--- [ ARCHIVE ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=16) # Koch Brothers, Fracking Interests and Convicted Felons for Autumn Burke ***![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/May-2014/12043l.png)INSIDE INGLEWOOD***-With one week remaining before District 62 stakeholders head to the polls on June 3, it should be noted that among those who are support Autumn Burke in her Assembly Seat (AD-62) are convicted felons, big oil interests intent on fracking in AD-62 and the right-wing Koch brothers. Basil Kimbrew, a convicted felon who served prison time for violating his parole regarding campaign activity and money laundering and for incidents involving voter fraud, is in [Burke’s corner.](http://www.theinglewoodtribune.com/news02_011608/index.html%20) (It should also be noted that Kimbrew has worked for Carson’s mayor, Jim Dear—who recently voted to allow fracking in the City of Carson after he was bought out by Occidental Oil to do exactly that.) Willie Brown, owner of the “official” newspaper of the City of Inglewood, was one of two parties named by the [**Fair Political Practices Commission**](http://www.fppc.ca.gov/Agendas/12-04/01-112Exh.pdf%20) (FPPC) for election fraud-related charges. Owing to the contract that Brown’s paper, *Inglewood Today*, had with the city, Inglewood paid the record-breaking $50,000 fine. Brown and his “news”paper—along with Inglewood District 2 council member Alex Padilla—is currently being successfully sued for libel. (Padilla was Butts’ hand-picked candidate in the 2013 City of Inglewood election and is a long-time police colleague of Butts.) Brown’s former attorney has apparently resigned from representing Brown owing to what is believed to be a lack of confidence in Brown’s case. Brown’s paper maintains a close financial relationship with Inglewood’s current mayor, James T. Butts, who has formally endorsed Burke. According to a story in the *LA Times*, Butts was charged with sexual and physical abuse of his 5-year-old daughter. The accusation was made by one of this former wives, Minnie Butts, who was at the time an Inglewood police officer. It was stated in a later [*LA Times* story ](http://articles.latimes.com/1993-02-06/local/me-958_1_sexual-abuse)that there was evidence of Butts abusing that wife. Burke has been also heavily supported by SuperPACS financed by the Koch brothers and big oil. One of those superPACs is Fairpac which is organized by [Civil Justice Association of California](http://open.salon.com/blog/robert_elisberg/2010/06/01/the_betsy_butler_smear_it_gets_even_worse "http://open.salon.com/blog/robert_elisberg/2010/06/01/the_betsy_butler_smear_it_gets_even_worse") ([CJAC](http://corpgov.net/2010/06/big-oil-operating-out-of-mailbox-etc-to-smear-betsy-butler/ "http://corpgov.net/2010/06/big-oil-operating-out-of-mailbox-etc-to-smear-betsy-butler/")). CJAC has on its board ExxonMobil, Shell and Dow Chemical Company, among others. [Fairpac](http://cal-access.ss.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1311499&view=received%20) has received significant funding from the Koch brothers who are well-known for their clear racist, union busting and far-right wing Republican agendas. There is also Burke’s campaign manager, Tina McKinnor, who until November 2013 was outgoing Assembly District 62's Steven C. Bradford’s District Director. (Reached via e-mail, McKinnor did not respond to questions about her lack of full disclosure regarding her remarkable relationship with Bradford.) Until Friday, May 23, however, she maintained on her LinkedIn, Facebook and other professionally based social networks that she remains Bradford’s general office manager even as she is District 62 candidate Autumn Burke’s campaign manager. (She has since altered her sites—but not before screenshots were taken as evidence.) One wonders: are tax dollars from Bradford’s office being used to finance Burke’s campaign? With all this in mind, one also wonders if simply painting a person “blue” is enough to call them a Democrat—when all one must do to see the “red” beneath the patina is start scratching to find the truth: Autumn Burke, it would appear, is being paid to represent and be represented by big oil, convicted felons and the Koch brothers. ***(Randall Fleming is a veteran journalist and magazine publisher. He has worked at and for the New York Post, the Brooklyn Spectator and the Los Feliz Ledger. He is currently editor-in-chief at the Morningside Park Chronicle, a weekly newspaper based in Inglewood, CA and on-line at*** [***www.MorningsideParkChronicle.com***](http://www.morningsideparkchronicle.com/)***)*** **-cw** **CityWatch** **Vol 12 Issue 43** **Pub: May 27, 2014** Written