Comments
ERIC PREVEN’S NOTEBOOK - It’s no secret that Los Angeles City Council members aren’t exactly eager to let the public peek into their daily schedules. But when you force them to cough up their calendars, you get a rare glimpse into who’s doing their job—and who’s just keeping the lights on while serving special interests.
After analyzing the January 15-31, 2025, schedules of multiple council members, we’ve got our final rankings. Some are working. Some are coasting. And some are actively making it difficult for the public to know what the hell they’re up to.
Council members Hutt (CD10) and Jurado (CD14) veteran staffer Andrew Westall ignore the public.
🏆 Top Performers: The Workhorses
📌 Traci Park – B+ (Media Maniac, Disaster Relief)
She’s everywhere—FEMA meetings, fire recovery, and enough TV interviews to make you wonder if she’s running for something bigger. But at least she’s doing something. I'd like more policy and fewer Fox News soundbites, please.
📌 Nithya Raman – B (Policy Wonk, Needs Public Engagement)
Nobody will accuse her of being lazy—she’s knee-deep in housing & homelessness policy. But committee meetings don’t equal real-world results. Angelenos don’t just want legislative briefings—they want to see action.
📌 Tim McOsker – B (In-house Lobbyist & Trade, Lacking Community Connection)
Strong on ports, transportation, and budgeting—but focus more on crime and quality-of-life issues. Economic development means nothing if people don’t feel safe.
📌 Adrin Nazarian – B- (Sleepy Bureaucrat, Needs More Visibility)
Engaged in infrastructure and governance, but you wouldn’t know it. Nazarian should get out of the office and engage with his district.
🚨 The Ghosts: Redactions, Avoidance & Stonewalling
🔴 Katy Yaroslavsky – D (Invisible, Some Redactions)
Too many “Busy” blocks and not enough public engagement. A Metro Board meeting here, a planning call there… but where’s the direct constituent work?
🔴 Monica Rodriguez – D (Media-Obsessed, Light on Substance)
Yes, she does some disaster response, but Univision interviews and Rolling Stone features don’t fix broken streets. Less PR, more policy.
🔴 Council President – D (Minimal Leadership, Hidden Work?)
Council Meetings? Sure. But where’s the leadership? Where are the big moments, tough questions, and virtual testimony?
🚩 F+ Tier: Acknowledging the Request (But Still Failing)
🔴 Ysabel Jurado – F+
🔴 Bob Blumenfield – F+
The “+” is only because they at least acknowledged the request. That’s better than outright ignoring the public, but their work (or lack thereof) speaks for itself. Shout out to arrogant:
Dear Aaron Carrera,
Please expedite the provision of Blumenfield’s Calendar and Paris stuff, as we’re eager to review his travel expenses with Patty Huber to determine if any qualify for FEMA reimbursement. Let me know if I can expect the documents by the end of the day as they are very very late.
Best,
Eric Preven
🔥 The BAD Committee: Failing the Public
Meet the BAD COMMITTEE—a group of councilmembers who didn’t just fail the transparency test, they actively flunked out:
🚩 Eunisses Hernandez – F
🚩 Imelda Padilla – F “a thoughtful, intelligent and fierce advocate for her constituents.” Pffft.
🚩 Curren Price – F
🚩 Heather Hutt – F
🚩 Hugo Soto-Martinez – F
These five have one thing in common: Opacity, lack of engagement, and a deep commitment to avoiding accountability. If this were a real City Council committee, their jurisdiction would be “Ducking Public Oversight & Stonewalling Transparency.”
This lineup has the vibes of the Rules, Elections & Intergovernmental Relations Committee or the Budget Committee, both of which have a history of moving things into the shadows where scrutiny is minimal.
Eunisses Hernandez (CD1)
💀 And Finally…
🚨 John Lee – F- (The King of Evasions) 🚨
No one made it more difficult to review their calendar than John Lee.
🔴 Redactions? ✅
🔴 Vague “Busy” blocks? ✅
🔴 A pattern of dodging transparency? ✅✅✅
John Lee was Mitch Englander’s right-hand man when Englander was taking envelopes of cash in Vegas hotel bathrooms—so it’s no shock that he wants to keep things on the down-low. But if you have nothing to hide, why make it so hard for the public to see what you’re doing?
Lee’s schedule was a nightmare to analyze, and that’s probably the point.
John Lee’s Greeked-Up Calendar and the Federation’s Chosen Ones
There was one detail from John Lee’s heavily redacted schedule, that stood out: his January 30th appearance at the Jewish Federation’s annual LA Leaders Cocktail at 6505 Wilshire Blvd. Fancy. Triggering.
