Second of two parts.
Re “O’Leary’s New Goalline May Be Los Angeles City Hall”
[img]1915|right|Mehaul O'Leary||no_popup[/img]Pondering a potential leap – two years hence – from City Hall in Culver City to City Hall in downtown Los Angeles, Mehaul O’Leary, starting his first full week as vice mayor, is thinking about how to fund such a pogo stick challenge.
“We are dealing with funding for such a campaign that is way beyond my personal capability,” Mr. O’Leary said. “There would have to be an interest by other organizations, groups to put my name forward.”
The vice mayor acknowledged that there is no early rush. “No one is doing that now,” he said. “But I have faith.
“I am interested in every office at every level, and for now, I just want to continue my role in politics.”
Mr. O’Leary caused a flutter last week when he announced just after his elevation that he was not going to be a rubber stamp for any segment of the City Council, that he was going to make decisions independently.
Normally, new vice mayors quietly segue into the farthest shadows. They are not heard from until the end of their year-long terms.
Mr. O’Leary talked about his unrequited love affair with politics. “The more you delve in,” he said, “the more you realize how influential some groups are and how stick in the mud interested parties are. The Hatfield-McCoy syndrome of America has trickled down to Los Angeles. It doesn’t seem to have affected local government. We don’t seem to be very influential when it comes to Sacramento or Washington.
“I am at a loss to explain to, or to persuade the next level of politics that we are the ones with the ear on the ground. We know what is going on. You need to listen to us more,” Mr. O’Leary said.
Again, he protested the tone deafness of legislators regarding hometown governmemts.
“It is somewhat frustrating when bills get introduced, and nobody seems to want to listen.”