by Randall Fleming. May 26 2014 [](https://www.addtoany.com/share) ***![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/May-2014/12043l.png)INSIDE INGLEWOOD***-With one week remaining before District 62 stakeholders head to the polls on June 3, it should be noted that among those who are support Autumn Burke in her Assembly Seat (AD-62) are convicted felons, big oil interests intent on fracking in AD-62 and the right-wing Koch brothers. Basil Kimbrew, a convicted felon who served prison time for violating his parole regarding campaign activity and money laundering and for incidents involving voter fraud, is in [Burke’s corner.](http://www.theinglewoodtribune.com/news02_011608/index.html%20) (It should also be noted that Kimbrew has worked for Carson’s mayor, Jim Dear—who recently voted to allow fracking in the City of Carson after he was bought out by Occidental Oil to do exactly that.) Willie Brown, owner of the “official” newspaper of the City of Inglewood, was one of two parties named by the [**Fair Political Practices Commission**](http://www.fppc.ca.gov/Agendas/12-04/01-112Exh.pdf%20) (FPPC) for election fraud-related charges. Owing to the contract that Brown’s paper, *Inglewood Today*, had with the city, Inglewood paid the record-breaking $50,000 fine. Brown and his “news”paper—along with Inglewood District 2 council member Alex Padilla—is currently being successfully sued for libel. (Padilla was Butts’ hand-picked candidate in the 2013 City of Inglewood election and is a long-time police colleague of Butts.) Brown’s former attorney has apparently resigned from representing Brown owing to what is believed to be a lack of confidence in Brown’s case. Brown’s paper maintains a close financial relationship with Inglewood’s current mayor, James T. Butts, who has formally endorsed Burke. According to a story in the *LA Times*, Butts was charged with sexual and physical abuse of his 5-year-old daughter. The accusation was made by one of this former wives, Minnie Butts, who was at the time an Inglewood police officer. It was stated in a later [*LA Times* story ](http://articles.latimes.com/1993-02-06/local/me-958_1_sexual-abuse)that there was evidence of Butts abusing that wife. Burke has been also heavily supported by SuperPACS financed by the Koch brothers and big oil. One of those superPACs is Fairpac which is organized by [Civil Justice Association of California](http://open.salon.com/blog/robert_elisberg/2010/06/01/the_betsy_butler_smear_it_gets_even_worse "http://open.salon.com/blog/robert_elisberg/2010/06/01/the_betsy_butler_smear_it_gets_even_worse") ([CJAC](http://corpgov.net/2010/06/big-oil-operating-out-of-mailbox-etc-to-smear-betsy-butler/ "http://corpgov.net/2010/06/big-oil-operating-out-of-mailbox-etc-to-smear-betsy-butler/")). CJAC has on its board ExxonMobil, Shell and Dow Chemical Company, among others. [Fairpac](http://cal-access.ss.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1311499&view=received%20) has received significant funding from the Koch brothers who are well-known for their clear racist, union busting and far-right wing Republican agendas. There is also Burke’s campaign manager, Tina McKinnor, who until November 2013 was outgoing Assembly District 62's Steven C. Bradford’s District Director. (Reached via e-mail, McKinnor did not respond to questions about her lack of full disclosure regarding her remarkable relationship with Bradford.) Until Friday, May 23, however, she maintained on her LinkedIn, Facebook and other professionally based social networks that she remains Bradford’s general office manager even as she is District 62 candidate Autumn Burke’s campaign manager. (She has since altered her sites—but not before screenshots were taken as evidence.) One wonders: are tax dollars from Bradford’s office being used to finance Burke’s campaign? With all this in mind, one also wonders if simply painting a person “blue” is enough to call them a Democrat—when all one must do to see the “red” beneath the patina is start scratching to find the truth: Autumn Burke, it would appear, is being paid to represent and be represented by big oil, convicted felons and the Koch brothers. ***(Randall Fleming is a veteran journalist and magazine publisher. He has worked at and for the New York Post, the Brooklyn Spectator and the Los Feliz Ledger. He is currently editor-in-chief at the Morningside Park Chronicle, a weekly newspaper based in Inglewood, CA and on-line at*** [***www.MorningsideParkChronicle.com***](http://www.morningsideparkchronicle.com/)***)*** **-cw** **CityWatch** **Vol 12 Issue 43** **Pub: May 27, 2014** [![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/ME%20DENTAL%20SPA/me%20dental%202026%20final.jpg)](http://medentalspa.com/) ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/banners/signup-for-cw.png) ## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays Email [ ![LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/LADWP/dwp%20level%20pay%205-7-25.