UPDATE: Michael Higby at Mayor Sam’s Sister City has done more poking around on this issue. For those tracking the story, his post is assuredly worth reading.
(Plus, Higby gave me a good laugh by creating a graphic that uses my own messy photo scribbles against me.)
Politically, Higby leans resolutely rightward, while I lean left (I know, you’re shocked, shocked, by this admission), but he’s smart and has some great secret sources inside City Hall, so while I may not always (read: usually) agree with him, I am always (read: always) glad he’s out there.
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All day yesterday I was with some wonderfully smart new USC graduate students so did no reporting and no blogging of my own. But, it seems that, while I was out and about, a blogger at Mayor Sam’s who posts under the name PetraFried, picked up the ball I tossed out yesterday morning suggesting that someone else begin looking into the truth—or lack thereof—of the tale of the Leimert Park “raids” on Sunday.
As you remember, I’d done a little bit of checking on the claim that LAPD officers had harassed the Shaw family members while they were gathering signatures on Sunday in order to put Jamiel’s law on the ballot. From the information I was able to gather in a half hour of late night calling, it seemed that, if anyone bothered the Shaws it was the General Services cops known as the Office of Public Safety police or OPS.
PetraFried took the story a step further with some interesting background on OPS.
Coincidentally, while I was at USC, I happened to talk to another journalist friend who also suggested that the OPS Cops were often somewhat on the loose cannon side of things—which is pretty much what PetraFried had to say too.
My guess is that the Illegal Food Sales task force had little to do with the Shaws and more to do with other things going on at the park.
But, whatever the case, it would be interesting to know who ordered all those agencies into the park and why?
Dick Cheney?
I am starting to sound more like Woody. I am seeing more of that liberal bias in news reporting and lack of reporting on certain news stories. I see how Celeste only checked one source and is ready to say the Shaw’s were not “harassed”, I would have at least talked to the Shaw family before forming a quick opinion on the validity of a story based on my personal opinion on that “loathsome” Jamiel’s law.
I remember Celeste posting a video of a bunch of drunk and obnoxious college students, who were failing to disperse when asked to do so by police, and trying to portray “bad cops harassing” innocent college students. Not one comment which was posted was sympathetic of the drunk and obnoxious college students. Maybe if the drunk and obnoxious student were in my class I would have had a different bias.
And let’s not forget the post about Martha Puebla where Celeste wrote “And while that is tragic enough, what is worse is the way two LAPD homicide detectives callously marked Martha Puebla for her death”. I guess it’s not “worse” to be the gang members who actually killed Martha Puebla.
And only after a few folks here asked where is the outrage towards the gang members who actually killed her, did Celeste say “bad gang members”.
Anybody who saw how the Shaw family was dismissed by the L.A. city council, especially that jack ass Alarcon would sure as hell, not quickly dismiss any harassment claims by the Shaw family.
LL,
(sigh.) I checked 2 sources, very late and night, which is more than any of the other websites did (before they began shrieking about conspiracies) until I began looking into the story.
I’m not saying the Shaws weren’t harrassed at all. They may very well have been. The SS# incident sounds credible.
At the most, I was saying that my guess is that they weren’t specifically targeted. But, that’s a guess, and it may be incorrect. I also said that the LAPD claimed no direct involvement and no contact with the Shaws. They also sounded credible. (Although now I see Michael Higby has some new stuff over at Mayor Sam’s, so who knows?)
Plus I said that there WAS indeed a multiagency action,and that these General Services cop force should be further investigated. Plus the fact that a bunch of agencies showed up means SOMEBODY sent them. I’d like to know who and I’d like to know why.
This requires some genuine investigation, which I’m hoping someone will do. (If I could take a full day or two, I’d do it. Right now I don’t have that much time free, I’m sorry to say. So I’m doing what I can in the time I have.)
By the way, I’m sorry to say that Althea Shaw has not shown herself to be a reliable reporter. For instance, from the bit of checking I’ve done, and from a conversation with a reporter who’s done a lot of checking, it appears that the whole post on that crazy guy who was making death threats, whom she asserted was an 18th streeter who worked as an armed guard at the Fox Hills Mall, was riddled with falsities. (Although there is indeed a crazy guy making creepy threats.)
If you don’t believe me, do your own checking. Start by calling Fox Hills Malls people.
About your ongoing Celeste Won’t Call Bad Gangsters Bad theme, I will repeat what I’ve said multiple times: Do you really need me or anybody else to tell you that it’s terrible thing when a gangster murders someone?
