Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn's drive to win more endorsements ruffled feathers last week as his supporters flooded a local political group's endorsement meeting to stop Hahn's rivals.
The executive board of the Los Angeles County Young Democrats recommended earlier this month that the group endorse both former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg and Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa.
But Thursday, board members estimated that at least 30 mayoral staff members and other Hahn supporters came to the group's general meeting and took advantage of the bylaws, which allow anyone to join on the spot.
The Hahn supporters -- one of whom drove a city vehicle to the event and may have violated city laws prohibiting the use of city assets for political purposes -- succeeded in blocking adoption of the board's recommendation.
The Young Democrats issued no endorsement.
Among those who joined the group, according to sources, were Hahn deputy chief of staff Nathalie Rayes, Hahn day-to-day campaign manager Julie Wong and Hahn public works commissioner Yolanda Fuentes, whom the mayor appointed last month.
"People were just exercising their democratic rights," said Hahn campaign advisor Kam Kuwata.
Days before the endorsement meeting, Hahn had declined to attend a mayoral debate organized by the group.
Several leaders of the Young Democrats, who meet regularly to discuss politics and public policy, said they were troubled by the mayor's efforts.
"I'm saddened and disappointed," said Ruben Gonzales, a deputy city controller who also is the group's director of community services.
"The letter of the rules wasn't broken last night, but the spirit certainly was.... I feel like the democratic process was hijacked."
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One Peddler Gives Another High Marks for His Moxie
Lazaro Telles, a street vendor who hawks roses at the corner of Sepulveda and Wilshire boulevards, was joined for rush hour by another peddler Wednesday.
Typically, such an intrusion would inspire a sharp exchange, if not the use of a long-stem as a prickly weapon, Telles acknowledged.
But Telles didn't mind the intruder because he was not horning in on the same market. "He's doing OK," Telles said, complimenting him. "He's getting to a lot of cars."
Mayoral candidate Bob Hertzberg, in one of the more novel stunts of the campaign season, waded into the rush-hour crush, pitching his "Commuters' Bill of Rights" through the slits of partly opened windows.
