Tag Archives: Bob Blumenfield

Garcetti, Greuel head to May LA Mayor Runoff

Mailer WarBlumenfield, Bonin win outright Council seats

by Brian Leubitz

The Los Angeles mayoral election went largely to expectations, as Eric Garcetti and Wendy Greuel won the top two spots and will head for the runoff. In other races, Mike Bonin won his seat outright, as did Asm. Bob Blumenfield. That, of course, means another vacancy in the Assembly and further erosion of the Democratic caucus until the seat can be filled. That being said, it was something of a scattershot night as the results rolled in.

Mike Feuer will face Carmen Trutanich in a run off for the City Attorney job, as Feuer was unable to get to the 50% mark. And unfortunately, Measure A, the sales tax increase for emergency and other critical city services did not pass. LA Democratic Party Chair Eric Bauman had this to say about it:

Unfortunately, the special interests have managed to twist the truth and defeat our efforts to save critically needed emergency and vital city services in Los Angeles.  The Los Angeles County Democratic Party will continue to stand up for Angelenos and fight back the special interests that have time and again impeded progress in Los Angeles.

If you’re in LA, expect to see many more commercials as the Mayoral contest continues in earnest.

Photo credit: flickr user waltarrrrr

Last Call for Four Republicans

(Please welcome the Assembly Budget Committee Chair, Bob Blumenfield. – promoted by Brian Leubitz)

PhotobucketEver since Governor Jerry Brown unveiled his responsible approach to solving the state’s budget deficit back in January, my Democratic colleagues and I have given Republican legislators in the Assembly and Senate opportunity after opportunity to step up and be part of a bipartisan solution.

With the constitutional deadline for passing the budget coming up on Wednesday, time is officially running out for Republicans to do the right thing.

Back in March we offered the Republican legislators the chance to join us in making tough but necessary cuts and reducing the deficit by approximately $14 billion. Most Republican legislators refused to vote for those cuts, even though they vociferously support the concept of cuts.

We offered Republican legislators the opportunity to support Governor Brown’s reasonable commitment that voters be given a say on extending some taxes to balance the difficult cuts that have already been made.  Republican legislators refused to allow that most basic tool of democracy to move forward-even when given the go ahead by the extremist  shock jocks they seem to listen to far more than they do their constituents.

Following the Governor’s May budget revision, Republican legislators were given yet another opportunity to get on board with a balanced approach, as the Assembly and Senate Budget Committees worked to put together our final budget proposals.  Again Republican legislators repeatedly said no, laughably circulating instead a fantasy “plan” in which the revenues they said would fill an $11 billion hole didn’t even come close.  It was a plan that would have resulted in huge deficits and borrowing.

Even though an uptick in revenues means our budget problem is less severe, we still need to extend some tax revenues to balance the budget and address our structural deficit.  But four Republicans – out of 43 – still need to step up and join Democrats if the balanced approach is to be approved.

Along with legislative Democrats, business leaders throughout the state support the Governor’s balanced approach. Law enforcement leaders throughout the state support the Governor’s approach. Educators throughout the state support the Governor’s balanced approach because it will prevent billions more in cuts to public schools. But still no realistic action from legislative Republicans.

The Assembly and Senate Budget Committees have just finalized a unified proposal for solving the budget deficit. Our proposal sticks to the blueprint the Governor provided in his May budget revision, with only slight differences regarding which areas of the state’s debt to pay down first, with the legislative proposal emphasizing paying back our schools.

This proposal solves the remaining $9.6 billion budget problem, and includes a $1 billion reserve. The proposal could also be amended to include agreements on a spending cap and pension changes as part of an overall package to be approved by voters at a future election.  That is IF Republican legislators were to sign on to exactly the kind of deal they’ve been saying they wanted all along.

If their consciences can’t compel our legislative Republican legislators to join in backing the balanced approach to solving the deficit, maybe the calendar can. Californians have made it clear repeatedly they want legislators to do our jobs and pass an on time budget.  Proposition 25 emphasized that belief last November.

So with June 15th almost upon us, now is the last chance Republican legislators will have to engage their backbones and support a balanced approach to the budget.