Celeste checked two sources not one: LAPD & General Services. She also linked two blog posts on the subjust. As she explained, she couldn’t follow up with more sources because she’s been too busy doin’ other stuff.
The two LAPD detectives who marked Martha for her death are worse in that we should expect more from the police than we do from gang members, you know like protecting us from getting murdered.
Thanks, Adam. You said it better (and more succinctly) than I did.
Not only marked the young girl for death but then didn’t even bother to warn her that they had used the false ruse (“Better talk punk, Martha Puebla said your the trigger man and will testify in court to put your ass in the gas chamber”), and that she was in very deep waters without a paddle or a life preserver.
Not only a horrible and dangerous misuse of detective work but seemingly a hint at how little these officers think of human life.
And Celeste, take the Mayor Sam’s picture of you with the word “spin” on it as a compliment because as a daily reader of Mayor Sam’s I have become aware that whenever Mayor Sam and a couple of his conservative assistants use the term “Spin” it’s because they have no argument or retort available and therefore the word “Spin” becomes the last word.
LL, just because Alarcon was a rude jerk and we know where he, Reyes and their ilk stand on the issues, doesn’t mean that the Shaws aren’t being used by sleazebag rightwing talk show hosts using them for ratings, and by that wanna-be-relevant blog MS.
I’ve looked at Althea and Jamiel Sr.’s posts on that Mayor Sam site, which specializes in sliming all politicians via anonymouse bloggers with personal agendas, and they’re the tragically anguished writings of a family clueless about the workings or figures in government, and easily led by others for ratings and attention. (Can you read Walter Moore “Candidate for Mayor’s” responses on earlier thread and NOT think he’s, well, Wacky Walter?) Celeste — you quote some anon. “Petrafried” as “very smart” — based on WHAT exactly?
Blog owner Michael Higby was allegedly a campaign manager for Hertzberg, as outed by Kevin Roderick a few years ago (why Higby has it in for him, maybe?). They’re bitter about losing to Antonio and the current Admin. and are out to get them, period. Especially since Hertzberg and Antonio parted ways. Along the way, anyone else is fair game — there may be a kernel of truth here and there, a tip from a disgruntled City Hall staffer, but mostly that’s it, slinging mud everywhere and hoping some sticks. Now along with the talk show morons, using the Shaws for attention.
Do NOT attempt to reason with or engage them, Celeste — it’s not worth it. You’ll become just another mark for them to go after. You know I disagree with your view on illegals and the notion that throwing more money at illegal gangbangers and teaching them poetry (as Lost L notes) will turn them into fine, upstanding citizens. Letting in millions of poor illegals with an entitlement complex is not only deeply unfair to the rest of the world, from where educated, skilled immigrants could benefit our society, but in fact, your brand of liberal tax the decent people and give to the rest philosophy is akin to that of the ancient Mayans, and why the civilization died out: when human sacrifices didn’t appease the gods and yield prosperity, they killed more and more people until there was no one left to rule. But you’re a polite, decent person while civility and fairness is something they disdain. Just my opinion, but a word of caution about directly engaging them or letting them drag you into their vendettas.
About your ongoing Celeste Won’t Call Bad Gangsters Bad theme, I will repeat what I’ve said multiple times: Do you really need me or anybody else to tell you that it’s terrible thing when a gangster murders someone?
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Celeste – I think you need to make a weekly oath on this blog, stating your continued hatred for gang banging psychopaths. As well as, renewing your commitment to truth, justice, humanity, the American way of life, and the principles of the Enlightenment. Otherwise how can I know what you think of murderous thugs.
The two LAPD detectives who marked Martha for her death are worse in that we should expect more from the police than we do from gang members, you know like protecting us from getting murdered.
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I have bad news for you Adam, the police can’t protect you from being murdered, even Sheriff deputies such as Juan Escalante, are killed by gang members in Los Angeles. Babies, kids, women have all been killed by gang members no one is safe from gang violence.
There in lies our outrage over the sanctuary policy of Los Angeles, just read the L.A. Times article by Rocky Delgadillo and read his estimates on the number of illegal alien gang members. Even if you deport an illegal alien criminal, he will be right back, safe and sound in the sanctuary city of Los Angeles, where all enforcemnt of immigration laws is labeled as seperating familes, xenophobic and blah, blah, blah.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-delgadillo18-2008aug18,0,1640811.story?track=rss
Lost:
Yes – I know – people get murdered despite the best intentions and efforts of the police. Fuck up things happen and there’s nothing the cops, or anyone, can do about it. In this case, however, the two detectives knowingly, and callously gave a young girl’s name to known murderer, in an ill conceived plan to get him arrested. And they should have protected her from that. You’re splitting hairs and you know it.
