patch.com/b…

#AD50 Candidate Torie Osborn goes negative

The candidate that says “I’m not politics as usual” plays politics as usual. Irony?

If it wasn’t enough for Assembly Candidate Torie Osborn to stuff the homes of AD50 residents with 16 pages of non-recyclable paper in one day. She has decided that her best chance to win this race is to attack Betsy Butler by calling her a Republican. The same Betsy Butler who worked for President Bill Clinton. The same Betsy Butler who worked for Democratic Lt. Governor Leo McCarthy. The same Betsy Butler who is endorsed by the California Democratic Party and by the California League of Conservation Voters.

Torie Osborn then goes on to attack her record on funding Education. Betsy Butler was raised in a union household and understands the need to give kids the best opportunity possible in our schools. Betsy’s mom worked for years for the California Teachers Association and instilled in Betsy from a young age that Education was the most important solution for most of the world’s problems. Betsy has been fighting for Education since then and that is why LAUSD School Board Member Marguerite LaMotte, Los Angeles Community College Board Trustees Miguel Santiago, Steve Veres & Scott Svonkin support Betsy in AD50.

Read more here: http://ruizari.tumblr.com/

Planned Parenthood PAC endorses Assemblywoman Betsy Butler

Assemblymember Betsy Butler today announced the endorsement of Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project LA County Action Fund. As women and families continue to face cuts on health care and family planning funding, Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project LA County Action Fund is the organization leading efforts to ensure all women have access to affordable and quality reproductive choice.

“Assemblymember Butler is an extraordinary advocate for women and families throughout California. We know that with her leadership, women will always have a fighter who can deliver on her promises,” said Sue Dunlap, Executive Director, Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project LA County Action Fund.  “We have worked closely with Assemblymember Butler in her first term in the Assembly, as well as for decades prior to her service in elected office. We are honored to endorse her for re-election and look forward to continuing our partnership and effort to ensure women and families have access to affordable health care.

“Over the last two and a half decades, Assemblymember Butler has fought to protect reproductive rights and ensure equality for women on a number of issues, including pay equity, accessibility to healthcare, education and home, child and elder care. Betsy is a past President of the LA Westside Chapter of the National Women’s Political Caucus and is endorsed by NWPC California, as well as the Women’s Political Committee.

“As long as I am in elected office, I will guarantee that funding for women’s health and family planning will always be protected,” said Assemblymember Betsy Butler. “Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project LA County Action Fund impacts millions of women and families across California and I am honored to stand as their partner to ensure everyone has the care they need and deserve.”

Assemblymember Butler has focused on fighting for consumers, advocating for working families and protecting the environment. In the State Assembly, she serves on the Assembly Budget Committee, the Budget Sub Committee on Resources and Transportation, the Committees on Business and Professions; Education; Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media; and Rules.

http://ruizari.tumblr.com/post…

Vice-Chair Of The Congressional Progressive Caucus, Judy Chu, Endorses Betsy Butler For Assembly

The campaign to re-elect Assemblymember Betsy Butler to the California State Assembly today announced the support of Congresswoman Judy Chu and former Congresswoman Diane Watson.

You can read the full release at: http://ruizari.tumblr.com/Butl…

About Betsy:

Betsy currently is a board member of Equality California and previously served as President of the National Women’s Political Caucus (LA Westside Chapter), and as the Director of Development for Consumer Attorneys of California. Assemblymember Butler also has served as an appointed member of the California Film Commission, where she worked to keep the film industry as a driver of the state’s economy.