As always, where power (and booze) flows, so does John Lee Staffer B—this time rubbing elbows at a soirée celebrating the Federation’s favorite political figures. I wonder if Barri Worth Girvan, former Federation staffer, current senior aide to Lindsey Horvath, and now a City Council hopeful for Bob Blumenfield’s soon-to-be-vacant seat, was in attendance.
Girvan’s name dredges up a particularly egregious episode in L.A. political history—one that epitomizes insider machinations. In 2014, she was on the receiving end of an infamous email from Zev Yaroslavsky’s longtime press deputy, Joel Bellman, orchestrating an effort to exclude Eric Preven from the Third District’s Supervisorial debates.
Joel Bellman: The Architect of Suppression
Bellman’s emails obtained through CPRA revealed a deliberate effort to sideline Preven, using his private account ([email protected]) to control debate invitations, spin narratives, and ensure only pre-approved candidates made it to the stage. His March 24, 2014, email to Barri Worth Girvan warned her about Preven—an attempt to discredit him in influential circles. That Bellman still serves as a board member of the Society of Professional Journalists Los Angeles (SPJLA) is nothing short of nauseating.
Stacy Sledge: The Reluctant Intermediary
Topanga Town Council’s Stacy Sledge hesitated to release Bellman’s email, which contained debate invitation details that deliberately omitted Preven. Her reluctance spoke volumes about how deeply these efforts were embedded in the process. In the end she complied with the law and Bellman was caught.
Christina Villacorte: The Press Enabler
Then a journalist, now Communications Director for the Los Angeles County Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission, Villacorte played her role by covering debates without questioning Preven’s exclusion. She later served as Communications Deputy to Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas and Zev Yaroslavsky—perfectly positioned to uphold the Third District’s tightly managed messaging machine.
Will Girvan and Lindsey Horvath denounce the tactics that shaped their political lineage? Will they acknowledge the deep rot within the Third District’s political infrastructure—the same rot that enabled Bellman’s suppression of dissent, that shrugged at ethical breaches as the cost of doing business? Or will they, like so many before them, simply ride the wave?
Because the real scandal isn’t just that Bellman got caught or that Preven exposed the emails—it’s that nobody did anything. The press, the so-called watchdogs, the transparency warriors—they all looked away.
L.A. in a Minute… LAPD in an Hour
Evan Lovett, the rapid-fire historian behind L.A. in a Minute, just got a reality check: after his Studio City home was burglarized, he spent 59 minutes on hold with 911. The guy who can sum up the history of the 405 in seconds found himself waiting nearly an hour for LAPD to pick up the phone.
Lovett vented his frustration but kept his critique… measured. Could it be because multiple City Council offices have hired him for fun fact-filled district mini-docs? Or that Imelda Padilla just honored him with a City Hall scroll?
A deep dive on L.A.'s dispatcher crisis would have been fair game—maybe even a snappy explainer on how the city found $1 billion for the Olympics but can’t staff 911—but instead, Lovett tread lightly. LAPD was “very nice,” the dispatcher shortage a “real problem.”
A real problem, indeed. If a podcaster with 300,000 followers can’t get a dispatcher on the line, what chance does everyone else have? And as L.A. in a Minute leans closer to city-funded PR, one has to wonder: how long before it starts sounding like City Hall in a Memo?
Adrin Nazarian (CD2) is proud of his legislative record.
Marqueece Harris-Dawson + the Erosion of Public Participation in LA
In 1791, the nation's founders ratified the First Amendment to the Constitution, enshrining essential freedoms: the right to criticize the government, speak without fear of retaliation, assemble in protest, and ensure a press free from coercion. These rights were designed to foster an engaged public, holding leaders accountable while actively participating in governance.
Los Angeles City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, like many politicians, professes to value free speech. However, his actions suggest otherwise. He has presided over a significant rollback of public participation in City Hall, limiting public comment, curtailing dissent, and favoring compliant media outlets that overlook his most concerning actions.
In a recent interview with Spectrum News—a network that collaborates with the Los Angeles Times—Harris-Dawson dismissed criticisms regarding the former fire chief's communication during a crisis as mere "Monday morning quarterbacking." This response underscores a broader issue: a city government increasingly insulated from public accountability, preferring controlled narratives over genuine engagement.
Marqueece Harris-Dawson (CD8) in Van Nuys.
When addressing political accountability, Harris-Dawson remarked, "You can always place political blame... I can blame Donald Trump for the price of eggs, but that doesn't mean it's so." Such deflections trivialize legitimate concerns about underfunding and mismanagement, framing them as unavoidable, much like the natural disasters themselves.
