The event was organized by the Accountability PAC, which lists itself on Facebook as "non profit" and a "PAC"/political action committee) and whose leadership includes Ryan Choura, CEO of Choura Events.

A November 30 dispatch by the "Accountability PAC" described its planned Dec 2 "Accountability March" as intended "to create accountability with elected and appointed officials to properly represent small businesses, restaurants, schools and churches. Inviting all business owners / employees / parents / residents / teachers and students to participate and speak out for a better Long Beach..." A graphic similarly invited "all business owners, employees, parents, residents, teachers and students to participate and speak out for a better Long Beach."

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At the event, Mr. Choura urged city officials to use the powers the city has with an independent Health Dept. that isn't legally required to follow L.A. County's Health Dept. edicts. At one point, Mr. Choura suggested that it might be acceptable if the City allowed outdoor dining or other activites at reduced levels (instead of an outright ban.). . .

On or about Oct. 9, Ryan Choura (CEO of Choura Events) put a statement on Facebook stating:

Last night we put our money where our mouth is and launched a political accountability pac... finally in Long Beach we are going to give a voice to the many great people that have felt sidelined in our city ... in the next 14 days many of you will get personal calls from us outlining our plan ... we are getting wagged on so many levels and it’s time to bring fairness to the table.

An included image showed Mr. Choura standing alongside 5th dist. Council incumbent Stacy Mungo with another person..

The Oct. 9 dispatch drew jeers from former 5th dist. Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske (2000-2014), referencing the photo in commenting: "No masks. No social distancing. Great leadership."

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The Accountability Group's event comes as the Los Angeles County Dept. of Public Health (whose edicts don't control in Long Beach) and the Long Beach Health Dept. (which has legal authority in Long Beach) have both warned that a now-occurring surge in COVID-19 cases is unsustainable and, if not reversed, could leave LB area hospitals unable to provide sufficient hospital staff to handle COVID-19 and other illnesses.

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A Dec. 1 City of Long Beach issued a release stated in pertinent part:

[City of LB Dec. 1 release text] -- The City of Long Beach has reached unprecedented levels of new COVID-19 infections. COVID-19 cases, which now number 16,786, are rising rapidly in Long Beach. Since Nov 1, the average number of new cases has increased by 313%, a much steeper curve than the City saw during the summer surge. The positivity rate is now at 6%, compared to 2.9% at its lowest, and the most recent seven-day average case rate is 31.6 per 100,000, up from a low of 6.9 per 100,000...

...Reminder that individuals must stay home whenever practicable to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Individuals may travel to and from essential businesses, to work at or provide services to a healthcare operation or essential business/infrastructure, to engage in essential activities or to participate in permitted individual or household outdoor and indoor activity while practicing required physical distancing, infection control and masking. Sector protocols detail specific operating directives.

...All public and private gatherings and events with individuals not in one’s household are prohibited except for religious services and protests, which are constitutionally protected rights.

On Nov. 17 Councilwoman Mungo, joined by Councilmembers Price and Supernaw) agendized, but then withdrew before it reached the Council, an agenda item directing the City Attorney to draft a resolution to Governor Newsom urging expansion of in-door dining at 25% capacity for all restaurants in counties within the purple tier [COVID-19 is "widespread," highest level] and Direct City Manager and all appropriate departments to identify and participate in ongoing advocacy efforts currently underway, urging Governor Newsom and other relevant State agencies, on behalf of Long Beach and Long Beach based restaurants, to allow restaurants operating in "Purple Tier" counties to operate indoors at 25% indoor capacity.

Councilwoman Mungo has now agendized a Dec. 8 item (joined by Councilmembers Suzie Price and Al Austin) to "direct City Manager and all appropriate departments to update the City of Long Beach COVID-19 Data Dashboard..to clearly reflect any data sets considered or utilized by our Health Officer in determining Health Orders to ensure transparency and clarity in the decision making process; direct City Manager and appropriate staff to report back on our City’s efforts to lobby our federal and state legislature for a robust community focused relief bill that would provide support to our neighbors who are out of work, the non-profits that have supported them, the small businesses that have been completely or partially shut down, and the cities and states that have provided the infrastructure for testing, response and resiliency; [and] research and bring back to Council options to advocate for federal legislative action support deferment and forbearance of government backed, Small Business Association (SBA) loans in light of the fiscal impact to small businesses."

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