In the past few days, Rancho Palos Verdes residents have received some unusual election mailers that seem to suggest City Council candidate Anthony Misetich -- and in some cases, candidate Brian Campbell -- are Democrats.
The two men are registered Republicans.
Two of the top spenders in the seven-candidate, nonpartisan race for two seats on the council, Misetich and Campbell have received endorsements and support from conservative groups on the Hill. One flyer sent to Republicans calls Misetich a "proven Republican leader."
Now, their names are on a mailer that urges Democrats to "exorcise" their right to vote -- and promotes the legalization of marijuana.
That mailer -- along with another one that more explicitly seeks to link Misetich and other local candidates to Democratic leaders -- has prompted a flurry of e-mails and accusations between the candidates, current council members and local party leaders.
On the first mailer, the statement describing Misetich notes he's endorsed by L.A. Councilwoman Janice Hahn and former state Sen. Betty Karnette and "local Democrat leaders."
Palos Verdes Peninsula school board candidates Anthony Collatos, Heather Haddon Matson and Greg Royston are on the mailer too. (Matson is a decline-to-state voter and the other two are Democrats, though all three have backing from some staunch PV conservatives. More on that in tomorrow's paper.)
See below for a version sent to me by to a voter in the Eastview area (which is outside of PVPUSD, so it doesn't include school board candidates).
(I'm sorry if you have to squint to read these things. I'm having trouble with our blogging software and can't seem to make them bigger.)
Anyway, these are done by an outfit called Voter Information Guide, out of Sherman Oaks. The mailers are a product of Levine and Associates, run by political consultant Larry Levine. (You'll see his food-related Web site is -- somewhat oddly -- promoted on the mailer.)
Some of the mailers do not include Campbell, who told me he had tried to back out of the mailer once he realized it would include candidates in the school board race, which he described as ugly. The statement about him in the mailer, he said, was pulled directly from his Web site without his permission.
Campbell said he stopped payment on a check to Levine, but the check was cashed anyway. When Campbell realized the check had cleared, he said, his campaign called Levine's office and was told his name was already on some mailers, but he would be removed from the remaining unprinted mailers.
Misetich told me Friday that the mailers were simply part of a slate that he bought onto, and that different messages on similar mailers were targeted at Republican, Democratic and independent voters. He said he didn't think they were deceptive, noting that the mailers never overtly stated he was a Democrat. He also said he had not seen the mailer until Friday morning, when we spoke on the phone.
A consultant to Misetich's campaign, Tom Shortridge (who works for former L.A. Councilman Rudy Svorinich's firm), noted in turn that a mailer from candidates Jeff Lewis and Paul Tetreault failed to include a name and address for Lewis' campaign committee. Tetreault's was included. Shortridge also suggested that by including a Daily Breeze editorial board statement endorsing Tetreault, the mailer implied the paper had also endorsed Lewis. (The board chose Misetich.)
OK. Are you keeping up?
This morning, I got an email with a new, much nicer-looking mailer from Covina-based "Democratic Voters Choice" that seeks to place Misetich alongside icons of the Democratic Party, with pictures of JFK, FDR, Harry Truman and Barack Obama. Campbell's not on this one, but the three school board candidates mentioned above are, as is PV Library District candidate Barry Yudess.
"This November we can continue to move forward by electing good progressive candidates who share our values," the mailer states. See:
Both of these slate mailer organizations are apparently known for sending out this kind of campaign material. I'm also told that deceptive Republicans-as-Democrats mailers have been sent out in past RPV council elections.
Whew. Happy Halloween!
Anthony Misetich was and still may be a member of an Advisory Board set up by Bob Bisno's organization to endorse and support Bob's plans to build 2,300 condos with access only on and off Western Avenue, in northwest San Pedro.
Article II, Section 6 of the California Constitution states:
“(a) All judicial, school, county, and city offices shall be nonpartisan.
(b) No political party or party central committee may endorse, support, or oppose a candidate for nonpartisan office.”
Republicans received a mailer endorsing Misetich from the "Republican Party of Los Angeles County" in the return address area.