Under Harris-Dawson's leadership, the City Council has systematically undermined free speech in its purest form: public comment. While national attention focuses on threats to free speech elsewhere, similar erosions occur locally. The Council moved general public comment to the end of its meetings, a shift criticized by city officials and advocates for diminishing public engagement. More recently, the Council eliminated the option for phone-in public comments, further restricting accessibility for residents, especially those unable to attend in person due to work or other commitments.
Harris-Dawson argues that local government is underfunded, leading to unmet needs in infrastructure and services. Yet, budgets consistently accommodate consultants, well-connected nonprofits, and lucrative private contracts. There's ample time for political maneuvering but limited opportunities for the public to voice concerns.
Compounding this issue is the role of the press. Preferred media outlets, including Spectrum News, have been quick to critique Harris-Dawson for politically assisting Mayor Bass but remain silent on his direct assaults on public engagement. The true scandal isn't his political alliances; it's his persistent efforts to suppress public participation, shielding himself and his allies from the scrutiny the First Amendment guarantees.
True free speech transcends political debates and orchestrated media appearances. It embodies the right of everyday citizens to stand up in their government's chambers—or call in—and be heard.
Recent actions by City Hall make one thing clear: it's not about the people; it's about the politicians. Restoring unfettered, uncensored public comment is more urgent than ever to ensure that the voices of Los Angeles residents are not just heard but valued.
Did You Know...?
Did you know that individuals and organizations only have to disclose affiliations when speaking at City Hall if they are paid to advocate? The LA City Ethics Commission clarified that public commenters like Rob Quan (UnrigLA) and Stu Waldman (VICA) aren’t required to disclose their ties unless they’re lobbying under city or state law.
Registration as a lobbyist would only be required if a person is being compensated to engage in at least 30 hours of lobbying activities in any consecutive three-month period on behalf of another person and has at least one direct communication with a decision maker.
Endorsements by for-profit organizations also don’t trigger reporting unless they engage in lobbying or campaign finance. Media exemptions apply too, meaning an article like Eric Preven’s in CityWatch wouldn’t count as an in-kind contribution unless coordinated with a campaign.
For those wondering if their activity triggers disclosure, the Ethics Commission offers guidance on lobbying registration and campaign committee qualifications. More details can be found in their Lobbying Brochure.
Harvard-Westlake Water Polo Lounge:
Scott M. Reid’s Orange County Register exposé reveals how Harvard-Westlake ignored, minimized, and covered up sexual abuse and racial harassment in its water polo program. Reid, an award-winning investigative journalist, has exposed institutional failures that triggered national scrutiny. His latest report makes one thing clear: Harvard-Westlake’s leadership failed to report serious allegations, violating mandated reporting laws. So, what else are they covering up?
The school is building another swimming pool, yet its response to these damning revelations has been vague at best. If they “did nothing and looked away” in water polo, why should parents and the Studio City community assume other sports are any different? A $656 million-endowment institution that funnels students into the Ivy League should be held to the highest standard—not enable predators while punishing victims.
Despite this scandal, Harvard-Westlake continues expanding, erasing public spaces while dodging accountability. And why are Lindsey Horvath, Nithya Raman, and LA County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella—who runs the county flood district—handing over substantial parts of the public right of way and granting the school Conditional Use Permits (CUPs) for its unchecked expansion?
The same administrators who looked the other way when young athletes were sexually battered are still in charge. The same culture that shielded a predator rather than supporting his victims persists. Why should anyone trust them now?
Harvard-Westlake should not get a free pass to develop and expand when they have failed so egregiously at their most fundamental duty: protecting the kids. If they covered up sexual abuse in water polo, what else have they concealed? If they retaliated against victims instead of abusers, who else have they failed?
Until there is a full, independent investigation into all Harvard-Westlake athletic programs, the answer must be: We don’t know—but we have every reason to be concerned.
Trumpish:
Los Angeles’s so-called progressive leaders have perfected Trumpian tactics—silencing dissent, controlling the narrative, and erasing opposition—minus the red hats. Under Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Karen Bass, and their enablers, public participation has been crushed: virtual public comment eliminated, mics cut, cameras off, dissent erased. Even Bob Blumenfield admitted a 2.5-hour commute to City Hall, yet they expect working Angelenos and disabled residents to sacrifice an entire day for a 60-second comment. The press won’t cover it, and the so-called champions of democracy won’t answer for it. This isn’t governance—it’s authoritarianism with better branding. Restore virtual public comment. Let the people speak.
(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.)
