LBREPORT.com Vows Aggressive Use State and Federal Freedom of Information Laws To Disclose What Really Happened -- Including White House (Not Just FEMA and HHS) Involvement -- Re Housing For Migrant Minors At Convention Ctr.

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LBREPORT.com Vows Aggressive Use Of State and Federal Freedom of Information Laws To Disclose What Really Happened -- Including White House (Not Just FEMA and HHS) Involvement -- Re Housing For Migrant Minors At Convention Ctr.

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(April 9, 2021) -- Faced with a continuing lack of transparency from federal agedncies and city officials -- including a refusal by Mayor Garcia and City Manager Modica to respond to LBREPORT.com's April 3 emailed request seeking to confirm or deny their roles in contacts with federal agencies -- LBREPORT.com has vowed aggressive used of state and federal freedom of information laws to disclose what really happened between City of Long Beach officials, White House offices and federal agencies regarding use of LB's Convention Center to temporarily house migrant minors. "We have reason to doubt the completeness of the narrative offered by the City to date," said LBREPORT,com publisher Bill Pearl. "We will get and report the full story without anonymizing names of city officials involved" he said.

LBREPORT.com is simultaneously using the CA Public Records Act to obtain public records regarding actions in which someone appeared to orchestrate audible public testimony in support at the April 6 Special City Council action (approved 9-0 entering negotiations with two federal agencies to use the city's Convention Center.) On April 8, LBREPORT.com broke the story showing that within minutes of the Special Meeting April 6 agenda going online, Mayoral appointees, other electeds, and civically savvy political and allies of the Mayor (including his brother) swiftly swiftly filled 13 of 20 available public speaker slots.

By mid evening, seven slots remained open with opponents either "asleep at the switch" or unwilling to speak. By midmorning April 6, additioanl Mayoral allies filled the remaiing slots, creating an echo chamber of near unanimus support. (One LB progressive opposed what he called continued incarceration of children and sought pro immikgrant changes in federal immigration policies.).

A competing outlet, LBPost.com, said Mayor Garcia acknowledged holding a meeting prior to the Council session with over two dozen individuals to discuss audible support for the Convention Center use...and the Mayor defended his action,

"Descending to City Hall orchestrated support shows weakness, a fear of what the public might say if allowed a genuinely fair and equal opportunity to be heard," Pearl said. .