Is Venice becoming a Banana Republic?


No, not a clothing store. But one of those third-world countries where the rules for elections are played fast and loose by those in power – like Florida.


First was the scandal of an election committee of the neighborhood council conducting its deliberations in secret, and avoiding one of the top officers of the council, Chris Wood.

Then there’s the first round of absentee voting, which one side apparently knew about, and the other side didn’t. If you blinked, you missed the deadline for making an absentee ballot request.

Then there were reports of eyewitnesses who allegedly witnessed Team Venice candidates Raiding coffee houses and cafes for supplies of campaign material from the Progressive slate, and dumping it in the trash, while replacing it with their own brochure.

Another low point in the campaign was reached with a Team Venice “hit piece,” on the day before the on-site election, which claimed that Progressive candidate Sheila Bernard had stated her opposition to ALL development in Venice. On the contrary, Bernard is known for coining the term “elegant density,” in advocating for affordable housing development.

She is absolutely not a Banana advocate (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anyone!).

Just as silly was the attack on Progressive candidate Peggy Lee Kennedy, who has taken it upon herself to feed hungry people in Venice. Instead of being applauded for this, words were put in her mouth that she wanted the homeless to take over some streets in Venice, and that people in campers have the right to dump their sewage on city streets. The hit piece asks, “Will it be your street she gives away or turns into a public health hazard?”

Unfounded smear campaigns unfortunately are commonplace in political campaigns. But why would the Team Venice stoop to them in a neighborhood council election where office holders are not paid, and where winners and losers will frequently see each other around Venice after the election is over?

It was a short step from verbal smears to physical intimidation. That barrier was crossed the day of the election, June 28, when Chris Williams, supported by Rudolf Axford and Rick Feibusch, attempted to physically intimidate homeless activist and Food not Bombs leader, Calvin Moss, who was passing out Progressive Candidates literature.

Williams, Axford and Feibusch, who are not exactly “wee folk” failed to intimidate Moss, and promptly called the LAPD. When they arrived, Williams complained that Moss was intimidating them! The officers, after interviewing all concerned, chalked it up to “politics” and urged the parties to leave in separate directions.
While these antics directly affect only a few candidates and supporters, what happened next affects all of us.

At the June 25 Elections Committee meeting DONE rep Bell-Potts pointed out that the GRVNC would be without an effective quorum after July 1, the date when the terms of 10 incumbents expired. Since the identity of their replacements won’t be known until late July (barring challenges), she suggested that the Executive Committee meet immediately to frame a bylaw revision that would keep the 10 in office until their replacements took over.

All agreed and a meeting was set for two days later. However, at that meeting on June 27, the Executive Committee was unable to achieve a quorum when Team Venice supporters failed to show up. As a result, Venice will be without a neighborhood council board for at least the month of July and possibly longer.

– The Beachhead Staff

Posted: Tue - July 1, 2003 at 07:28 PM          

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