Who Said "I Am Not A Crook"

Weiss Campaign Has Lost The Media

Saturday, May 15, 2009

As the days to the election dwindle down in the single digits, the press has been ablaze with reports of Jack Weiss-related misconduct, deception and negativity.

Today's LA Times carries two interesting articles:

David Zahniser digs deeper into Jack Weiss's illegal fundraiser in "Former L.A. pension board member may have broken ethics law."

Maeve Reston debunks some of the lies in Jack Weiss's ads in "Analyzing the facts in city attorney's race ads."

Earlier in the week, Sherri Okamoto's article in the Metropolitan News Enterprise "Zine Joins Attorneys’ Call for Investigation of Weiss’ Campaign Fundraising" discussed calls for an investigation into Jack Weiss's illegal fundraising.

The LA Weekly's article; "Bill Bratton's Endorsement Spectacle" is sharply critical of Chief Bratton's 'no-brainer' endorsement' of Jack Weiss and the unsavory nature of the Weiss-Villaraigosa machine.

Perhaps "Article of the Week" award should go to Roger Grace at the Metropolitan News Enterprise for: "Jack Weiss’s Campaign Approach Is Affront to the Legal Profession."


If "Article of the Week" goes to the Metropolitan News Enterprise, the Emmy goes to FOX 11 News reporter John Schwada.

Amid John Schwada's reportage of shenanigans with various Los Angeles pensions board appointees and advisors, Jack Weiss's got an unexpected visit from Schwada.


Weiss looked completely like a deer in the headlights when confronted by poor choices with his fundraising activities. The significant part of the story is Weiss's initial flat out lie when he tries to pretend that this was the first time he was made aware of the matter. Please CLICK HERE to see Jack Weiss trying to fool us on broadcast television.

I have just learned that the Sunday LA Times will carry an Editorial that will be sharply critical of Jack Weiss and may go as far as to call him "unfit" for the position of City Attorney.

What does all this mean?

There are voters who only know Jack Weiss because his name has been around Los Angeles politics for 8 years. This week's media attention will make them realize that they recognize the name "Weiss" for the same reason that they recognize the name "Blagojevich."

Averill 'Ace' Smith, Jack Weiss's strategist and architect of the dirtiest of campaigns, might now be ruing what he believed was Jack Weiss's strongest asset; "name recognition." The problem for Smith and Jack Weiss is that name recognition is a double edged sword.

The Weiss name has only been recognizable in this critical week because of his alleged involvement in illegal fundraising. That, in turn, has revealed his appalling record of arrogance, disregard for residents, affinity with special interests, and absences from City Hall.

The importance of getting out to vote and getting others to do the same has never been more important in our city's history. If you want to save Los Angeles from the clutches of someone who is in my opinion a morally corrupt politician, then share this week's news with as many of your friends, family and co-workers as possible.

They don't have to take my word for it, they don't have to take your word for it, just tell them to use the linked media reports above and form their own opinions.

Those who have truly known Jack Weiss because of his disservice to the community that elected him, as opposed to his service to the 'community' that pays him, will only breathe a sigh of relief when the last vote is counted and Weiss's political career is over.

Fox 11 News - John Schwada Nails Weiss in Lie

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

In case you don't have time to read the detailed report into Jack Weiss's fundraiser hosted by a convicted felon (see below), here's Fox 11's investigative report by John Schwada.

The really enjoyable part is at the begining where Weiss tries to lie his way out of the entire interview by saying "It's the first I've heard about it."



The look on Weiss's face tells the whole story; Weiss is caught red handed and doesn't know where to go. You also get to see the really nasty side of this arrogant failed politician.

It's not hard to understand why Weiss is so roundly hated and despised by everyone who knows him.

Weiss Lies About Attending Fundraiser Hosted By Convicted Felon

Monday, May 11, 2009
More Jack Weiss Hypocrisy - Jack Attends Felon Fundraiser

Not content with holding an illegal fundraiser to bolster his failing campaign to become Los Angeles's next City Attorney, City Hall's 'Teflon Don,' Jack Weiss decided to do his fundraising at the home of convicted felon Michael Gottmann Rosenberg (54), on Sunday, May 3, 2009.

