(June 14, 2007) -- LBReport.com provides below on-demand internet access to the fourth major LB-area forum for candidates in the June 26 special Congressional election.

The June 13 event, which drew 14 of the 17 ballot candidates, was sponsored by the Central Area Ass'n, NAACP and the Nat'l Council of Negro Women and moderated by the independent League of Women Voters. The event was not staged by a political entity, did not allow any political entity to participate in deciding what questions were asked...and did not require attendees to "RSVP" (i.e. give up their email address to attend).

This is the fourth grassroots organized, fair and open candidate forum to which LBReport.com has independently provided (as a public service) on-demand internet audio access, expanding event's reach beyond those in the room to countless voters in LB and beyond.

Among the salient points we noted (readers may spot their own) at the June 13 event:

When asked what they'd do to help reduce gang activity and create employment for the chronically unemployed. Signal Hill City Councilman Ed Wilson (Dem) said, "We've got a gang problem right here [nearby], right here at Poly [High School] and people don't talk about it. It's a great school but there are gangs there..."

That prompted the area's former Councilwoman, now-Assemblywoman Laura Richardson to reply, "As a representative of this area, I would disagree that there is gangs at Poly and I think you have a lot of people in here who would tell you exactly the same thing.." Some in the audience expressed surprise (audible audience muttering, some head shaking).

LBPD Sgt John Kanaley (Rep) gave a response that we hadn't heard from any candidate in any public forum to date:

Sgt. Kanaley: As a sixteen year veteran of the Long Beach Police Department, I can tell you the main problem with gangs and that encourages gangs is the fact that there are no fathers in the home...We need to educate the young men and women of this district and advise them of the perils of having children so young...For those that are already in the system, that are part of gangs, we need to give them a role model, we need to give them hope, we need to let them understand that there is another role model for them other than these gangsters...We need to let them know that we in our community are going to bring 'em out of there, give them type of hope, give them some type of program to break free, get their lives back on track.

Like other non-Democrats, Sgt. Kanaley has been excluded from two LB Democratic Club staged events televised by LB City Hall's local cable TV franchisee.

State Senator Jenny Oropeza (Dem) told the audience: "A lot of our young people are joining gangs because they have no hope to make dollars unless they enter the drug trade" (supports job programs/vocational schooling).

Another candidate excluded from televised events, the Green Party's Daniel Brezenoff (Green), advised "End the failed war on drugs. It is not working, it's not helping anybody. When you take a non-violent drug offender and put him in jail, that's called College for Criminals. He comes out with few job prospects and a lot of good connections to commit crimes."

In her closing statement, Assemblywoman Richardson reiterated remarks she first made in Compton on June 7:

Assemblywoman Richardson: ...And let's talk about somethin' else. I am running for Congress. I am your representative. This is our seat in our community and I'm not backin' down, I don't care what anybody says. [applause rises and continues] Our community means someone who's been working since the age of twelve [applause subsides], our community means someone who's been working two jobs for the last ten years...That's what our community is. Thank you. [applause, cheers]

Questions and indexed responses are indicated below. We have included closing statements (two minutes) in lieu of one minute opening statements. A few candidates chose to speak without a microphone (fine in the room, less effective for internet coverage). [Caveat: These are large files and may take time to download even with DSL/broadband].