In bold lettering is: "OFFICIAL Republican Party Endorsement!"
Now if Mr. Misetich was and is ignorant of the Constitution's statement, why should we believe he would make a good council member?
If Mr. Misetich knew about the provision in the Constitution and still paid for or authorized, or even encouraged the mailer, then that says something even worse about Mr. Misetich, I feel.
Brian Campbell and I do not agree on all that many things, but I feel voters who want a more conservative council member representing them, they should vote for Brian Campbell.
My choices are Jeff Lewis and Paul Tetreault.
I don't think the editorial board of the D.B. knew of these latest mailers from Misetich or his supporters.
Misetich seems to also be receiving support from the offices of former Bisno lobbyist Rudy Svornich, Jr. Birds of a feather seem to flock together.
Did Anthony Misetich signed the ethics pledge signed by other candidates in this election? If not, why not? If he did, how come he doesn't seem to feel he should honor it?
Mr. Wells seems to be as ignorant and the incumbent council members who rant about political parties getting involved in local elections.
SEVERAL court decisions have struck down the prohibition on party endorsements and both parties endorse local candidates.
Mr. Wells and the LIBERAL LAWYERS he supports for council should know the law and stop quotes old code sections that are no longer in effect.
Do the voters of RPV really want FOUR liberal lawyers running the city? The Republican Party of Los Angeles County and the hundreds of others (Republican and Democrat) dont think so and have endorsed Anthony Misetich!
So, Mark Wells, were you simply ignorant that those provisions were struck down decades ago as violating the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, or were you fully aware of that and deceitfully attempting to smear both Mr. Misetich and the Republican Party?
PV Peninsula voters are entitled to know: are you ignorant, or sleazy?
How many Republican House of Representative members and Republican U.S. Senators are also lawyers?
Why do folks have such a problem with lawyers when they continue to elect them to just about every office of any real importance?
I would prefer lawyers reading over the vast amounts of words our council members pour over rather than an oil company executive, during these difficult times.
Terranea, Marymount, The Monks case, Portuguese Bend, Tarapaca Canyon, and a host of environmental and economic issues call for a collection of the best legal minds we all can get for practically free, I feel.
Conservatives actually have a real choice in this election and if you don't consider Brian Campbell, then it is others and not I who are ignorant.
I won't be voting for Mr. Campbell, but folks who are more conservative than I am can find a good representative in Brian Campbell.
The baggage Mr. Misetich carries with him make him not the best choice for conservatives and I don't feel you will find Mr. Campbell to not be to their liking.
In service to Rancho Palos Verdes, Mr. Misetich's record shows he has provided the least of all seven candidates.
It is true that the vast majority of voters in Rancho Palos Verdes are registered Republicans.
There are too many other well qualified candidates running for council seats that could serve all of us better than I feel Anthony Misetich would.
If you are conservative, vote first for Brian Campbell and then for anyone other than Anthony Misetich and I don't think you will be disappointed.
RPLAC refers to me as a "LIBERAL LAWYER" in his comment. I am an attorney but what makes you think that I am a LIBERAL LAWYER (like that is something too horrible to think about)? Is it because professionally I represent and defend small businesses and hospitals? Or that my firm provides legal services for insurance companies? Or maybe its because I oppose an increase in hotel bed taxes, or that I would like to try and reduce the amount of storm drain user fees that the city collects from property owners once we receive the projected level of revenue from Terranea?
Then again, it might be because I also volunteer in the community as chair of the outdoor committee of my son's Boy Scout Troop, leading scores of scouts on backpacking trips and hikes. Perhaps its because I oppose Sacramento's efforts to force high density housing on our city, or maybe its due to my opposition to proposals that we approve projects that are not fully funded.
I am proud to be an attorney. I worked very hard to become one. I try very hard to be informed and fair, and I do not play favorites.
I doubt that you and I have met or that you know anything about me. Why are you calling me names?
