Los Angeles Elections 1994

By a wide margin, state Sen. David A. Roberti (D-Van Nuys) proved victorious Tuesday over a recall drive that was closely watched nationally as a referendum on gun control. Roberti, the first state politician in 80 years to face a recall, said the outcome proved that politicians can support gun control and survive politically.

What began as a political mud fight ended as an eloquent civics lecture on Wednesday by an appellate court jurist quoting Will Rogers, Abe Lincoln and Harry Truman. "Our constitution protects everyone--even politicians," wrote Justice Arthur Gilbert in a 17-page opinion that Republican candidate Rich Sybert's libel lawsuit against Congressman Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Woodland Hills) had no place in our courts.

Six candidates have picked up nomination forms for the April 12 City Council elections, in which three seats on the five-member panel will be contested. The potential candidates have until Jan. 14 to obtain 20 signatures of registered voters to qualify for the election, according to San Fernando Assistant City Clerk Wilma Miller. San Fernando does not have geographical council districts, so the top three vote-getters will win seats.

In a stirring defense of a politician's right to sling mud, an appellate court jurist released a 17-page opinion Wednesday stating that a failed congressional candidate's libel suit against his opponent had no place in court. "Our constitution protects everyone--even politicians," wrote Justice Arthur Gilbert in rejecting the lawsuit that Republican candidate Rich Sybert filed last year against Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Woodland Hills).

The city of Los Angeles paid at least $45,000 too much to conduct its municipal elections in April and June, 1993, according to an audit by the city controller's office. City Controller Rick Tuttle blamed most of the waste on the fact that 320 city employees--about one-quarter of election workers--were paid at 1 1/2 times their city salaries rather than the lower hourly rate paid to others.

Residents of the San Fernando Valley's many communities bicker over boundaries and name changes, priding themselves on their differences, until they sometimes forget that most of them really live in the city of Los Angeles. On Tuesday, the last day to register to vote in the November election, it was just such a fine distinction that almost cost a man his right to vote. Lee H.

Sheriff Sherman Block suggested Wednesday that he--not the sergeant from the Pico Rivera Sheriff's station who has decided to challenge him in the 1994 election--has the support of rank and file deputies, and he differed with the sergeant on the handling of citizen complaints. In discussing his candidacy, Sgt. John R.

The City Council decided Tuesday to place its embattled anti-smoking ordinance, which was suspended by a referendum petition drive, before voters in the April 12 municipal election. The council also decided to draft an interim ordinance that would restrict smoking to one-fifth of the total space in restaurants and bars. If the council gives final approval, the restrictions would take effect in November and would remain in effect if voters reject the more stringent measure.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Sherman Block said Wednesday he has been told by his doctors that he is now cancer-free and that they consider him cured of the "high-grade, fast-moving" lymphatic cancer diagnosed last summer. Block made the announcement hours before a Beverly Hills fund-raising dinner that he said would kick off his campaign for a fourth term in office by raising about $300,000 in donations.

Rewarding his friend: One of the oldest rules in politics is: Reward your friends and punish your enemies. And to that end, Roberti's office has dispatched some high-powered political help to an old friend, Los Angeles mayoral candidate Michael Woo. Woo was on Roberti's staff for years and a number of top Roberti aides are working with Woo in his battle against super-rich lawyer-businessman Richard Riordan.

Thick in the battle of this year's congressional race, Republican candidate Rich Sybert on Thursday announced he has resolved an old score with his political nemesis from his ill-fated 1994 campaign. Sybert released a joint statement with Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Woodland Hills) saying they had settled a libel lawsuit that had prolonged their political fight for more than 16 months after Beilenson won the election. No money changed hands in the settlement.

The city of Los Angeles paid at least $45,000 too much to conduct its municipal elections in April and June, 1993, according to an audit by the city controller's office. City Controller Rick Tuttle blamed most of the waste on the fact that 320 city employees--about one-quarter of election workers--were paid at 1 1/2 times their city salaries rather than the lower hourly rate paid to others.

Residents of the San Fernando Valley's many communities bicker over boundaries and name changes, priding themselves on their differences, until they sometimes forget that most of them really live in the city of Los Angeles. On Tuesday, the last day to register to vote in the November election, it was just such a fine distinction that almost cost a man his right to vote. Lee H.

Police union leaders endorsed one Los Angeles City Council candidate and blasted another Wednesday, backing Deputy Dist. Atty. Lea Purwin D'Agostino while claiming that Barbara Yaroslavsky, if elected, would be a puppet of her husband, outgoing Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky. "The strings will still be pulled by him (Yaroslavsky)," said Danny Staggs, president of the Police Protective League, who characterized the councilman as antagonistic toward the police force.

Barbara Yaroslavsky's decision to run for the Los Angeles City Council has already sparked soul-searching in liberal Jewish political circles on the Westside as activists decide between her candidacy and that of Michael Feuer, head of a highly regarded legal-services program for the disadvantaged.

A former aide to Gov. Pete Wilson who bankrolled his campaign with $400,000 of his own money, and a feminist lawyer who highlighted her teen-age TV acting career in her campaign were leading in two of Tuesday's most closely watched and competitive primaries in the San Fernando Valley.

What began as a political mud fight ended as an eloquent civics lecture on Wednesday by an appellate court jurist quoting Will Rogers, Abe Lincoln and Harry Truman. "Our constitution protects everyone--even politicians," wrote Justice Arthur Gilbert in a 17-page opinion that Republican candidate Rich Sybert's libel lawsuit against Congressman Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Woodland Hills) had no place in our courts.

In a stirring defense of a politician's right to sling mud, an appellate court jurist released a 17-page opinion Wednesday stating that a failed congressional candidate's libel suit against his opponent had no place in court. "Our constitution protects everyone--even politicians," wrote Justice Arthur Gilbert in rejecting the lawsuit that Republican candidate Rich Sybert filed last year against Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Woodland Hills).

In an area with a long history of Latino representation, the Democratic primary race in Northeast Los Angeles' 45th Assembly District has sparked a dispute among some politicians about whether a non-Latino should inherit the seat. The race in the heavily Latino district not only pits candidates backed by political rivals--county Supervisor Gloria Molina and Assemblyman Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles)--but it also has divided Latinos who have strongly supported Polanco.

By a wide margin, state Sen. David A. Roberti (D-Van Nuys) proved victorious Tuesday over a recall drive that was closely watched nationally as a referendum on gun control. Roberti, the first state politician in 80 years to face a recall, said the outcome proved that politicians can support gun control and survive politically.