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ERIC PREVEN’S NOTEBOOK - It took over three weeks to produce three pages—three weeks—for a calendar. This wasn’t a novel-length memoir or a forensic audit of city finances. It was a basic work schedule for Marqueece Harris-Dawson, and yet the delay suggests it had to be specially treated, lovingly curated, and fortified against public scrutiny—lest someone attempt to copy and paste, God forbid.
And for what? To unveil a bold new standard in transparency improv: 54 listed appointments, 21 of them redacted. That’s just under half, which, in the world of City Hall open government misconduct, actually isn’t bad. The Council President likes a close shave.
Speaking of Shaves...
The man has his priorities straight. On January 21, after a redacted dinner, he rushed to a barber appointment at 9:30 PM. A late-night grooming emergency? We don’t judge. The following week, though, he flipped the script—switching to a 7 AM cut. A man who has plenty of range.
Part of Marqueece Harris-Dawson, to go with part of the calendar sought through CPRA.
Big Meetings, Bigger Questions
He met with Barbara Ferrer about debt prevention, which raises the question: Is it the city’s debt or his own? He also had an hour-long huddle with Paul Krekorian and Joanne Kim about the Olympics, a topic known to spark vigorous public debate that the council actively avoids having in public.
Then there’s Matt. Was it Matt Szabo, the City Administrative Officer, or Matt Knabe, the well-connected lobbyist? Either way, you can bet it was fascinating.
But let’s talk about Manuel. The Council President met with Manuel on January 29, and then, just two days later, MANUEL again—for two hours each time. That’s four hours in a single week dedicated to a mysterious, all-caps MANUEL. What was so important? Was it a real estate play? A secret strategy session? Just an excellent lunch companion? The world may never know.
Redacted Dinners: The City’s Favorite Mystery
Nothing says accountability like a good redacted dinner. The Council President had two on the 31st and another one on the 21st, which makes one wonder: Who’s picking up the check?
It's not clear there’s a shortage of available time—the schedule is brimming with meetings of varying levels of obscurity—so why gut the public meetings of the public? If the Council President can carve out four hours for MANUEL, surely he can spare a few minutes for public comment.
LA County Board Meeting:
Public Comments by resident volunteer, Eric Preven - February 18, 2025
Smart Speaker: Thank you. It's Eric Preven from Studio City. This is not my favorite structure, you go into closed session before the meeting. It's discombobulated time and I find it slightly suppressing of our ability to participate. Given you are going into litigations we don't know about, consider releasing the records for the sole source agreements and contracting that Covington & Burling, we spent money on that, and the public is going to sue if we can't get access to the records. It was all about accountability of the way the board conducts itself. To take that information and not share with the public doesn't pass basic muster. Unfortunately, you're encouraging-- we're encouraging you to release records, the 'L.A. Times' and great activists don't have to bring those big scary fuzzy cuddly attorneys into the mix to discuss things for years. We can just disclose the records and get moving. Once again I want to thank this board..."
Smart Speaker: Okay, it's Eric Preven. First of all, I think when you hire a guy like Mr. Viera Rosa, you need to let him do his job. The guy has made some recommendations and we need to embrace his choice. He's been subjected to five reviews, two different groups. It's very important. The communities are important to listen to. At a certain point where we are now, in an abject lunacy container, flying around in circles waiting for reports, trying different things. Let's go. We have to let the man do his job. I don't agree with every single thing he said, but he's trying. We need to allow that to grow and move forward. I don't know how much longer this can go on. Whether the old guy, Jerry, who was buying Costco vacations for his girlfriend was in charge, there was something called Paragraph 63, let them out. We can't keep kids in probation because it metastasizes into a dangerous unamagable situation. That's where we are right now."
Smart Speaker: Thank you. Obviously, the mom and pops are very well organized tonight, so, you know, we'll have to stick to the idea that people have lost everything briefly. And though landlords should not be underwriting the rescue plan because they were screwed during COVID, understandably. I want to go back to the philanthropy, because we kind of glossed over, oh, well, that's already spent. Bullshit. This is what the philanthropy is for. So if it's the Annenbergs and the Community Foundation or whoever it is, get them in here. This is what we need. That's the people who can provide the short-term assistance, landlords get paid, the people stay. There was a quarter billion dollars raised, okay? There's no good reason to say we need that for the foundations in the future. This is very important, so I appreciate you taking the heat off of mom and pops. It failed at the city because they got burned badly during COVID, so they can't underwrite the whole rescue.”