RPLAC also dubs me a "liberal lawyer." I guess that misleading labels are the only way that RPLAC can respond to the real and thoughtful positions I have described at http://www.PalosVerdes.com/JeffLewis . It is easier to call me names than to take issue with any of my decisions over my four years on the planning commission and one year on the traffic and safety commission.
By the way RPLAC, I am a life long registered republican and I am endorsed by Steve Wolowicz, among others. Attack my positions, but please don't use silly and misleading labels while hiding under an anonymous name.
Thank you.
Jeff Lewis
www.PalosVerdes.com/JeffLewis
Mr. Lewis is SO proud of being an attorney that he had to be FORCED by the city clerk and others to be listed as an attorney on the ballot. You seemed to have failed to mention that.
It's funny how quickly the subject CHANGED from the legitimate Republican Party endorsement once the lawyers and Mr. Wells were proven to be ignorant.
BY THE WAY Mr. Lewis and Mr. Tetreault
Several RPV voters have submitted your joint mailers to the FPPC for violation of the campaign disclosure provisions. As attorneys, we would have assumed that you would have read the CA Govt Code sections dealing with the specific requirements for campaign mass mailings.
There are 7 candidates running for office, most of whom are content to just tell the voters who and what they are. Then we have Misetich who tells Republicans he is one of them and who tells Democrats he is one of them. Both statements are not true so Misetich is lying. Voters have plenty of choices and can look elsewhere to find someone who shares their views and who is honest.
FPPC violations? That is the first I have heard of that. Please be specific.
I have tried to run an issues oriented campaign. No negative comments about anyone and no misleading comments or literature. I don't want this job badly enough to compromise my reputation as being honest and fair.
I am not a professional politician and have no political staff. I don't have advisers and have not paid anyone to help me with my campaign. I have raised about $6500 and loaned my campaign an additional $2000 of my own money.
I doubt that I have run afoul of any FPPC regulations, but if you have reviewed them, you know that they are complex and voluminous. If I made a mistake then no doubt it is technical and not substantive.
Please, I ask you again, criticize me for decisions I have made or my policy statements. What do you disagree with me on zoning issues, St. John Fisher Catholic Church's expansion plans, Marymount College's application for expansion and dormitories, the Valero/CVS Pharmacy decision, my position on the Landslide Moratorium and Monk v. RPV decision, the Terapaca Landslide problem, the proposed Annenberg Center at Pt. Vicente, the TOT (hotel bed tax) measure on the ballot, or any of scores of different issues that I have been asked about during the campaign.
I am arguing with a ghost. I don't know who you are. You are a sniper hiding while taking shots at me for no known reason.
You should try what I have done for the past six years giving volunteer service to your community.
Mr. Tetreault
CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE
TITLE 9. POLITICAL REFORM
CHAPTER 4. CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
ARTICLE 3. PROHIBITIONS
§ 84305. Mass mailings; requirements
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), no candidate or committee shall send a mass mailing unless the name, street address, and city of the candidate or committee are shown on the outside of each piece of mail in the mass mailing and on at least one of the inserts included within each piece of mail of the mailing in no less than 6-point type which shall be in a color or print which contrasts with the background so as to be easily legible. A post office box may be stated in lieu of a street address if the organization's address is a matter of public record with the Secretary of State.
Please scan and show me the address of your campaign committee on the joint mailers you and Mr. Lewis have been sending out?
Mr. Long
Please show us where a mailer sent by Mr. Misetich claims that he is a Democrat? So far I have seen two sent by OTHER COMMITTEES which note Mr. Misetich's endorsements by Democrat leaders but have not seen any listing Mr. Misetich as a Democrat.
The first mass mailing was sent and fully paid for by private residents, not the two candidates, and therefore the cited Govt. Code section does not apply.
The second mailing identifies Jeff Lewis' committee as the sending party, with his address. It also says that it was paid for by both Jeff's and my committees. I believe that it complies with FPPC regulations.
I don't have a scanner available, but you no doubt have the mailer.
I am not going to respond to any more of your accusations and trash. You have shown through this series of posts that you are a campaign insider, working for one of the candidates. You refuse to identify yourself and you have yet, despite repeated requests, to say why you think people should not vote for me other than because I am a lawyer and have the kind of RPV support that every other candidate wishes they had (Jeff is also endorsed by four sitting City Council members.)
