The Final Furlong

Today was a good day for signature hunting. I need 500 qualified signatures and my total now stands at 663, just over the 650 I wanted, and that should give me a decent buffer should the City Clerk's office disqualify signatures for any reason.

Once again I was really encouraged by the kind words of support that so many of today's signatories gave me. It's only the early stages of my campaign, but I'm getting the impression that voters are hungry for a candidate that offers something different, honest and practical.



On the lighter side of things, Dennis Woodruff, a documentarian who has finally 'made it' stopped by my local Starbucks aka "temporary campaign HQ," and stuck a videocam in my face and interviewed me. Fame at last!



Dennis Woodruff is a familiar sight on the Hollywood trail, he used to drive around in bright red Cadillac plastered with signs, photos and Oscar statues as he brazenly promoted his movies. Seems like his determination has paid off.

My determination to be the next Los Angeles City Attorney is stronger than ever.

Getting Closer...

Yes! I'm now past the magic 500 signatures needed on my Petition to place my name on the Ballot for the March election. With four days left to submit my signed Petition to the City Clerk's Office, I'm planning on submitting around 650 to be safe.

You may wonder why it is necessary to 'overshoot' by so much? The answer is that despite the best intentions of those who enthusiastically sign my Petition, some signatories lack the penmanship necessary to pass the City Clerk's standards, while others don't print their name exactly as it appears on the Register of Electors.

Although I initially found the signature gathering process somewhat burdensome, I have come to enjoy the process. Some signatories simply sign because it's part of the democratic process, while others enjoy the opportunity to engage me in conversation about my policies. It is really encouraging to hear people get so enthusiastic about my candidacy when they hear what I have to say.




The goodwill and good wishes of so many people have strengthened my belief that Los Angelenos are ready for a change in the way their City has been run, and strengthened my resolve to be the person to bring that change.

Happy Thanksgiving

Today there are many things for which I am truly thankful;



In no particular order:

(o) Thank you to all the people who have been gracious enough to listen to me as I passionately explain my reasons for wanting to be your next City Attorney.

(o) Thank you Walter Moore for encouraging me to take this huge step towards my commitment to public service. You truly are a man with a vision and a plan for Los Angeles, and that plan resonated with me, as well as many other Los Angelenos who want to see the best city in the world live up to its potential.

(o) Thank you to the 517 registered Los Angeles voters who have already signed my petition. Thank you for your comments, positive and negative. I have listened and I have learnt. I know what you want and are entitled to expect from your City Attorney, and I intend to deliver.

(o) Thank you to the remaining Los Angelenos who I will be pestering for signatures over the next 5 days. I want to submit well over the minimum 500 signatures on my petition, because I not only want to be safe, but I actually enjoy listening to you and hearing your words of encouragement.

(o) Thank you Nigel Skeet at the CaliforniaLeader for documenting the birth of my campaign, and to Doug McIntyre, Bill Handel, Jon & Ken, Al Rantel, Leo Terell, and the many other talk radio hosts who have allowed me a forum to air my views over the years.

(o) Thank you to the United State of America, the greatest country in the world. Thank you for welcoming me here 19 years ago when I was an immigrant arriving at JFK in New York having finally been given Resident Alien status. Thank you for showing me hope and spirit of America - offering immigrants the chance of a better way of life; a chance to live free from oppression, snobbery and a class culture designed to preserve elitism. Most of all, thank you for giving me a chance to give something back to the community.

God Bless America, my home sweet home.

California Leader Covers Campaign

The online news magazine CaliforniaLeader.com has been covering my campaign.



Photo courtesy of Nigel Skeet, California Leader's ubiquitous photo journalist. The full article "Birth of a Campaign" makes for good reading, even if I say so myself!

Crime Fighter of The Year

Unlike every candidate for the Office of Los Angeles City Attorney, I'm the ONLY one who has actually prosecuted violent felons in the past 20 years.

Not only have I sent dangerous criminals to prison for lengthy terms, but I have introduced, passed and implemented laws designed to make communities safer.



My accomplishments as a prosector earned me a US Congressional "Crime Buster of the Year" Award - that's something NO OTHER CANDIDATE has ever even come close to achieving, and that's because they might talk the talk, but they've never walked the walk.

The Campaign Has Started

I'm meeting lots of interesting people who seem to like what I have to say.



In order for you, the voters of the City of Los Angeles, to get the chance to decide whether you want me to be your City Attorney, I have to get 500 signatures on my ballot petition by December 3, 2009.

Easy? Well, those 500 signatures have to be from people who live in the City of Los Angeles, and are registered voters. Those signatures also have to be legible, and backed up with a residential address and date of birth, otherwise the City Clerk will not count them.

Most people don't understand that what I'm doing in asking them for their signature, is simply part of the process demanded by the City Clerk's Office to get a candidate's name on the ballot.



"Why are you doing this?" is a question I'm constantly asked.

The answer is that I don't have a mega-dollar budget to pay people to do the work for me.

Neither do I have a hard core of party faithful, like my Democratic and Republican Party opponents, who will sign anything for "their" candidate.

All I have is my ability to connect with you, the voters, and get a few minutes of your time to convince you that signing the petition is essential f you want to get the chance to decide who is best suited for the Office of City Attorney.

Today is day 10 of my campaign. I have almost 500 signatures, but to be safe, I want to submit at least 700 to the City Clerk. So, if you do happen to see me campaigning outside a local Starbucks, I do hope you will sign my petition and ask me about what I will do as your City Attorney, and also please, please, please, ask me what I've done as a crime fighter.