Smart Speaker: Thank you. You have practically exhausted me. But I have a quick question. Are these -- what happened to the closed sessions? First of all, one of the closed sessions was a performance evaluation for six different departments. I mean, is that one closed session? Do they all come in for a little review? This felt like a filibuster, we're going to take closed session at the front of the meeting. This is not user-friendly. I understand the 1:00 was not prescribed by you, but by the rules. We have to do a slightly better job of organizing these meetings. This has been chaotic, I would say. Good work, thank you."
Vox populi:
So much important business, and so little public input. The Los Angeles City Council packed another two days with high-stakes decisions, moving billions of dollars and shaping city policy with barely a whisper from the public.
There were a total of 52 items on Tuesday and Wednesday's agendas, including four contract extensions, four report requests, three cultural heritage designations, three feasibility studies, and three lawsuit settlements. The agenda also included two permit approvals, two recognitions, two infrastructure allocations, two liquor licenses, and two policy adjustments. Other notable items included MOA & CEQA approvals, ordinances, service allocations, map approvals, and fund transfers.
The total money at stake? Over $5 billion—$5,068,875,048.99 to be exact.
A council that claims to champion transparency continues to BULLDOZE through major financial and policy decisions with little room for public oversight. But hey, at least John Carpenter and Trisha Yearwood are getting their stars on the Walk of Fame. Priorities.
The Hypocrisy Games (Legacy Edition)
This meeting will, of course, be submitted for consideration by the Nobel Committee, the Pulitzer Board, and any other prestigious institutions recognizing achievements in sheer, unadulterated hypocrisy. While it may not reach the heights of, say, the League of Nations awarding its peace prize to Mussolini or the time Henry Kissinger won a Nobel for ending a war he helped prolong, the Los Angeles City Council has certainly put forward a strong contender.
With over $5 billion in financial maneuvering, contracts shuffled with barely a glance, and public participation reduced to an afterthought, Groat’s second career as a human Shazam was revealed. Unexpected yet unsurprising.
But make no mistake—Wednesday’s meeting was a keeper.
The Homeless Count: A Never-Ending Tech Failure
Bob Blumenfield proudly announced that—once again—the city’s homeless count app had failed. For the third year running. This is the same city vying to host the Olympics but can’t manage basic data collection. Idea: Should we should go back to papyrus and carrier pigeons?
Meanwhile, Nithya Raman begged for more volunteers, including students from John Lee’s Think Tank. Which raises a key question for the Granada Hills Charter students:
Why did you appear the size of #Blumenfield’s nose in the telecast?
Extra Credit: Did CD12 arrange to cover your bus fare?
Soto-Martinez’s Housing Initiative vs. McOsker’s Family Business
Hugo Soto-Martinez unveiled 37 mental health beds for LGBTQ+ youth off the agenda. Meanwhile, Tim McOsker gathered his self-described clan to help with the homeless count—coincidentally, in the area where his daughter works at the Central Cities Association. But don’t worry, that's not a conflict of interest! Just ask Matt and Don Knabe. They don't live in under the same roof.
CD15 in Hopy Coat.
The Wesson Machine Sputters Forward
Speaking of nepotism, Alexis Wesson—former chief of staff to Nury Martinez, later a John Lee aide, and wife of gadfly Justin Wesson—is now chief of staff to Adrin Nazarian, the CD2s new Krekorian plant. A full-circle moment for the Wesson dynasty.
Katy Yaroslavsky’s Great Excuse Machine
Feeling the heat over low to dismally low turnout for the homeless count, Yaroslavsky admitted, “We’re all feeling a little angsty about our ability to make a difference.” Her excuse? The date change. Right—because an army of eager volunteers was just waiting for the perfect calendar slot to save a broken system.
Blumenfield had a very strong homeless count turnout.
Also, Katy, who do you choose, Mayor Bass or Lindsey Horvath? ______
A Moment —Interrupted by Deputy Ninny Groat Then Magically Restored
Harris-Dawson pushed an item ahead of everything else—a tribute to Japanese Americans forced into internment camps during WWII. As a speaker shared his family’s story, Groat cut him off—because rules are rules! But then, Harris-Dawson issued an off-mic decree, and suddenly, Groat changed his tune: “Please continue.”
Translation: The rules are… fungible. Extra Credit: [Kids, check rule 93 of city council rules]
John Lee’s Granada Hills Charter Fan Club
A parade of bright-eyed students from John Lee’s Excellence Program took to public comment, lavishing praise on their great leader. One even said he was “making our city great again.” Yikes.
