Applying Old School Journalism Basics Sheds Light On Contrasting LB Election Recommendations Of <nobr>Non-Partisan</nobr> "No Kill Long Beach" Animal Advocates vs. Party Partisan Managed PAC

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Applying Old School Journalism Basics Sheds Light On Contrasting LB Election Recommendations Of Non-Partisan "No Kill Long Beach" Animal Advocates vs. Party Partisan Managed PAC

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(April 8, 2018, 1:40 p.m.) -- An April 5 PressTelegram column by Tim Grobaty contrasted the LB election recommendations of No Kill Long Beach, a grassroots group with a multi-year record of urging actions it says can reduce killings at LB's City-run animal shelter, with that of Animal PAC, a Torrance addressed political action committee. No Kill Long Beach's 2018 Voter Information Guide (here) gave low marks to LB incumbents Mayor Garcia and Councilmembers Roberto Uranga and Suzie Price, while AnimalPAC endorsed the incumbents. Mr. Grobaty expressed bewilderment by this inconsistency in his PT column, click here.

We're old school about doing our best to report the who, what, when, where and why of a story, even when it's in wonky, wordy details. In this case, "who" and "what" are critical because LB is in an election cycle and the entity endorsing the incumbents is a political action committee. ..and it's a fact of political life that a political action committee's name and publicly stated words may or may not accurately reflect its underlying purpose.

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For example, an independent expenditure committee recently surfaced calling itself "Long Beach Public Safety to Support Dines for City Council 2018." When LBREPORT.com did some checking (reported here), we found that the group's contributors consisted of three union PACs (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 11, Southern CA Pipe Trades District Council 16 and International Longshore and Warehouse Union Foreman's Local 94.) Yes, it's possible that these three unions suddenly became focused on public safety, but we think it's more likely that they're supporting Mr. Dines because he's an ILWU Marine Clerk with Local 63, and for many years was a member of ILWU Local 13's Executive Board and Political Action Committee.

The CA Secretary of State's website indicates AnimalPAC had less than $500 cash on hand as of Dec. 31, 2017. AnimalPAC.org's website indicates it supports a number of pro-animal/pro-environment policies but it doesn't identify any person(s) in charge. So who's running the outfit and (very important) making its social network deployed endorsement decisions? That's the "who" and the "what" of the story.

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Yesterday (April 7), No Kill Long Beach reported much of the "who" and the "what" that the PT piece didn't. In a release, it indicated that the individual whose personal Facebook page says he "manages" AnimalPac.org is also the CA Democratic Party's Executive Board member for 66th Assembly District (south bay). AnimalPAC's treasurer is also treasurer for LB Councilman Roberto Uranga's re-election campaign. The Center for Responsive Politics website also indicates Uranga's treasurer is also treasurer for about half a dozen other Dem PACS.

AnimalPAC's Facebook page indicates that in March 2018, it gave a $1,000 donation to "Kitty Devore Rescue," an all-volunteer nonprofit charity focused on rescuing cats from the Devore Shelter in San Bernardino. Among those highlighted at the photo-op event were state Senator Kevin deLeon [Dem running for U.S. Senate against incumbent Dem Dianne Feinstein], Assemblyman Jose Solorio (former Dem Assemblyman, lost 2014 state Senate race to Repub Janet Nguyen, elected to Santa Ana City Council, now running for Santa Ana Mayor) and state Senator Josh Newman, a Dem narrowly elected in 2016 to a district straddling parts of eastern L.A.-OC and western SB counties. Senator Newman is currently facing a June 5, 2018 recall election for having voted for Sac'to Dems' gasoline tax hike. If voters recall Dem Newman and replace him with a Repub, Dems will lose their 2/3 Sac'to supermajority.

Pretty slick, huh?

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Knowledge is power, so now that you know the "who" and "what" that the PT piece didn't report, connect the LB dots. No Kill Long Beach, a non-partisan grassroots animal-advocacy group that from its inception hasn't flinched at criticizing incumbents on policy grounds, gave incumbent LB Mayor Garcia and Councilmembers Uranga and Price (all Dems) poor ratings in the April 10 election while giving high ratings to challengers (also all Dems) Jared Milrad (7th dist), Gordana Kajer (3rd dist.) and Rich Dines (5th dist.) Meanwhile, AnimalPAC, with no record we can find online criticizing Dem incumbents on animal policy grounds, has endorsed LB Dem incumbents Garcia, Price and Uranga.

Elections matter, and we believe reporting the "who" and "what" of this story is important.

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