Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa graciously ordered the city to rescind an eviction notice sent to South L.A.’s leading grassroots organization, SCOPE.  City Councilman Bernard Parks, who is also running for L.A. County Supervisor sought to have them evicted from a city-owned office because he believes the non-partisan organization worked against his candidacy.  Parks is so wrong on so many levels!

Let’s deal with this item by item.  First, as reported in the LA Times:  

• For eight years, [SCOPE] Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education’s headquarters has been at 1715 W. Florence Ave. in a 10,000-square-foot building under a $1-a-year lease negotiated with the city’s Department of General Services.

  Anthony Thigpenn, the group’s founder and president, said the nonprofit specializes in organizing residents around issues of employment, poverty and public policy.
  
  “We are audited and every year we receive a clean bill of health,” Thigpenn said. “It is nonpartisan and nonprofit.”

  But Thigpenn, a veteran of political campaigns, said he independently ran a field operation for an alliance of groups, including labor unions, that pumped millions of dollars into state Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas’ bid to defeat Parks and others in the June primary. He also worked on Villaraigosa’s 2001 bid for mayor.

Now to bring you up to speed, Parks fledgling campaign for County Supervisor is tearing apart from within.  Though he led in fundraising, popularity, Parks only managed a second-place finish to state Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas (who I support) in the June primary.  With the runoff election less than 40 days from now, Parks campaign is roughly $400,000 in debt, with very little cash on hand.  

There have been rumors of campaign infighting for weeks now and several of his top campaign aides resigned because they didn’t like Parks’ tactics and lack of leadership.  He appears to be headed for an embarrassing loss in November and is looking to blame any and everyone.

In the case of SCOPE, Parks is obviously abusing his power as City Councilman in an effort to harm those he perceives to be his political enemies.  Not sure if this activity violates law or city ethics but I do know it is reprehensible.

It is also a terrible move in the midst of a campaign.  I can see the campaign mailer now, with a headliner reading “Bernard Parks Tried to Evict South LA Group for Trying to Improve the Community.”

I must admit my general disdain for Councilman Parks.  Though he is an African American Democrat whom represents South Central, he is possibly the most conservative member of the L.A. City Council.  He’s voted against Living Wages, has blocked affordable housing projects in his district and generally opposes the economic justice agenda of the progressive labor movement.  In short, his political philosophy does not match the needs of his constituents.

While his actions against SCOPE are shocking, they are not totally surprising.  Let this be an example to all communities who elect politicians solely based on popularity and sympathy.  

Parks was elected to his council seat after being fired from his job as Chief of the LAPD.  His campaign at that time was one of appearances and adulation.  His political positions were never discussed and many African American voters, disappointed with his firing saw his election as get back.   South LA has suffered under his non-leadership ever since.

Grant all credit to the work of Anthony Thigpenn, SCOPE and especially Mayor Villaraigosa who work diligently to improve the quality of life for many Los Angelinos.

(cross-posted at Courage Campaign)