A pair of Jaguar sedans and a brand new Lexus grace the driveway of Rosenberg's $4M South Rimpau Blvd. home in L.A.'s exclusive Hancock Park neighborhood.


It was here, on Sunday, May 3, 2009, that Jack Weiss was rubbing shoulders with with Rosenberg and his guests to collect campaign contributions.


Court records show that on November 15, 1995, Rosenberg was convicted of a massive health industry fraud involving his operation of elder care and drug treatment facilities known as Walnut Convalescent Hospital, Convalescent Care Center, Hope House (also known as Merit Manor and Citi Lodge .

Rosenberg was sentenced to time behind bars and 5 years felony probation by the Judge who also issued an order that Rosenberg was "not to seek employment in the nursing-home or health-care industry."

Rosenberg opened his home to Weiss on Sunday to help Weiss raising money for his campaign. Weiss attended and must have thanked his host for his "support." Weiss, a former prosecutor must have known of Rosenberg's criminal past, but he must also have assumed that so close to the election, nobody would find out until it was too late.

Weiss was wrong. Very wrong.

Tonight Fox 11 News reporter John Schwada broke the story in the 10:00pm news. Weiss was visibly horrified at being confronted with the facts about his questionable fundraising.


Weiss tried to pretend that he did not know anything about it, but when Schwada told him that his campaign was aware of the 'problem' last Wednesday, Weiss changed his story and said he would be returning the money.

You can take that statement with a pinch of salt. Weiss was supposed to return funds from the illegal Beverly Hills fundraiser he held on Monday, April 27. But Weiss's campaign finance report dated May 2, 2009, failed to disclose any returned contributions.

The day after Weiss's campaign finance report was filed, Weiss went to the Hancock Park Felon Fundraiser, and today's promise to return those funds as well is just political hyperbole - a lie.

Jack Weiss has built his campaign on attacking Carmen Trutanich for being an attorney who defends criminals. Yet Weiss has no problem breaking the law himself to raise money, neither does he have a problem taking money from a convicted criminal. In return for what, you may rightly ask?

Court records show that Rosenberg was defended by two private attorneys, R. Tallcott, Esq., and J. P. Martin, Esq. I assume Weiss did not take campaign contributions from them, but with Jack it's all about "Listen to what I say, but don't look at what I do."

Thanks to the internet and modern technology, Jack's lies are failing to work and the truth is coming out.

Not a moment too soon.

Jack Weiss Picks Up Major Endorsement

Sunday, May 10, 2009

With the polls for Carmen Trutanich and Jack Weiss "too close to call" a week and change before the May 19 election to see who will be our next City Attorney, the Weiss Campaign have released their bombshell secret weapon; an endorsement from former candidate Noel Weiss.

Just take a moment to see what Noel had to say on the topic of his new BFF, Jack Weiss.



If the video does not play in the window above, use this link to view it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRkRecemaks

Weiss Tries To Cover Up Evidence of Illegal Fundraiser

Friday, May 8, 2009

The saga of Jack Weiss's Illegal Fundraiser continues as it now appears that Weiss has not returned the illegal donations he received as a result of his illegal Beverly Hills fundraiser held on Monday, April 27, 2009.

The invitation to the exclusive, but illegal fundraiser

The LA Times reported that Weiss "...Will give back roughly $20,000 raised from Monday's event" said his campaign consultant Ace Smith.

Weiss spokesperson Ace Smith (72)

According to City Election law, Weiss has to report all contributions received as well as those returned to the City Ethics Commission.

According to the most recent Campaign Finance Report submitted by the embattled Weiss campaign, NO CONTRIBUTIONS WERE RETURNED WHATSOEVER.

Interestingly, no contributions were reported as being received from Daphna or Richard Ziman, owners of the secluded mansion where the illegal fundraiser was held. This fact leaves one to wonder whether the Weiss campaign are illegally withholding details of all the illegal campaign donations they received at the Ziman's residence.

