An independent expenditure committee dominated by real estate interests that is supporting John Heilman’s campaign for West Hollywood City Council has raised another $17,500, bringing its total as of May 15 to $117,512.
Meanwhile, West Hollywood Properties LLC, the firm owned by billboard magnates Brian and Drake Kennedy, has produced a campaign mailer supporting Heidi Shink’s candidacy.
Neither WeHo United for John Heilman for City Council 2015 nor West Hollywood Properties can, by law, coordinate its campaign activities with Heilman or Shink, who have no control over their actions.
The West Hollywood Properties campaign mailer says Shink will control overdevelopment and “plac(e) the interests of local communities ahead of developers and their supporters.”
An aggressive recent mailer distributed by WeHo United focuses solely on Shink and Cole Ettman, another competitor in the four-person race for one Council seat, while not mentioning candidate Larry Block. “Warning: This mailer contains information that may disturb you,” it says. Inside it calls out the fact that Ettman has been sued 13 times by the New York State Board of Elections for failing to pay fines assessed for campaign finance violations. It attacks Shink’s claim that she supports affordable housing by claiming that, in her role as a Planning Commissioner, she has voted for projects that allow Ellis Act evictions and displacement of low-income tenants.
The latest contributions to the WeHo United committee include $2,500 from E.T. Legg, the billboard company; $10,000 from Townscape Management, the developer of the controversial 8899 Beverly Blvd. project, which already had donated $10,000, and $5,000 from West Hollywood Development, owned by David Michael Talla, founder of Sports Club LA.
Brian and Drake Kennedy are the owners of Regency Outdoor Advertising, owners of major billboards along Sunset Boulevard. They currently are engaged in a lawsuit with one another over control of the company.
The latest round of campaign finance reports for the June 2 election will be filed with the City Clerk on May 21.
I’m voting Heidi Shink over John Heilman. And I can’t wait!! Shink, Shink, Shink!!!
Cole Ettman called me the other day to inform me, according to the info he received, that there WILL be an opportunity to question other candidates during tonight’s even at the WeHo City Council Chambers. I hope he is correct. Time will tell !
John Heilman finally now has no choice but to show his face in public, regardless of his shameless behavior on the City Council & the wide spread dislike for him in general, because he knows he has to try to convince people to vote for him this time instead of once again feeling he is automatically entitled to a seat on the City Council. Heilman’s “If I lose on March 3, I won’t run on June 2” promise was just part of his usual deceitful act, saying he wouldn’t run then following up by saying “people” begged him to run… Read more »
Alas, my name is now in scarlet red… doomed…
@Woody McBreairty McBreairty reread your comment, the spot on part starts with the 2nd sentence… Hey, it’s an election, WE debate. Please everyone vote AGAINST heilman. He will for the first time in years & years & years be making a public appearance at tomorrow’s rare forum (minus debate) in the forum of the forum buy the forum ad nauseam could overflow le forum, lest we get bored.
“The latest round of campaign finance reports for the June 2 election will be filed with the City Clerk on June 2.” I didn’t quite know what side this internet newspaper could be on beings there’s only been one side for so long. Just a compliment that, it’s very cool that you just lay it all out there. Some of the writers of opinion, could clean their mirrors, which is why it took me a while to understand, but the news articles and election coverage you present is like, WAY good, good, good. Community oriented, Thank You. Just a compliment,… Read more »
@DK. Now I’m guessing you are Heidi Shink in drag. I mean, who other than Shink could lie so boldly? Haven’t you read about all the things she claims — her membership of on Jewish women’s group board, her membership on that group’s advocacy “board,” her work creating the sober new year’s event, her work on bicycle safety — all of which those actually involved say are lies? This woman’s pants are really on fire. If she’s elected to the City Council there will need to be a fire extinguisher next to her to put the flames out as she… Read more »
@Woody McBreairty McBreairty: right on, you hit the nail on the head. Of course super-rich real estate developers are backing Heilmand and smearing the other candidate. Heilman has transformed from a true progressive hero to basically a lobbyist for developers. Putting John Heilman will mean more out-of-control overdevelopment, more traffic congestion, more business closures in the extended meter hour area, more million-dollar vanity projects funded by for profit policing and parking ticket shakedowns that target the less wealthy. Shink should be elected because she will help keep WeHo progressive and friendly. She will help D’Amico and Meister put a stop… Read more »
Here’s an opportunity for John Heilman to show some class and leadership: Distance yourself from these negative attack mailers that the Developers United PAC sent out unbeknownst to you Mr. Heilman!
If John Heilman and his legacy were so wonderful, why would there be a need for developers to spend $117,000 on his re-election? This money undermines our community’s democracy and speaks volumes on how far we have strayed under the Heilman/Duran regime from being that progressive “City on the Hill”.
My vote goes to the candidate that has 30+ years of experience. John Heilman has helped guide this City from an unincorporated area of LA to a world clas destination. A place where people love to live, work, eat, shop and play. As a homeowner I support John Heilman!
Any contributions from Townscape or Regency Outdoor should be viewed with suspicion. Both companies are bad actors in West Hollywood and both have significant business interests here. While I know that this money is going to an “independent expenditure” nonprofit entity that isn’t supposed to coordinate with the candidates, these monied interests wouldn’t be writing checks if they didn’t expect a return on their investment. FOLLOW THE MONEY!!
Given a choice of 2 candidates who are influenced by developers & their money, I will take Heidi Shink over John Heilman in a heart beat. Heilman has had 30 years of making West Hollywood a developer’s paradise, almost to the point of irrevocability. In spite of his monotonous, plastic & repetitious propaganda machine, Heilman is still totally not a credible representative of the people and I do not trust Heilman as far as I could throw him. Long time community activist Jean Dobrin made the public statement years ago “West Hollywood is for sale” & I attribute that statement… Read more »