Democrats’ goal from Day One has been an on time budget that solves the problem and makes investments in jobs, schools and safety that will allow California to recover from the recession and thrive in the future.  And we continue to believe the best approach is the responsible balance of cuts and tax extensions put forward by the Governor.

While this weekend’s performance by Senate Republican legislators – more hyperpartisan rhetoric and political obstructionism – doesn’t inspire much hope, we do still have a handful of days left to come to a bipartisan agreement.  

Last year, Republican legislators’ intransigence held up the budget until October.  Thanks to the wisdom of the voters in passing Proposition 25 that won’t happen again this year.  It’s deadline time and the parade is getting ready to start. It’s time for Republican legislators to lead, follow or get out of the way.

Assemblymember Bob Blumenfield is chair of the Assembly Budget Committee.

Ethically Challenged??? The So-Called “Independent Expenditures” …

(This hit the LA Times today.  San Fernando Valley politics are weird and dynastic.  Blumenfield is getting money from his dad and his former boss Howard Berman; his campaign manager is Larry Levine, whose son Lloyd is running for state Senate; Lloyd’s former chief of staff is Stuart Waldman.  This doesn’t mean they’re bad people at all.  But there’s a dynastic feel to Valley politics that is unsettling.  Also this shows that the IE laws in this state are ridiculous. – promoted by David Dayen)

…for Bob Blumenfield,

With Love from His Dad and Current Employer, Congressman Howard Berman

Ignored by the mainstream media this Wednesday, the Fair Political Practices Commission complaint filed against “Valley Democrats for Change” by attorney, Nicole Kuklok-Waldman, is heating up the race in the 40th Assembly District. It entered cyberspace Thursday through the subscription-only website, Capital Morning Report.

What it appears to be, said an employee at the Secretary of State’s office, is another committee set up to circumvent California’s legal contribution limits.

Background. California law sets a contribution limit for state candidates for the legislature at $3600 per person. A candidate can use an unlimited amount of his or her PERSONAL funds. But, a relative cannot. Which brings us to the present situation. What’s a father to do???

Michael Blumenfield, the retired psychiatrist from Scarsdale, N.Y., who moved out to California to live across the street from his son, had already given the $3600 limit last year. So, legally, he could give no more.

Loophole. California has this nifty little device to get around those pesky “limits.” It’s called the “independent expenditure committee” with the operative word being INDEPENDENT. The deal is that someone can form this sort of committee and spend ALL they want. They just can’t coordinate with anyone in the campaign.

It seems that father Michael got together with his son’s present employer, Congressman Howard Berman, and opened up shop with this type of committee. The $50K seed money from him landed in the account on March 25th, just before the California Democratic State Convention, where son, Bob, would lose the party endorsement and make this committee all the more important.

Then a $5K chunk from Michael MacLeod, the Chairman of Public Interest Data in Washington DC rolled in on April 1st. This Michael chipped in another $5K May 8th. Is he a relative? From his website, we find he has a history as a fundraiser. From Newsmeat, we learn that he’s a contributor to the DCCC, Harry Reid, Howard Dean, Joe Lieberman and Hillary Clinton. But what IS his connection to this far away California Assembly candidate? Inquiring minds want to know.

Then more money from dad…another $50K…another $20K. That would be $116,400 OVER what is allowed by law. But, oh yes, this is an “independent” expenditure!!!  So, it gets to slip by the pathetically weak campaign finance rules.

The most surprising entry, however, has to be that MEGA contribution from Bob’s employer, Congressman Howard Berman. It could be said that Howard has raised a ton of money this year for his non-campaign….no opponents in the primary…not even one Republican willing to run against him in the general. All alone with his $914,233 and no campaign of his own.  Don’t you just WONDER why he’s collecting all that?

Well, wonder no more. There is the “independent expenditure” committee to funnel in a cool $100K. Bob is, after all, his own chief-of-staff. Well, officially “on leave” for now. But, what if Bob could get a seat in the Assembly and BE THERE when the reapportionment comes up after the next census? Wouldn’t that just be peachy keen!!!