Crime Scene; the Ziman's $16M Beverly Hills home

The fundraiser was illegal because it was co-hosted by a City appointee, Kelly Candaele, who resigned within 4 hours of the Mayor's Office being questioned about the illegal activity. Under Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 49.7.8, a city appointee may not engage in political fundraising.

Weiss is, of course, no stranger to failures to return illegal campaign contributions. Weiss has still not returned the money-laundered campaign contributions he received from developer Alan Casden's employees and associates.

Complaints into Weiss's illegal conduct have been submitted to the District Attorney's Office, as well as to the City Ethics Commission.

With less than 2 weeks to the May 19, 2009 election, Weiss must be praying that the attempts to cover up his illegal conduct continue to deflect media attention.

4 Candidates Debates before Election

Here are the details of remaining debates scheduled to take place before the May 19, General Election:

Wednesday, April 22, 2009
The Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters
Doors open at 5:30pm for the 6:30pm debate at the Westside Jewish Community Center at 5870 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles 90036 (about 4 blocks east of Fairfax).
To attend, one must send a request for no more than 2 tickets for to: info@lalcv.org
Be sure to give the names of the two attendees. For more information Click Here.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009
National Center for the Preservation of Democracy
6:30 PM Reception for 7:00 PM Debate and Audience Q&A
111 N. Central Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tickets $20, call 213.628.8141 or
www.townhall-la.org/programs/register/1282.

Thursday, April 30, 2009
Neighborhood Councils of the Westside
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Skirball Center - Magnin Auditorium
2701 North Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049
More Info/Tickets: 430tix@gmail.com or call (310) 427-7166

Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Westside Homeowners Associations
7:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Temple Isaiah
10345 W Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90064
Limited seating, RSVP and confirmation required. RSVP to Forum@Tract7260.Org

Weiss Evades Questions in South LA Debate

Saturday, April 18, 2009
The Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable again hosted a City Attorney Candidates Forum at the Lucie Florence Coffeehouse in Leimert Park. The difference this time, was that Jack Weiss had to attend.

Previously Weiss dodged debates hoping to avoid awkward questions not about his relationship with property developers who funneled illegal campaign contributions to him, but a slew of other issues that led to the recall effort in 2007.


Today, however, Weiss cannot dodge the debates and he has to face a real opponent; Carmen Trutanich. Saturday morning's debate was typical of the previous two debates between Trutanich and Weiss; Weiss refuses to answer questions and instead asks Carmen Trutanich to "tell us your client list."

The South Los Angeles audience, however, see through the Weiss facade when both candidates are asked a really straightforward question "Tell us something about your background?" a question seemingly designed to gauge how candidates relate to issues that effect the regular folks of Los Angeles.

Trutanich answered that he was the son of immigrant parents, he worked at the tuna canning factory in San Pedro where his father worked to pay his way through further education. In other words, he comes from an obviously working class background.

Weiss declined to answer the question. Weiss, of course, is the paradigm of privilege. Born into wealth on the fashionable westside of Los Angeles, Weiss not only benefited from wealthy professional parents, but also from his marriage to a trust fund heiress. Weiss certainly cannot afford his $3M Bel Air home on even a City Councilmember's salary, so it was hardly surprising that Weiss chose to dodge the question.

Click here to read the Los Angeles Times report on Saturday's debate, and credit for the photo reproduced here goes to Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times.

So far, the Weiss campaign have tried to pack the audience with young, loud supporters. I do not encourage anyone to be disruptive or discourteous, however, I do believe that if there is a strong presence of people who are more interested in hearing candidates answer questions than simply listening to evasive political platitudes, the rowdy element will be kept at bay.

I therefore urge you all to make the effort to attend as many of the debates as possible.

Here are the details of remaining debates scheduled to take place before the May 19, General Election:

Wednesday, April 22, 2009
The Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters
Doors open at 5:30pm for the 6:30pm debate at the Westside Jewish Community Center at 5870 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles 90036 (about 4 blocks east of Fairfax).
To attend, one must send a request for no more than 2 tickets for to: info@lalcv.org
Be sure to give the names of the two attendees. For more information Click Here.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009
National Center for the Preservation of Democracy
6:30 PM Reception for 7:00 PM Debate and Audience Q&A
111 N. Central Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tickets $20, call 213.628.8141 or
www.townhall-la.org/programs/register/1282.