Adam, police are not charged with protecting us from crimes. Otherwise, they would be sued everytime someone was mugged. What they do is to investigate crimes and to offer a presence to make people around them feel more secure. Sometimes they make mistakes, but that doesn’t make them bad. If a gang member makes a mistake, it means that he left someone alive.
Celeste, please, more stories on hugging police.
I’m a firm believer in hugging police.
Plus I don’t think there’s a one who wouldn’t benefit from a really good poetry writing class. I suspect your average cop in the street, once he/she got past his/her resistance (that’s presuming there was resistance) would have some very interesting stuff to say once they got the hang of the form.
I’d buy that anthology.
WBC, Are we talking about that same Althea Shaw, who never met a race card she refused to play? Why doesn’t Ms. Shaw mention her brother Jamiel Sr.s girfriend and how that affected her gang banger wannabe nephew’s moods, grades, and tagging hobby on the neighborhood curbs? This is the family I’m supposed to hold up as an example to my own. Gang banger kid, Daddy in denial, Auntie The Blogger Twists The Facts, Daddy The Radio Talk Show Guest & Character Assassin, and Back Street Girlfriend behind the scenes while poor wifey fights for the paycheck in Iraq.
Oh what a tangled web we weave…
I had to get a chuckle out of the mis-information I read here but was disgusted by the terrible character assassination of the Shaws here.
Let me correct some mistaken comments here. First off, I never worked for Bob Hertzberg. He was my Assemblyman and I voted for him. I think I was going to do some volunteer work for him in 96 but never actually followed through. I did vote for Bob for Mayor. We used to be neighbors but I can assure you I never worked for Bob in either a paid or unpaid capacity. In fact I’ve never worked for any politician or elected official however I did do volunteer work for Wendy Greuel’s Council campaign.
Also Kevin Roderick did not out me or any bloggers at Mayor Sam. Back in 2005 or so we received word that the LA Times had been conducting a four month long investigation into the blog writers’ identities. When we feared they were very close we figured we’d take the wind out of our sails, out ourselves and give the exclusive to Rick Orlov. Roderick posted it within minutes of our post and decided to slam us.
My problem with Kevin Roderick is not based on anything personal but based on my belief that he’s a pompous fraud with little talent other than being able to game enough people into thinking he’s the shit to allow him to have some semblance of a life that makes him think he’s the shit. Kevin is arrogant, vindictive and classless. He’s not above using his blog (and it’s not really a blog) to slime his opponents. He is typical of middle aged, myopic, narcissistic types you often find on the Westside. He won’t post criticism of his work. Give Celeste credit; I may not agree with some of her views but she allows dissent on her site. So do we. Roderick apparently can’t handle it.
Finally I don’t think it’s accurate to say I lean “resolutely” rightward. I am a registered Republican but have supported Democrats and have yet to vote for a Republican for President in a general election (though that will happen this year). I believe in fiscal and personal responsibility, limited government and free enterprise. At the same time I support gay rights, gay marriage, am pro-choice, believe in the legalization of drugs, oppose faith based initiatives and prayer in school. Not sure that makes me a right winger.
The bottom line is there are serious questions to ask about what happened on Sunday. I also believe that someone is being thrown under the bus and will comment on my blog tomorrow about that.
Woody, you miss my point. But whatever, I think you just need a big hug.
Michael, I don’t view you as right wing at all. My characterizations of both of us were shorthand.
So Higby at 14, WHAT “exclusive” did you give Roderick? I do recall it was one of your featured Pseud. bloggers — which one? “Antonio Watch?” (now isn’t that subtle? Or who? It’s easy to look up so why don’t you come out with it? Instead, you go off again on Roderick — you sound and react so much like Walter Moore the second you’re challenged. And you want to be taken seriously. By the way — since you make fun of Celeste teaching at the U of Spoiled Children, just where did you go to school, Higby? Easy to try to put down someone when you can’t hold a candle — and who are your current Anon. bloggers hurling invective at anyone they mention? At least Roderick, the Times, Celeste etc. come out from behind their rocks to throw stones. Sad how you people — you and your bloggers, Moore as spokesperson for the Shaws, the talk show screamers needing to fill time now that they don’t have Hillary around to kick — are “seizing defeat from the jaws of victory,” in the interest of your own hits and PR and ratings. Too bad, since we genuinely need to address the underlying issues as reasonable people, and the other side (the elected side) has shown significant movement.