Of course, we have to really IMAGINE that there is no coordination between the campaign and the father across the street and the employer of 18 years. This IS a stretch, but, hey, can we really IMAGINE THIS???

I guess the real test is when you see a television ad with footage of the family…the little daughter…the lovely wife…the CAMPAIGN LOGO…and three endorsements. And then there is the e-mail from the campaign:

Voters are calling us about a fun, new ad that began airing recently. Since

the ad wasn’t produced by us, we do not know when it airs.  Supporters found

it on YouTube.

Does this strain credibility or what? Get real.

I guess the FPPC may have to take a look at this now that the complaint was filed. And who was it that filed it??? Nicole Kuklok-Waldman, wife of Stuart Waldman, one of the opponents in this mid-San Fernando Valley race. Handy to have an attorney in the family.

But, do we have the pot calling the kettle black???

Seems Stuart has his own little “Independent Expenditure” committee cranking out the bucks for him too. This one is called the “CA Alliance for Progress and Education” (one wonders what KIND of education they had in mind when naming this as well as what KIND of progress). It’s been around a lot longer and has more candidates in the stable. One funder for this committee is Blue Shield of California to the tune of $25K—which goes to show you where SOME of the huge profits from health insurance go. Others have included the California Dental Association and the Californians for Civil Justice Reform. Total going to Stuart??? A cool $306,979.81 which he, of course, knows nothing about either. Money does make the political world go round. And this race is certainly starting to spin. Too bad the mainstream press isn’t covering local politics this year.

So, fellow Californians, are we ready to get off of this squirrel cage and demand some serious reform in this system? As it’s now arranged, the ethically challenged dive through these loopholes that were arranged there on purpose to fool the people into thinking that there really is some level of accountability, and there is NOT. Consider how often you have taken the time to really research where the money is coming from to buy the campaign propaganda that sells you your candidate each election. And next time the issue of public financing comes up, and it will, please make sure you aren’t fooled again by the corporate interests who fund the anti- campaign.

ETHICS IN OUR CANDIDATES–EITHER THEY HAVE THEM NOW OR NOT. THEY DON’T GROW THEM ONCE IN OFFICE.

For those of you who just HAVE to check this out yourself:

Through the Secretary of State’s website enter these in the cal-access search link:

Valley Democrats for Change, filer ID# 1305598

CA Alliance for Progress and Education ID#1283921

http://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/P…

shows the money flowing in from Bob’s employer and dad

http://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/C… .aspx?id=1305598&view=late3

shows it flowing out to the various tv commercials/media buys/envelopes and the 410 form listing the treasurers

http://www.strumwooch.com/prof…

This is the website for the treasurer, initially Beverly Palmer, and now Aimee Dudovitz. Both of them are associates. The main partner in the firm, Fredrich Woocher, is listed as the assistant treasurer.

http://www.stuartwaldman.com/C…

This is the complaint filed with the FPPC. The complete filing is linked under this page.

http://www.opensecrets.org/pol…

Howard’s current $ tally

http://www.youtube.com/user/va…

the Bob and family ads from youtube

http://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/C…

Stuart’s special friend committee

SD-03: Going to the floor

I do some web work for Mark Leno.


It’s not often that the 300 signatures are gathered to actually pull something off of the consent calendar, but it happens. What doesn’t happen is getting twice the number of required signatures. A few signatures over 600, in fact.

Tomorrow, Bill Clinton will be speaking to the convention, and Kamala Harris, SF’s DA, will be speaking on behalf of Obama. While I have great respect for the 42nd president of the United States, he is not known for being a timely gentleman. What time the platform, the SD-03 race, and the consent calendar will come up are pretty much all dependent upon when President Clinton shows up.

Tomorrow should be an exciting day for the San Francisco folks and the Clinton delegates. Should be fun.

UPDATE: From the comments, AD-40, Lloyd Levine’s (termed out, running for state senate) district, was also pulled from the consent calendar. Bob Blumenfield got the 60% required, but it will be going to the floor. Also competitive in that race are Laurette Healey & Stuart Waldman.