Thursday, April 30, 2009
Neighborhood Councils of the Westside
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Skirball Center - Magnin Auditorium
2701 North Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049
More Info/Tickets: 430tix@gmail.com or call (310) 427-7166

Voters Call Jack Weiss on Missing 33% of Council Meetings and 1500 Votes

Many thanks to the Mayor Sam Blog for reporting the following:

Jack Weiss' poor attendance at Council Meetings was reported months ago by Zuma Dogg. But now it's gathering steam as a respected group of his constituents call him on the carpet.

The La Brea Willoughby Coalition has filed a Public Records Act request with Councilmember Jack Weiss’ office after learning that he has missed over one third of all Council meetings and 1,500 votes. The document requests immediate access to inspect Weiss’ calendar, correspondences and all other documents that may explain his whereabouts during those important votes.

Leader of the La Brea Willoughby Coalition, Lucille Saunders, states, “I am deeply disturbed to learn that you have neglected your role as a Councilmember in keeping our community safe by missing nearly one third of your council meetings and skipping 1,500 votes…[and] you have canceled an astonishing total of 43 Public Safety Committee hearings.”

Saunders, questions Weiss’ commitment to public safety by asking, “What possibly could you be doing that is more important than the public safety of the citizens of Los Angeles?”

Jack Weiss was nearly recalled last year when over twenty thousand residents of his district signed a petition and complained that his neglect of his duties and his support for developers had led to traffic and overcrowding. Weiss received hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from lobbyists and developers — and then voted for their projects. Weiss was fined by the Los Angeles Ethics Commission for past campaigns and has refused to return illegal, laundered campaign contributions from a major developer.

Weiss Forced To Retract Lie On Campaign Website

Saturday, April 4, 2009

It's the first debate in the City Attorney run-off election race, and already Jack Weiss has blotted his copybook with a lie that he was forced to retract.


The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Jack Weiss was forced to remove the headline he inserted over the LA Times' report of the debate. Jack Weiss's headline read ’’Jack Weiss Wins First Debate,’’ however the Times article was entitled ''City attorney candidates trade some pointed jabs.''

It's hardy surprising that Jack Weiss tried to misrepresent himself as the 'winner' of the debate. After all, the debate did not go to plan, at least not the Weiss plan.

Even before the debate started, Weiss had placed a large inflatable rat outside the hall. The rat was named 'Tru' and a sign accused Carmen Trutanich of being anti-union. Regardless of the fact that the issue of unionization is irrelevant to the City Attorney race, the cheap shot was harbinger of the 'Weiss plan' for the day.

Weiss had recently courted the Los Angeles County Young Democrats and the Bruin Democrats as partisan supporters for his campaign. Judging by the otherwise inexplicable number of young people holding pro-Weiss signs, LACYD (and the rat) were there to cheer for Weiss without regard for whatever Weiss said.

Once the debate got underway, however, the pro-Weiss cheers appeared to fade as Carmen Trutanich deftly countered Weiss's "Vote for my opponent if you like guns" attacks.

Weiss made frequent reference to the recent acts of gun violence in Oakland and New York, to promote himself as the anti-gun candidate. However, Trutanich countered with the fact the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the LAPD Union, had endorsed Trutanich the day after the New York massacre and well past the slaying of four Oakland police officers. Clearly the 10,000 officers on the streets of Los Angeles feel more comfortable with Trutanich than Weiss.

Trutanich's responses were deft because they laid open Weiss's woeful record. There was a palpable hush in the crowded meeting room when Trutanich revealed Weiss's lack of experience; When Trutanich stated that Weiss had only conducted 2 jury trials in his entire career, Weiss did not dispute that fact even though Weiss previously claimed to have tried 'about 8' jury trials. The "Go Jack Weiss" signs remained still as their holders pondered the record of their hero; Weiss the self proclaimed 'experienced prosecutor.'