It is most unfortunate that my generosity of time, money and energy for my community compels perfect strangers to attack. How are we as a society supposed to encourage others to also volunteer. This kind of thing makes good people want to stay as far away from it as possible, leaving the political arena to those who are willing to sacrifice and compromise their ethics just to get elected. It is no wonder that much of the public believes, for good reason, that if you do hold public office that you are not to be trusted.
You get the last word, mystery person. Unless you identify yourself, we won't know who you are but we will know that you are not to be taken seriously.
RPLAC,
You are sadly misinformed on both points. I wanted to include the term "chair" in my ballot description to reflect my status as appointed chair of the RPV Planning Commission. That description was approved by the state regulators. However, one of the seven candidates threatened to sue the city of RPV if I used that term in the ballot description so I removed the term in order to avoid a costly lawsuit that would have cost our taxpayers money.
I have paid for only one mailer and that one mailer I paid for does comply in all respects with the campaign disclosure laws. More importantly, no mailer paid for by me or concerning me has the purpose or effect of misleading voters. Can "Progressive Democrat"/"Proven Republican Leader" Misetich claim the same? I have asked Misetich to denounce and retract the mailers. He has not done so.
I do, however, congratulate you (whoever YOU are) for muddying the waters so that no one reading the last few comments remembers that Misetich has mailers in the community simultaneously describing himself as a proven republican leader and a member of the "team for democratic voters."
http://www.PalosVerdes.com/JeffLewis
My webpage has the mailers on it showing that Misetich paid for them.One mailer calls Misetich a progressive and "part of the Democratic Team." True the exat words "Anthony Misetich is a Democrat" are not used but the content makes it pretty clear. He who pays for mailers has or should have control over content. True--some people pretend such mailers are out of their control but I know it isn't true and so does San Pedro resident John Stammreich who is posting here as RPLAC.
Leave it to the Republicans to muddy the waters of this election.
Whether the RPLAC considers their mailer will stand up in court against the California Constitution's guidelines remains to be seen in this particular instance.
And it is this particular instance where we should consider whether our city and its residents need to go forth in looking at whether the mailer violated the Constitution that suggests we should not elect Anthony Misetich so we won't have the fray in the first place.
Nobody wants to spend the time, money and effort challenging Mr. Misetich's election if he actually becomes one of the two highest vote recipients and good ethics dictate that his potential seating be challenged in court.
Why not just vote for two candidates who do not have a Party endorsement hanging over their ethics and heads?
As far as conservative voters go, I haven't heard one negative word about Brian Campbell. So for voters inclined to vote for more conservative candidates, Brian Campbell would probably be your first choice and that would avoid even the appearance of anything wrong or unethical.
I don't know if Paul Tetreault is a conservative or centrist or even a progressive and it really doesn't matter to me. He is one of my two choices to sit on the council.
It also means nothing to me which side of the spectrum Jeff Lewis belongs to. He is one of my two choices to sit on the council.
So many conservatives consider these men being lawyers as a bad thing.
Let's see who RPLAC, Mr. Misetich, and Anthony's supporters turn to if he gets one of the seats and it is challenged.
Let's all say it together. Ready? 1! 2! 3! LAWYERS!
By they way, Mr. Misetich is also endorsed by the largest evangelical Christian political action group in LA County even though he is a Catholic.
I am sure Mr. Wells and the lawyers have a problem with that too and would label that "misleading." They probably don't like Christians getting involved in local politics and would be really mad if they saw the endorsement flyer that this group distributes at Rolling Hilss Covenant Church and other large congregations on the Hill and elsewhere.
Everyone else who believes in the First Amendment, please check out
http://www.electionforum.org/
I hope Mr. Wells and the lawyers want to challenge the election of the over 100 candidates endorsed by the Los Angeles County DEMOCRATIC Party in the Nov 3 local elections.
Stupidity, Mr Wells, Stupidity
http://www.lacdp.org/endorsements/endorsementprocess/
Oh horrors!