Adam, would you express your comments in the forms of poems, instead? I did see your point, but I, myself, take poetic license to drift onto side issues at times.
– – –
Michael Higby definitely does not lean right. The only thing Republican about him is that he is registered as one. So, Celeste, besides your few cop friends who aren’t commies, you’re still batting zero.
Mr. Higby, you claim,
Yet,
Interesting. Most of the small L libertarians I’ve spoken with are voting for Obama for exactly the same preferences you assign to yourself. The Libertarians I know are voting differently; Ron Paul, initially, now Bob Barr. None have indicated their preferences were served by John Infinite War McCain.
Every single one of the libertarians that I know, quite a few, are scared to death of Obama. He doesn’t want less government and more individual choices. He wants big-brother government controlling every major aspect of your life–with no choices except on killing babies.
Higby’s denial that HE ever worked for Higby and that Roderick ever “outed” any of his bloggers conveniently tries to gloss over the facts amidst the ramble Listener catches: Sept. 1, 2005, LA Observed: “Two of the ring-leaders came out of the closet after the LA Times asked them to confirm or deny that they were the secret bloggers…one was a top campaign operative for Bob Hertzberg. Hertzberg denies any connection…They (anon. bloggers) didn’t confine their posts to spinning issues and pursuing political agendas. They hid behind anonymity to — sometimes — insult people they have to work with… They also have tried to intimidate journalists.” I don’t know what this refers to, I just read ’em.
Strange phenomena ala Micheal Higby, it seems after the Bush/Cheney fiasco we as a nation have suffered through for the last eight years, every Republican I know claims they are not Republicans but Libertarians. Not a one of them now takes any responsibility for George W Bush, Herr Cheney, or the rest of that awful cast of lying anti democracy proponents.
All these Republican/Libertarians claim they have never voted for Cheney/Bush or any other Republican for President, and it seems there is a disappointed communal wail from them as of late, “I hate them all, it’s all the same, it’s the whole Congress that should be put in jail!
All this recent history and the usurping of America in the name of the almighty dollar and St. Milton Friedman’s disastrous “supply side economics” lessons, and still, still, I hear from all these “Conservatives” aka Libertarians”, about all their independent thinking on social issues and how they cannot be categorized, and how little they are influenced by media and hokey election sloganeering.
But when push comes to shove it seems every one of these “Republicans in Sheep’s clothing” is giving a big shout out for “The Rebel John McCain”.
What I want to know is if none of these “Libertarians supported Cheney/Bush, then who in the hell did vote for
them in two elections and why is McSame all of a sudden some new version of what the Republicans have always stood for? Namely the “trickle down theory” when it comes to class based economics, and hokey doke moral preaching and religious litmus tests given by newly anointed Mucky Mucks from the evangelist sects of America.
DQ: …if none of these “Libertarians supported Cheney/Bush, then who in the hell did vote for
them in two elections….”
For 2000, Justices Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas, Sandra Day O’Connor, and Chief Justice William Rehnquist–plus, a majority of voters in Gore’s home state of Tennessee.
For 2004, the most number of voters ever to elect a President.
All of this, despite whining and excuse making by Democrats…. If Bush was so awful, then why couldn’t the Democrats put up someone who could beat him? In my view of the election, the alternative to Bush was even worse.
Suprisingly, Bush almost lost Florida in 2000 because there was a big effort to get Republicans to switch their votes to the Libertarian candidate, which made it too close for comfort.
But, this has nothing to do with Celeste’s topic, which should be our focus.
It’s a strange day when you read a blog and Don Quixote is one of the few posters who make sense.
I don’t know who WBC/Memory Jogger is and more importantly I’m not even sure what he/she is trying to say.
Let’s recount the facts
1) I never worked for Hertzberg
2) I never worked for Higby as you say unless you count my high school job working for my dad or the time I mowed the grass for my Uncle Prit in Iowa
3) I never gave an exclusive to Kevin Roderick nor did I ever claim I did (at least not knowingly).
4) Kevin Roderick DID NOT out any of the bloggers on Mayor Sam. We outed ourselves and it was picked up by other blogs and local media (even the AP by the way). Kevin only posted a story after (which by the way the one you quote links to our original announcement)
If you ever want to actually do point/counterpoint on issues, let us know.