Yet more damning evidence of Weiss's inadequacies were visited on the LACYD when Weiss challenged Trutanich's claim that he (Weiss) had been absent from 33% of City Hall meetings.

Weiss said that Trutanich was wrong and should check his facts. Trutanich then produced a print-out of Weiss's attendance at City Hall meetings, including the Public Safety Committee that Weiss chairs. Trutanich offered Weiss a pair of reading glasses and suggested Weiss look at the figures. Oh, and Trutanich also apologized for being wrong on the figures; Weiss was absent 38% of the time, not 33%!



Weiss can hardly claim to have won the debate, unless he considers having his own supporters starting to have doubts a victory. Oh, and the rat? Most of the regular attendees at the LA Coalition of Neighborhood Councils thought the inflatable rodent more akin to Weiss - full of hot air.



The fact that Weiss now has to resort to 'Big Lie' tactics to try to convince the uninformed of the merits of his candidacy underlies the weakness of his candidacy. The real problem for Weiss is just as much his lack of experience as it is that Carmen Trutanich seems to have the facts at his fingertips to not only challenge but refute Weiss's claim to be 'the experienced prosecutor.' Indeed, Trutanich's claim that Weiss is a 'novice' went substantively unchallenged.

Weiss Lies?

After receiving a drubbing in the March 3, 2009 Primary Election, Jack Weiss launched his campaign for the May 19 General Election at a fundraiser hosted by the Los Angeles County Young Democrats.

Weiss's pitch to the audience centered around his representation of their values. Seemingly none of the audience were aware of Weiss's actual values.

See the video to gain a little insight to those values...



I wonder how much support for Jack's campaign will continue to crumble now that more and more voters are becoming aware of dirty tricks like this? Are dirty tricks the 'values' that Jack claims to share with the Democrats?

We'll get the answer on May 19, 2009 when Carmen Trutanich is elected to the Office of City Attorney, and Jack Weiss is left to actually get a job. Now that'll be an interesting experience for the career politician won't it? Perhaps he'll become a lobbyist - after all, it seems to be the only occupation in which he's had any experience; well that and dirty tricks!

Election Results - Live as they come in

KABC 790AM will be covering the election.

The City Clerk's Office website will have results updated every 20 minutes starting at 8PM

Here's the link

http://cityclerk.lacity.org/election/

VOTE!

A picture paints a thousand words, so what more should I say?

News from the Campaign Trail

Tuesday, Westchester Neighborgood Council

With two weeks to go to Election day, I'm busy attending as many public meetings as possible. Often these meetings go on late into the night, but a couple of things impress me; Ordinary people care enough to come out and see the candidates, and my message - that they can kick out the career politicians and elect real people to do the job, is resonating.

You can see all the places I will be visiting on my website. Hope to see you there!

Happy New Year!

To all my supporters in the Chinese community, I too welcome the Year of the OxPeople born in the Year of the Ox are patient, speak little, and inspire confidence in others. I think I will need all those qualities for this campaign!

KPCC 89.3FM To Interview Candidates

A producer for National Public Radio station KPCC has invited me to participate in a live radio "candidates forum."

Larry Mantle the dynamic host of "Airtalk," a mid-morning current affairs program, will chair the debate.

I will post an update with the date of the broadcast as soon as it confirmed.

Sunday's Yard Signs

Yard signs are going faster than I can get them!

Perhaps it's got something to do with the campaign logo - some think it reminds them of a recent campaign....

I've asked people to send me digital photos of the "planted" signs, and here are a few of the ones I've received;











If you would like a campaign Yard Sign, please go to my website and send me an email. I'll find a way to get one to you.

CD5 Coalition Homeowners Associations rates me "Excellent"

On Saturday morning, January 10, 2009, the Coalition of Homeowners Associations for Council District 5 held a Candidates Forum for all five City Attorney candidates. I was rated "Excellent."

The forum consisted of an intense two-hour series of questions designed to probe candidates' qualifications, ethics and stance on issues. The goal was to find the optimal candidate who will fairly represent the concerns of homeowners.

