John Choi, Candidate For 13th Council District, Says Labor Will 'Be On The Inside' If He Wins

John Choi, Candidate For 13th Council District, Says Labor Will "Be On The Inside" If He Wins

By Gene Maddaus Tue., Dec. 18 2012 at 4:04 PM

John Choi

Everybody panders a bit when they go for a labor endorsement. But at the recent SEIU endorsement meeting, John Choi set the bar for pandering very high.

Choi, a candidate to replace L.A. Councilman Eric Garcetti in the 13th council district, promised that if elected, labor would "be on the inside" when budget decisions are made.

"I'm sick and tired of helping to elect politicians who abandon their friends when the going gets rough," Choi said. "We don't need politicians that answer the door only when we bang on it. If you endorse me, you're going to be on the inside. We're gonna decide together who to open the door for."

The audio is after the jump. Can you guess who got the L.A. County Federation of Labor endorsement in the 13th district?

In an interview with the Weekly, Choi said he did not believe his comments show he is too closely aligned with labor.

"It's important to say we need to come together to find solutions to these problems, and not be in an adversarial position," Choi said. "It's important to bring them inside the conversation and get their ideas."

Choi faces a crowded field, and he's hardly the only pro-labor candidate in the race. Also in the running is Matt Szabo, who had a reputation as a union ally when he was a deputy mayor for Antonio Villaraigosa. But in an interview, Szabo said that he was also willing to stand up to labor.

"I've said no when I had to say no," Szabo said. "I don't take marching orders from anyone."

Szabo was seen as a strong contender for the SEIU endorsement because of his strong relationship during City Hall budget battles. But while the SEIU has not officially weighed in on the race, the SEIU delegates to the county Federation of Labor threw their support behind Choi, which helped win him the endorsement.

Choi is a former staffer at the Federation of Labor, and is widely seen as a favorite of Fed leader Maria Elena Durazo.

The Federation of Labor stayed neutral in the citywide races, and so may have more to spend on independent expenditure efforts in the council races, including Choi's.

Twelve candidates will be on the March ballot in the 13th district -- the most crowded race in the city. So far, Choi is leading the pack in fundraising. Another half dozen candidates have put in serious fundraising efforts, including Szabo, Alexander De Ocampo, Emile Mack, Josh Post, Jose Sigala and Mitch O'Farrell.

The Federation of Labor finalized its endorsements on Monday night and announced them today. In addition to Choi, the Fed is backing Assemblyman Gil Cedillo in the 1st district and Sen. Curren Price in the 9th district.

As we first reported last week, the Fed could not decide between Garcetti and Controller Wendy Greuel in the mayor's race. The organization may revisit that decision after the March primary.

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karenl90028

Like comedy? Look what me found! Me 'Likes'! Teeheehee lol :)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/John-Choi-4-City-Council/550599761628713?fref=ts

Rebecca

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpWwvByp4Hk

karenl90028

The Choi Update: More the $170,000 spent by the special interests to try to get John Choi elected. He needs all the help he can get, since he's only been living in the 13th District for one year, gets little local support here, and that's why 92% of his campaign money comes from outside of the 13th District. The Unions and special-interests own John Choi, and he will look out for them while he leaves the residents of the 13th District out in the cold! #JohnChoiFail2013 Bad for the 13th District, Bad for Los Angeles!

karenl90028

So, John Choi has raised more money than any other candidate, almost all of it from OUTSIDE the 13th District, additionally the special interests, from outside the District, that he represents are spending more than $77,000 to get him elected. They must be spending all that money on mailers, because that's the only thing I know of this newcomer that's only been living in the 13th District for 1 year. He's unknown here, he has no history here and he and his supporters from outside the 13th District are just throwing lots of money around and trying to buy the election. John Choi is a fake and a fraud. Stop lying in your mailers John, we know you didn't do all that work you claimed to do, because you only worked at the Board of Public Works for 11 months. All the mailers your sending me are just going going where YOU'RE going. In the recycling bin! John Choi, Bad for the 13th District, Bad for Los Angeles!

TommySea

I came back simply because I'm sick of getting John Choi mailers and my girlfriend is sick of his volunteers calling and lying to her. So, here it is right back at you, John Choi: This, From John Choi's Website: "I’m running for city council in District 13 because we need to break our city free of the grip of special interests and make it work for residents again." -Yet, more than

$77, 000.00 in independent expenditures, FROM SPECIAL INTERESTS outside the 13th District, has been spent to support him! Additionally, 92% of his campaign money comes from outside of the 13th District. He's lived in the 13th District 1 year and he thinks he's going to fool us into believing the crap on his website and mailers? I don't know him personally, but as a politician-wannabe, he has me SEETHING! This man has NO integrity. He is the FACE of special interests, flat out lying on his website! #JohnChoiFail2013

HollywoodMike

He's from outside the 13th District, his campaign money comes from outside the 13th District, his support comes from outside the 13th District, and he's always bragging on his Facebook page about what new union endorsement he's gotten and how he continues to lead in raising money, 92% of which comes from outside the 13th District. Just listen to him speak at the candidate forums. He DOES sounds like a fast talking, smart high school kid. He only worked for the Board of Public Works for 11 months, but he exaggerates his role and what he did there. Oh, and let's not forget about the more than $46 thousand dollars in independent expenditures for his campaign. Looks like John Choi and a bunch of outsiders are flat out trying to buy the election.

TommySea

John Choi is virtually unknown in the 13th District. He hasn't done anything of any significance here, because he's new to the area, that he now claims he wants to represent. There are only 4 candidates that are actually rooted in the 13th District, Sam Kbushyan, Robert Negrete, Jose Sigala and Mitch O'Farrell. Everyone else are newcomers and outsiders. John Choi has been living in the District for 11 months! (Matt Szabo for only a year and a half!) 90% of his campaign money comes from outside the District. He's going to have to try to win the election with outside money and by making things up, inventing things and exaggerating what he's actually done. If he doesn't win maybe he can get a job with Monsanto.

abramsrl

Honesty in a politician is nice. But, here's the rub. By telling the truth, Choi cannot win.

So, we now see why most politician's lie. If one wants to win in CD 13, they should follow in the time honored tradition of CD 13 -- lie about everything all the time, just lie, Lie, LIE. It's also called Accounting Control Fraud, like when Garcetti used the falsified 1-12-2011 LAFD report to steal $200 Million from the LAFD budget. The pattern is the same in the Hollywood Community Plan -- based on endless lies.

JimmyH

The County Fed endorsement is the kiss of death. John Choi just sealed his fate. Just look at who the County Fed has endorsed in the past, and you'll see a bunch of losers.