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)") [ ![Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/HHR/AHF-rent-too-high.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/104 "Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2") --- ## Featured CityWatch Stories [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/34/065h-34e1b43b.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33212:reminder-to-the-red-states-turnabout-is-fair-play&catid=395) ### [Reminder to the Red States, Turnabout is Fair Play](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33212:reminder-to-the-red-states-turnabout-is-fair-play&catid=395) GELFAND’S WORLD - Indiana has been pounded by rains that resulted in widespread flooding. While the rain was still comi… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/0f/061a-0f1ada2f.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33148:brace-yourself-for-a-worse-housing-crisis&catid=398) ### [Brace Yourself For A Worse Housing Crisis](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33148:brace-yourself-for-a-worse-housing-crisis&catid=398) PLANNING WATCH - The California State Legislature will soon vote on the following draft legislation. Please carefully… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/75/064a-75d5dbb3.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33199:your-boss-owns-your-workday-not-your-brain&catid=425) ### [Your Boss Owns Your Workday—Not Your Brain](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33199:your-boss-owns-your-workday-not-your-brain&catid=425) THE NEURAL WORKPLACE - California must protect workers before workplace surveillance crosses the final frontier: the hu… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/fe/064i-febc3c1a.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33203:all-talk-no-action-nithya-ramans-reckoning&catid=401) ### [All Talk, No Action: Nithya Raman’s Reckoning](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33203:all-talk-no-action-nithya-ramans-reckoning&catid=401) THE BOTTOM LINE - Nithya Raman lost the homelessness gavel, and the most damaging verdict didn’t come from Republicans… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/93/064k-9302351b.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33205:biden-family-grift-vs-trump-family-grift-lets-do-the-numbers&catid=9) ### [Biden Family Grift vs. Trump Family Grift: Let’s Do the Numbers](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33205:biden-family-grift-vs-trump-family-grift-lets-do-the-numbers&catid=9) GRIFTING IN THE DAYLIGHT - Most people recognize that Donald Trump and his kids are stealing from us with both hands ev… --- ## [ ARCHIVE ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=16) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Apr-2018/034e.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15339:early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles&catid=16)### [Early Intervention and Jobs are Key to Stemming Chronic Homelessness in Los Angeles](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15339:early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles&catid=16) ### [Tucker Carlson and Gay Rightwinger Blame California Wildfires On Hiring LGBTQ People](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18755:tucker-carlson-and-gay-rightwinger-blame-california-wildfires-on-hiring-lgbtq-people&catid=16) ### [Anti-LGBTQ Veep Just Can’t Stop Talking about Mayor Pete](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17690:anti-lgbtq-veep-just-can-t-stop-talking-about-mayor-pete&catid=16) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Apr-2018/033j.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15316:news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties&catid=16)### [NEWS PULSE: ‘Corrupt System’ Reason for Not Voting in 2018 … Majority Wants More Than Two Parties](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15316:news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties&catid=16) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Jan-2016/1404d.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10245:dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles&catid=16)### [Dead Dog Set on Fire … Sparks Fears for Strays in Los Angeles](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10245:dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles&catid=16)