L.A. Clean Sweep Nets Big Endorsements, Drops Big Dime in Last Seconds of Election Season

By Simone Wilson Mon., Mar. 7 2011 at 3:00 PM

Full disclosure: We have a huge crush on Ron Kaye.

L.A. Clean Sweep may have started small and controversial, but after a rowdy few months of almost mainstream redevelopment scandal and municipal mud-slinging, the out-with-the-old "political action committee" has seen a few of its candidates break into the Los Angeles sunlight.

Here are the Clean Sweepers who may have a fighting chance on the city ballot tomorrow (scroll down for video):

In District 4, Stephen Box snagged the LA Daily News endorsement -- the major newspaper's only non-incumbent nod, unless you count Mitchell Englander in District 12 (which you shouldn't). And speaking of District 12, Brad Smith has gotten his fair share of solid press.

Then there's Rudy Martinez in District 14, a relatable teddy bear of a community dude with enough personal wealth to push back against incumbent Jose Huizar, and all the right political instincts to do so where it hurts. (Now there's a race that's been worth watching. See: "Jose Huizar Unfriends Rudy Martinez.")

Clean Sweep co-founder Ron Kaye, LA Daily News editor turned rampant cityblogger, tells the Weekly today: "It shows how the political dialogue in L.A. is changing when the major newspapers endorse grassroots candidates."

Earlier this morning, Kaye blasted this proud release:

With help from some last-minute support, LA Clean Sweep filled mail boxes and hit the airwaves on cable TV with 30-second spots in support of our slate of candidates who represent change at City Hall and hope for the city's future.
Thanks to Ziggy Kruse and Andre Campbell with Amending LA with voice overs by Kevin James for putting together this 30-second spot that is running all day Monday on CNN, Fox News and TNT.

And the video in question.

Turns out 30-second, non-prime-time spots on major news networks only cost up to $80 these days. (Which gives us intense urges to love-bomb "Divorce Court" with the cutest-little-girl-in-the-world video every day for the rest of our lives.)

But this city election is so not about love. Like other lord-have-mercy news items o' the day, it's about #winning. And victory can look mighty ugly, as evidenced by this Clean Sweep mailer:

LA Clean Sweep

Believe it or not, mailers and door hangers for endorsed candidates (and against their challengers) devoured the bulk of Clean Sweep's contributions, which Kaye says came mostly from "community leaders." Then an extra $5,000 showed up sometime in the last few days -- but "I haven't found out where that was from yet."

Overall, the group spent under $2,000 on the boob-tube stuff, and over $14,000 on the mailers, according to the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission. Knowing full well who their best bets were, it appears Kaye & Co. splurged fattest on propaganda for/against candidates in District 4 and District 14 -- even gave them prime-time TV slots. Ooh la la.

Here's their full list of endorsements:

District 2: No Endorsement
District 4: Stephen Box
District 6: Richard Goodman, David Barron, and Jamie Cordaro
District 8: Councilman Bernard Parks
District 10: Austin Dragon
District 12: Kelly Lord and Brad Smith
District 14: Rudy Martinez

The only endorsement offered to an incumbent is in District 8, where Kaye says Bernard Parks is "far and away the most fiscally responsible [current] councilmember." Plus, he's the only incumbent who agreed to an interview. (Why does this not surprise us.)

"We're often faced with the lesser of two evils," says Kaye.

We hear you, man.

[@simone_electra/swilson@laweekly.com]

Tags:

Bernard Parks, Brad Smith, Election 2011, endorsements, Jose Huizar, L.A. Clean Sweep, LA Daily News, Mitchell Englander, Ron Kaye, Rudy Martinez, Stephen Box

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LouisB

In the end, the Clean Sweep campaign will go down in LA history as a complete failure "It (was) a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." Real reform will have to wait for another day; for grown-ups who realize that tantrums and swinging out at everyone, everywhere, all of the time, brings little results.

Steven Ward

and it did indeed go down in LA history as a complete failure!

Larry Smith

On election day, the incumbents will be taking over $1 BILLION of property taxes that would have gone back to schools and public safety and divert them into pet projects with their special joint meeting with the CRA on Tuesday, March 8, 2011.

If they put this to a vote, it would lose, but now on March 8 you have a chance to change everything on March 8. Go out and let your voice be heard and vote

Chris

It's time to make a difference in Los Angeles on March 8, 2011! - The ads / mailers are saying it and your article reinforced the fact that CHANGE is needed in Los Angeles City Hall.

Stephen Box and Rudy Martinez lead the pack and they are running strong. So strong, that even the toughest incumbents are fearing to lose their comfy chair at the council horseshoe.

Good Luck to ALL challengers! Give' em hell!

Chris

Rick Abrams

The LA Times did not endorse Stephen Box -- why? Box is the Man Who Knows too much. LA Times criticized Box for knowing "minutiae." That means to has studied and he knows how to be a councilman who does more than hands out fancy Proclamations.

Box started BudgetLA with others and Box attended every budget, but LaBonge attended none. $1.5 BILLION in property tax dollars went to the CRA, while LaBonge downsized Hollywood's 2 acre fire station by 75% and moved it to grid-lock hell at Hywd Blvd and the 101 Freeway. LaBonge said the fire station was too expensive, but LaBonge gave billionaire Eli Broad $52 Million for a parking garage next to his art museum. Billionaires get millions in tax dollars for a garage, but Hollywood doesn't get its 2 acre fire station -- the one that is supposed to serve the Hills.

anonymous

One of the worst candidates already bought and paid for by developers is Mitch Englander. Why the good residents of CD 12 would vote for him is beyond me. They have a clean and honest person in Brad Smith who has pledged one-third of his pay to communities and put $25,000 of his own money for his campaign. Englander who has been living off a City of LA paycheck, collected half a million dollars from developers and special interests. Even if you don't live in the district, remember that as one of 15, the Counilman will affect your quality of life wherever you live.