Michael,
1.You sold your article content to a questionable internet advertising service, 2 years ago. Their Terms Of Service allowed them to approve your MS articles for greenbacks! You announced it on MS like your grand entitlement. In your arrogance, you also announced that you had no obligation even to label the paid content as “PAID.” Those who objected could pretty much go to Hell.
2.You make aggregious mistakes that by “concidence” favor you and only you. You rarely correct yourself. You’re dismissive or disrespectful to bloggers when they point out these humongous errors. You once threatened a blogger with publishing his personal emails to you, creating the impression that these are’t even real people who deserve to be treated ethically. Of course they aren’t. They’re just that one “third-floor spinner.”
3.Anyone who disagrees with your “Republican” positions must be “a spinner” employed by City Hall. I don’t work there. But I doubt they lose sleep over a vindictive twerp blogger who think it’s acceptable to farm out blog content for cash and refuses to correct major errors that favor his political views. In your arrogance, you refuse to even consider the statistical improbability of there being one sole person in the whole city who disagrees with the rightwing bravado you spew.
4.You advertised yourself for hire as a political consultant, campaign consultant…for years. Duly noted. Your opinions are for sale.
5.All this, while you have the cohones to undermine Kevin Roderick who, like it or not, has the power and respect you crave. Yet, in your eyes, Kevin Roderick is “classless, pompous fraud.” Dude, look in the mirror.
Donkey Ho-Tee Diatribes…..
An even stranger phenomenon is Donkey Ho-Tee, who reads Mike Higby’s blog every day, since he has such contempt for Mike Higby? Is it to give Donkey Ho-Tee motivation to post his usual boring and repetitive diatribes on as many blogs as possible? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Morderse la lengua, anonymouse. It’s quite common for one to read those for whom one feels “contempt” to apply your word. I watch Bill O’Reilly for chuckles. Michael admits he reads the LA Observed, for which he has apparent contempt. But muchas gracias for once more sharing your quick wit and faultless logic. Your dumbed-down defense of Michael requires him to return and fend for himself. zzz
Hey thanks for the recognition Mayor Sam Higby 9:04! I’m glad I make some sense to you after all.
Unfortunately after reading your blog today your “fart in a thunderstorm” Mayor Sam post up “The Leimert Aftermath”, concerning the alleged, insidious, and deadly conspiracy, leading to the massive, vicious LAPD (or someone), attack on the Jamiel’s Law people at Leimert Park the other day I came away still somewhat confused.
It was like the old Abbott and Costello “Who’s on first” routine.
“They’re trying to throw Bernard Parks under the bus”, that is the LA City Council (who?), because Mayor Tony V doesn’t like him because he supported someone else for Mayor, so Chief Bratton who doesn’t like Parks either, but who likes Mayor Tony V and kinda gets along with Mark Ridley Thomas, but who wants to garner favor with the black voters in SC, but at the same time wants support from the Latino public, who haven’t made up their mind about who’s on first, and Mark Ridley Thomas who isn’t a friend of Parks but, but, but, hey I got an idea let’s ask your wunderkind Walter Moore he might be able to make sense of of of Say What?
Well if your schnizzle was a nizzle then pizzle can’t be a drizzle cause schnizzle nizzle don’t go pizzle and fo schnizzle muh nizzle izzle bizzle fizzle dizzle.
Thanks again Mayor Sam
Thanks…give me the password then…
Objection! Now we have Don Quixote arguing posts from the Mayor Sam blog with the Mayor Sam blogger. Mindstate requests a change of venue for this debate. One might consider the Mayor Sam site? It’s only logical, your Honor.
Objection sustained. I’m the only one who can get off topic legally.
Whenever the laws of any state are broken, a duly authorized organization swings into action. It may be called the State Police, State Troopers, Militia, the Rangers… or the Highway Patrol. These are the stories of the men whose training, skill and courage have enforced and preserved our state laws.
FROM THE CHIEF DAN MATTHEWS FILES
City Hall
An electrical engineer is obsessed over losing his job at City Hall. Convinced that he was victimized, he uses stolen explosives to convert his car into a giant bomb and heads for the LA City Hall to blow up the building. Chief Dan Matthews learns of this suicidal mission at the last moment. Finally, with all units at roadblocks, which the man has bypassed, Chief Dan Matthews along with “slugging it down” pal, Drinking With Tony as back up, finds himself the last unit between the careening four-wheeled bomb and City Hall.
Oh sure. Whenever logic and fair debate fade DQ morphs into DWT who henceforth regails us with tales of Dan Matthews aka Broderick Crawford, hard drinking Chief of the Highway Patrol and no stranger to wattles.