Measure D critics booted from City Hall
By Andre Coleman , Joe Piasecki 01/31/2008
An informational meeting for reporters and city workers about a city-backed ballot initiative was nearly scrapped Tuesday after two critics of the measure showed up.
But Wayne Lusvardi, a blogger who the city successfully sued to force changes to the language of his rebuttal to the argument in favor of Measure D, an extension of the city’s Utility User Tax, and political consultant Martin Truitt left the meeting without incident.
Truitt and Lusvardi said they were there simply to listen, not make trouble.
Nevertheless, city Public Information Officer Ann Erdman said the meeting was not open to the public and was called to clear up misconceptions about the measure.
“We’re not here to support the measure or campaign for it, nor can we allow opposition campaigning. So I can ask the critics to leave or I can cancel the meeting,” Erdman said.
Lusvardi told the Weekly later that he plans to file complaints this week with the California Fair Political Practices Commission and the Public Integrity Division of the LA County District Attorney’s office.
“My point would be they called for a public information meeting in a public building and my political consultant and I showed up, and I was also in a dual role as a blogger,” Lusvardi said.
A Jan. 23 email from Erdman to reporters stated the meeting was to answer questions about Measure D, about which “there is plenty of speculation and a fair share of misinformation.”
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