The real question: Are these students future civic leaders or young lobbyists taking part in a manufactured PR stunt? David Tristan of the Ethics Commission will know.
The students and teacher from Granada Hills Charter High School enjoyed the Goat puppet's testimony.
NOTE: The city does not support a variety of speakers who they despise.
Padilla’s Performance: Decent
The latest Council spat featured Imelda Padilla playing the indignant outsider, balking at a $500,000 Van Nuys nonprofit funding item in her district that her mentor, Monica Rodriguez, wanted rushed through. Padilla put on a show of outrage—but let’s be real, after the right amount of ring-kissing, she’ll be back to greenlight it.
This intramural clash is reminiscent of this week's right-wing skirmish between Elon Musk and Steve Bannon. Musk, never shy with an insult, dismissed Bannon as “a great talker, but not a great doer.” Bannon fired back this week, calling Musk a "parasitic illegal immigrant" imposing "freak experiments" on America.
Whether at City Hall or on the national stage, political allies are often just rivals waiting for their moment. The sharpest fights aren’t always across the aisle—they’re over who controls the narrative and, of course, the moolah.
Like Karen Bass and Lindsey Horvath’s spat… written up by a journalist who works at a paper that hasn’t noticed the wholesale public comment reductions…under the Mayor’s best boy and Horvath’s _____.
Groat’s Musical Obsession & The Google Translate Debate
While a Google Translate debate briefly broke out, the real plot twist? Groat fancies himself a human jukebox, proudly identifying songs mid-meeting. If only he applied that skill to running a functional public forum.
Hutt’s Generosity—Danny Bakewell’s Venue
Heather Hutt announced a Food Box Giveaway—hosted, of course, at Danny Bakewell’s Sentinel. Because charity only counts if it props up the right newspaper mogul. And we need a fresh photo-op. But the real question: Who’s actually footing the bill?
Answer: Mothers In Action and Brotherhood Crusade. But are they donating, underwriting, how much, or just another set of public dollars cycling back into Bakewell’s empire?
The Bakewell Racket
A few weeks ago, someone decided to rename one set of Herb Wesson’s Smoking Steps and slap Danny Bakewell’s name on a street corner. Why? Bakewell has spent years tappingg politicians for taxpayer cash—while Taste of Soulrolls onward in the public right of way.
City Attorney Mike Feuer once railed against Wells Fargo’s predatory practices. Yet at Taste of Soul, Wells Fargo’s logo gleamed next to the City and County seals—while Bakewell cashed public checks. Gift of public funds is putting it politely.
Smart Speaker: Didn’t we just re-up with Wells Fargo?
Yes. And your time has expired.
Make Altadena Great Again.
Speculation is surging that Mark Ridley-Thomas may be in line for a pardon—and not just a fresh start, but a grand return as the czar overseeing fire rebuild corruption. Because what better way to ensure integrity than putting a seasoned expert in the field?
“C’mon, Mr. President, hook a brutha up!”
Public Works Committee: Meltdown
February 12, 2025—A whopping two-member quorum (Eunisses Hernandez and Heather "Bakewell"" Hutt) presided over a proposal to name a square after Bakewell. The public was not amused.
On Bakewell’s Legacy:
"Let’s give Danny Bakewell a hand for helping indict Curren Price! When Curren Price is in prison, he can visit Danny Bakewell Square and thank his god that he met him."
On the 2016 Press Conference Fallout:
"Danny Bakewell caused what happened at City Hall—all those FBI agents, all those arrests. Later, Padilla—the Hamburger Helper—she gonna tell you why Curren Price got indicted by the state and not the FBI. It’s ‘cause of that press conference in 2016. She knows the whole story."
On Heather Hutt’s Political Rise:
"Heather Hutt, the beneficiary of Mr. Bakewell’s legacy, got this council seat ‘cause brother Ridley-Thomas had to get indicted first—to put Herb Wesson back in here."
Our treasured partner who collects taxpayer money for a for profit event in the public roadway.
On Naming the Square:
"Danny Bakewell publishes a fake newspaper called The Sentinel—so when Curren Price is in prison, he can visit Danny Bakewell Square and say, ‘Damn, I really owe that man.’"
On Council Priorities:
"Instead of picking up trash, fixing streets, or dealing with crime, we out here spending taxpayer money on how to give a street a ‘beautiful name.’ Y’all got a $300,000 salary for this?!"
Quorum of two. No Padilla. Public outrage. Business as usual.
(Eric Preven is a Studio City-based TV writer-producer, award-winning journalist, and longtime community activist who won two landmark open government cases in California.)
