4th Council District Residents Report Robo Calls + Mailer -- And We Spot Website -- Blasting Councilman O'Donnell's Write-In Re-Election Bid; Mailer & Website Appear To Related To...

(Mar. 9, 2011, updated 10:05 p.m. from initial report 8:45 p.m.) -- LBReport.com is receiving reports from residents in LB's 4th Council district who say they received "robo-calls" (recorded messages) today (Mar. 9) opposing the write-in reelection bid of term-limited 4th district City Councilman Patrick O'Donnell. At this point, we don't know from whom the robo-calls are coming.

If you received a robo-call on your answering machine, don't erase it; please call LBReport.com at (562) 429-TALK (429-8255) and let us hear the message so we can quote its text for this story.

In addition, some 4th district residents received a mailer today (Mar. 9) opposing Councilman O'Donnell's reelection bid. The mailer indicates it's from "Long Beach Jobs Pac" ID # 1291389. [update] The LB Chamber of Commerce political action committe (PAC) is doing the independent expenditures to support its endorsed candidate John Watkins, says Randy Gordon via email [in his capacity with the PAC.] [end update]

LBReport.com has also learned that a website ("www.DontWriteInPat.com") is now online. Publicly available information indicates it was registered to Randy Gordon in late February, 2012. Some of the website's links don't appear fully functional as of tonight (Mar. 9)

Screen save of www.dontwriteinpat.com, Mar. 9, 2012

Question for our readers: If you're a 4th district resident, LBReport.com is interested in knowing if any of this will affect how you vote and if so, in what way(s)? (Recall: this appears to be an independent expenditure, meaning it's done independently of any candidate.) If you'd like LBReport.com to publish your comments email us at: mail@LBReport.com. Let us know if you'd like us to use or omit your name...and thank you.

State law allows independent expenditure committees (PACs) to support or oppose candidates for office, with the proviso that independent activities must be entirely independent of the candidate (no ties or coordination whatsoever with a candidate).

The LB Chamber's Political Action Committee (PAC) is separate from the LB Area Chamber as a membership entity. The Chamber PAC is funded by campaign contributions, not by Chamber member dues. The LB Area Chamber is a policy advocacy group funded by member dues and Mr. Gordon is its President/CEO.

The LB Area Chamber PAC has endorsed retired LBPD Sgt. John Watkins in the 4th district election.

Also on the ballot is candidate Daryl Supernaw, who heads the Atherton Corridor Neighborhood Ass'n and is an appointed member of LB City Hall's advisory Sustainability Commission [cited here for identification].

Councilman O'Donnell was elected in 2004 with the support of the LB Police Officers Association, which has endorsed his write-in bid for a third term.