Armenta article As someone who looks forward to reading the Culver City News on a weekly basis, I was dismayed by what I read on the front page written by Gary Walker on Christopher Armenta. I had expected the usual journalist’s perspective of examining an issue from all sides. Instead, what I read was a one sided attack on our mayor emeritus of Culver City, Christopher Armenta, candidate for the 54th Assembly District.
In it, Mr. Walker quotes a former local school board official and her husband as being offended by the campaign mailers sent out by Mr. Armenta because they spoke of the undue political influence of Sebastian Ridley-Thomas’ father, Mark Ridley-Thomas, Second District County Supervisor. However, if one has been following the history of the mailers chronologically as some of us have, you would have noted that everything was fine until Mr. Armenta was endorsed by a 78 percent vote of the members of the Culver City Democratic Club (CCDC) on Wednesday, Nov. 13. Interestingly, Gary Walker was the moderator for the candidates’ forum debate that preceded the endorsement voting. However, Mr. Walker did not mention anything about Mr. Armenta’s by CCDC in his article!
Since Mr. Armenta’s endorsement by the CCDC, I have received a steady stream of mailers from Mr. Ridley- Thomas’ campaign criticizing Mr. Armenta for not signing a Fair Campaign pledge. Again, looking at events chronologically, it was Mr. Ridley-Thomas who pledged to carry out a campaign without any mud slinging on the night of the CCDC Candidates’ Forum. After losing CCDC’s endorsement, Mr. Ridley-Thomas was the first one to send out e-mails and fliers excoriating Mr. Armenta relentlessly. This is pure hypocrisy!
To Mr. Ridley-Thomas’ credit, he did refer to Culver City as the “jewel of the 54th” at the Culver City Chamber of Commerce’s Candidates’ Forum that took place on Wednesday, Nov. 20. Culver City has excelled in providing a first rate education for its children that is the envy of the other cities in the 54th Assembly District. Culver City has also shown the courage to stand up to PXP, now owned by Freeport-McMoRan Oil and Gas, to place a moratorium on oil extraction from 2009 to 2011. Mr. Armenta was Culver City’s council member during that time and mayor from 2010 to 2011. He had the courage of his convictions to protect us from Big Oil. He has the courage, honesty and integrity to NOT accept political donations from Big Oil.
If you care about courage, honesty and integrity in political elections, please join me in voting for Christopher Armenta on Dec. 3. Big Oil already has enough representation in Sacramento. WE THE PEOPLE, need Christopher Armenta to represent us Sacramento!
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Dear Voters of the 54th Assembly District,
As a resident of Culver City for over 45 years I have seen almost everything happen within this city. One truly outstanding event was the election of my husband, Richard Alexander to the City Council in 1974 against almost all odds. It was somewhat like David and Goliath and forty years later I am witnessing the same type of event –with what I hope, will be the same outcome. Christopher Armenta is running his campaign for the 54th Assembly seat against those same type of odds, as he runs against:
- A candidate who has sought special interests groups
- A candidate who has a great deal of name recognition
- A candidate who has the organization of a well tooled political machine
- A candidate who has about 25 times the money to spend
- A candidate who has never served in an elective office position
So why am I strongly endorsing Former Mayor Christopher Armenta:
- Chris has been elected to Public office and has a proven track record ofrepresenting the people
- Chris, an experienced State Auditor, knows where & how to get needed funding
- Chris is committed to ensure quality health care for all demographics in the District
- Chris understands traffic congestion & safety issues & will work to ease them
- Chris has stood up to the County in respect to its weak regulations of the Baldwin Hills Oil Field
- Chris will work tirelessly for a BAN ON FRACKING until it is proven safe
- Chris is committed to strengthening CEQA (the California Environmental Quality Act)
- Chris is extremely concerned about the relationship between our water supply, earthquakes and fracking and is dedicated to holding the industries accountable.
During the time Alex was a four term Culver City Councilman, our family quickly learned how elected leaders can manipulate dates and meetings to orchestrate events causing low voter turnout to skew the vote. Whoever decided on the Dec. 3 date for this special election was certainly not trying to enhance the democratic process, but so be it.
We will get the word out. The people will know that the good of the people must prevail. Please consider voting absentee so you will be able to dedicate your full time and attention to the joyous holidays of this season: Thanksgiving and Hanukkah.
Yours for a greater democracy,
Ann D. Alexander
