My ears were burning…
It was last Wednesday afternoon, and I had just left the Candidates Forum at the Beverly Hills/Greater Los Angeles Assn. of Realtors.
I was passing fellow candidate Jeff Cooper who was speaking to a voting member of the realtor board near the restroom door.
I overheard Mr. Cooper remark about another candidate, Meghan Sahli-Wells, “… She's a nice lady, but if you read between the lines you can tell she's a socialist ….”
I knew right then that the chances of me and Sahli-Wells getting support nods were nil.
Here was the Corlin Machine whisper campaign caught in action with the “she is a socialist” smear followed by “we can’t have someone like that on Council.”
It seems the selection of candidates to be endorsed or supported are more or less pre-determined before anyone even spouts a word.
The candidate who has long standing “connections” with a member of a board or manages to buttonhole board members to persuade them to vote for him before an endorsement forum, has a lock on the outcome.
I have been told some nasty things that Mr. Cooper has said about me behind my back, which I will not repeat.
I'm a pretty blunt person.
I have nothing to lose in this campaign by speaking my mind. I would hope the voters understand that I will give a principled and honest opinion when it comes to serving them, if I am elected.
I believe if you are going to say anything critical about a person, you should say it to him or her first, before telling others.
Therefore I would like to make critical observations on why I don't think Jeff Cooper would be a suitable candidate for City Council.
I think Jeff Cooper is an empty suit. He talks out of both sides of his mouth to get a vote To the realtors , he'll say he's for development.
Wink, nod.
To the environmentalists, he'll says he's more pro-environment than pro-development.
There is no love lost between me and Mr. Cooper.
There is something about his smirk I just don't like or trust. I think members of the Culver City Democratic Club deliberately and openly repudiated his candidacy. They voted “no endorsement” for him on the second round of the club’s endorsement vote.
Of all the candidates running for City Council, I think he is the most insincere. I fear what will happen to this city if this empty suit and Corlin Machine puppet wins.
Tough words, eh?
At least I bring it out in the open. I don't use shills to attack anyone.
Come on, Jeff.
Bring your whispering campaign out into the open.
I don't care what you may have to say about me.
I can take a punch.
I may get knocked down, but I'll get up again.
No one's going to keep me down.
Mr. Zirgulis may be contacted at zirgulisr@yahoo.com