Pictured above and below, from left to right are; Michael Amerian, David Berger, Carmen Trutanich, and Noel Weiss.
My thanks go to Marcia Selz for hosting the forum and to my fellow candidates for showing up and making for what was a lively and informative forum.

By the way, candidate Jack Weiss refused to attend. He was probably scared at having to face me in an open forum where I could fairly challenge him over his lack of ethics in receiving and keeping money-laundered illegal campaign contributions.

Protect Yourself - You Won't Hear About This In The Press

I don't want to cause a panic, but you should be aware of this.

So, while we have 26 less cops on the Westiside because the Mayor and Jack Weiss think that's "OK," and that despite the failing economy and time-proven statistics that show that crime goes up when the economy goes down, you might want to take a good look at the locks you have on your home, because burglars are getting all the information they need to "bump" the lock on your door.

The inconvenient truth for people other than elitists like Jack Weiss,, by which I mean ordinary people who don't have private security and certainly don't have the same level of protection from LAPD now that Jack Weiss has "approved" the reduction of police services in his council district, is that we're all more vulnerable to the inevitable increase in crime that will occur as criminals pay their bills by breaking into our homes.

Even if you don't vote for me on March 3, 2009, do please take a look at your personal security. Good locks, good lighting, and a strong bond with your neighbors are probably the best way you can protect yourself and all you've worked for.

Crime Down in LA? The Inconvenient Truth...

While the media headlines Chief Bratton and Mayor Villaraigosa's claims of their successes in reducing crime in LA, the rest of us know better. We see more and more ugly gang graffiti everywhere. As soon as it's painted over, it's back again.

Ask any expert on gangs and they'll tell you that gang graffiti is like an earthquake seismograph, it's a clear sign of what' is actually going on. And the clear sign here is that the gangs are getting bigger, bolder and more at ease in showing their colors, while the Mayor and his followers glad hand each other and try to palm us off with massaged statistics.

Mayoral candidate Walter Moore, a man who isn't afraid of confronting inconvenient truths, wrote a stunning analysis of the true state of crime in LA. I urge you to read it, then contrast what Mr. Moore says with what the Mayor says, or rather doesn't say.

The true statistics published by Chief Bratton show that you and I are almost twice as likely to be murdered here in LA, than if we lived in what was once the murder capitol of the USA; New York City. Yes, the murder rate in Los Angeles is 51% higher than that of New York City. Surely that should be a headline?

The fact is that in the City of Los Angeles, with a population of 4 million, there were 381 murders last year, that's 95.3 per million Los Angelenos. In New York City, with a population of 8.2 million, there were 514 murders in the same period, that's 62.7 per million New Yorkers. Do the math yourself, please don't trust me or Walter Moore. The murder rate in Los Angeles is 51% higher that New York City. Why?

Well we all know why. While we all know that Los Angeles is seriously under policed when compared to New York, and while Mayor Villaraigosa claims he's committed to increasing the number of cops in LA, the facts are wildly opposite to the Mayor's claims. Instead of hiring more cops, he increased his personal staff from 70 to 93 this year. 23 more aides to carry his bottled water, marker pens, pads and his Listerine breath strips.

As Mayor Villaraigosa's personal staff swelled by 23 more acolytes, the Mayor and his lap-dog in waiting, Jack Weiss, applauded a reduction of 26 cops on Westside so that they could be deployed at a new police station. The new police station in Koreatown had been built at a cost of $25M, but no money had been set aside for hiring cops to staff it, so they pulled vitally needed cops from the Westside.

All it would have taken is for the Mayor to suffer the inconvenience "only" having 70 personal assistants, and hired 23 cops to staff the new Koreatown police station. But, the Mayor and Weiss are determined to move on to being Governor and Attorney General, so they need aides more than we need cops.

In the meantime, we have to live (or die) with the inconvenient truth. The Mayor and the person he (only he) wants as his City Attorney, Jack Weiss, are more concerned with their political aspirations than public safety.

On March 3, 2009, you will have a chance to tell Weiss and Villaraigosa what you think of their abysmal lack of commitment to public safety. I urge you; vote Moore for Mayor, and Berger for City Attorney and let's put a stop to pretend play politics.