When you read that official DEMOCRAT endorsement list they endorse a YES vote on Measure TOT in Rancho Palos Verdes!
How can it be? Mr. Long and Mr. Stern should immediately call their friends at the Democrat Party and DEMAND that the party denounce this endorsement in a non-partisan local election! How dare they! Then they should have a taxpayer-funded seminar to sit down at a country club over lunch and figure out ways to keep the political parties from endorsing our local tax hikes.
So, RPLAC, Democrats and lawyers aren't Christian?
I have no problem with evangelical groups supporting any political candidate as long as you deem it fair that political groups can comment on evangelical groups.
In reading the responses by "RPLAC" you should all see why I have never voted for a Republican candidated in a party contested election and I doubt I ever will.
The complete meaness of those folks makes me lol.
Those folks must be afraid of little old high school graduate me.
Of course fear is the most powerful weapon they have in their storage.
They took out reason, knowledge, and real concern for all people in order to make so much room for the fear they store and spew.
And WHY "RPLAC" is it so important that Mr. Misetich is a Catholic? That should not matter one tiny bit. Of course you are probably trying to suggest that groups you support 'allow' those of other religions to be endorsed by them. How so very nice of you.
When you inject religion into politics, it is only fair to inject politics into religion.
I don't wish to challenge anyone. However, if we need to use R.P.V. time and money challenging Mr. Misetich, then everyone loses and we have other candidates available that would not make that happen.
Why can't you just endorse Brian Campbell, or do you have something negative to say about him, too?
If you do, then it proves what you have demonstrated yourself to truly be. A hypocrite.
The TOT increase would provide better roads and better infrastructure and since the majority of voters in R.P.V. are registered Republicans, I wonder why they aren't trying to help out the majority?
Also, I bet the folks who are guests at Trump National and Terranea find themselves there with more Republicans than Democrats.
It seems a bit odd that birds of a feather don't flock together in this one particular matter.
The TOT increase helps all, Republicans, Democrats, and even neocons who are more conservative than 'Republicans'.
How come "RPLAC" seems to live with such fear, he/she won't identify himself/herself in any of these comments?
What does "RPLAC" have or need to hide?
I'm not even using my aka of M Richards in these comments. Just about everyone who knows me, also knows about M Richards.
Then again, misleading folks is something that "RPLAC" may do and revealing their true identity might prove more about the person and the person's real identity that he/she is too fearful to let be known.
I'm not going to guess who "RPLAC" might really be, but that person sure lets out the concept that others may think it is someone they know.
Attacking by name without revealing theirs. Meaness documented. Misleading continuing to occur from "RPLAC".
What a waste of energy and resources- sending out those brochures. Not too mention an indication of poor judgment. Not the kind of judgment one would want on the council.
I don't get this. Missetich is endorsed by Janice Hahn and Betty Karnette, probably the two most prominent Democrats in this area. Sounds to me like he is the best choice for Democratic voters.
I don't get this. Missetich is endorsed by Janice Hahn and Betty Karnette, probably the two most prominent Democrats in this area. Sounds to me like he is the best choice for Democratic voters.
I agree with you "willy" Unfortunately there are so many far-right Republicans in R.P.V. that it will be tough to stop Anthony from getting one of the two seat, I feel.
The only way to stop the gang of far right-wingers is for those who want to vote for a reasonable conservative to vote for Mr. Brian Campbell.
I prefer Jeff Lewis and Paul Tetreault, but everyone else except Mr. Misetich seems to have followed the promises they made and I don't think anyone questions the other candidates in regards to the possible violation of the California Constitution that Mr. Misetich may be involved with.
Vote! That is the only way for centrists and folks to the left of the middle will be able to stop PVP Watch and the gang, in this election.
We'll see what happens by this time Tuesday evening, I believe.
Then, perhaps beginning with the council meeting on Wednesday evening, the fireworks may have to be ignited.
Mssrs Wells, Long, Tetreault, and Lewis all got shown the door today by the voters. Couldnt happen to a nicer bunch.