Elizabeth Chou

Incredibly important reporting on City Hall and other local politics by @reporterliz.bsky.social through @thelareporter.bsky.social. Highly recommend subscribing:

Thank you Dan!!

The LA Reporter, Issue 5: 'There's nothing we can really do' News from an LA Reporter. This week, that includes twice-a-week encampment sweeps in West Los Angeles, and candidates in 'progressive' state race shying away from AIPAC

The LA Reporter, Issue 5: 'There's nothing we can really do'

News from an LA Reporter. This week, that includes twice-a-week encampment sweeps in West Los Angeles, and candidates in 'progressive' state race shying away from AIPAC

thelareporter.la/p/the-la-rep...

Candidates in race for 'progressive' state seat shy away from AIPAC Sara Hernandez, who went on a trip to Israel with AIPAC in 2018, called on to return funds from AIPAC-affiliated donors, insists she isn't a candidate who accepts money from AIPAC. Wendy Carrillo, who...

NEW: Candidates in 'progressive' state race shy away from AIPAC

Sara Hernandez, who went to Israel with AIPAC, called on to return AIPAC-affiliated funds. Wendy Carrillo, who took funds from one of the same donors, gives to group feeding people in Gaza.

thelareporter.la/p/candidates...

How do you hold power accountable when the rules are built to protect it? In this episode, investigative journalist Joey Scott joins Social Primate to talk about policing, surveillance, and state power in Los Angeles. From stockpiles of "less-lethal" weapons to escalating protest crackdowns, to surveillance tools and local agencies working alongside ICE. He also underscores the importance of community solidarity, informed hope, and continuous resistance in facing these challenges.

I did a podcast and ranted about the police and having hope during our modern dystopia. Check it out.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...

Support The LA Reporter Support The LA Reporter

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It's a thing right? I'm curious if anyone has some classic examples of political writing about silence.

Anyone else feel like they tend to focus on, or write about silence in politics? I feel like that's one of the main areas of politics I write about.

When you ask a politician about something you know they have the answer to. But they say nothing, or at least nothing that truly answers it?

I dunno if it's because news outlets think readers don't have the attention span to look at primary sources and documents. It feels like a view of readers as dumbed down.

Along this vein, I think providing the actual bill name for legislation is helpful (and sure, give it a cutesy moniker).

More on the Southers appointment here: thelareporter.la/p/the-la-rep...

And this thread:
bsky.app/profile/repo...

Here's the signed document from Erroll Southers taking the oath of office dated yesterday, after many declined to comment on his appointment to the LAPD oversight panel, with some saying they didn't believe that it had happened. cityclerk.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2...

The LA Reporter, Issue 4: How to beat the mass extinction blues News from an LA Reporter. This week, that includes the under-the-radar appointment of a controversial LAPD commissioner pick, proposed cuts to parks and the public defenders office, and a way to beat ...

The LA Reporter, Issue 4: How to beat the mass extinction blues

This week, there's the under-the-radar confirmation of a controversial LAPD commissioner, proposed cuts to the public defenders office, and a way to beat back the mass extinction blues.
thelareporter.la/p/the-la-rep...

USC security official faces calls to step down from LAPD oversight role Erroll Southers, president of the L.A. Police Commission, is the associate senior vice president of safety and risk assurance at USC.

Here's some background on the calls for Southers to be removed from the LAPD commission, the panel he was appointed to today. www.latimes.com/california/s...

Citing safety concerns, USC cancels pro-Palestinian valedictorian's graduation speech USC cites safety reasons in canceling the upcoming graduation speech of pro-Palestinian valedictorian from speaking onstage at her ceremony.

It was only last year that critics of Southers were calling for his resignation from the LAPD commission, where he was chair.

Southers was also under fire for being involved in the decision to cancel a pro-Palestinian valedictorian’s graduation speech. www.latimes.com/california/s...

Here's some background on the calls for Southers to be removed from the LAPD commission, the panel he was appointed to today. t.co/JPgk9tEkdE

There is an opportunity to challenge, but that didn't happen, and so the appointment of Southers was automatically approved.

Instead the council voted to adopt the continuance with 10 ayes, according to the City Clerk.

Also, only 10 of the 15 LA City Council members were present. If there'd been a vote, Southers would have needed at least 8 members on his side.

It would have taken relatively few "no" votes -- three or more -- to deny his appointment if some of the members had wanted to do that.

That's an unusual way to get a mayoral appointment confirmed.

Most such appointments are rubber-stamped with a typically unanimous vote, and it's an opportunity to celebrate the appointment.

Blink and you might have missed it.

Erroll Southers, a controversial appointment to the LAPD commission, was approved by the LA City Council today.

But it was done in an unusual way -- it was allowed to run out the clock by the council failing to do anything by today's deadline to act on.

Bye bye city attorney? LA leaders want to drop their elected attorney, seek advice elsewhere Two City Council members have now weighed in to say they prefer to get legal advice from an appointed attorney, not an elected one.

Bye bye city attorney? LA leaders want to drop the elected attorney, seek advice elsewhere

Two councilmembers have now weighed in with the Charter Reform Commish to say they prefer to get legal advice from an appointed attorney.

Story @thelareporter.bsky.social:

thelareporter.la/p/la-city-le...

LA Councilman Hugo Soto-Martínez said he would end sweeps, when he campaigned for office. Now, activists say he broke his promise.

Read more about that @thelareporter.bsky.social:

thelareporter.la/p/la-city-co...

Also ... the results are in, and hats are in. Bye bye bareheaded birdie, so long! Hats off to ya!

bsky.app/profile/thel...

The bird has some words ...

The LA Reporter, Issue 3: 'It's déjà vu all over again.' News from an LA Reporter. This week, that includes a win for journalists attacked by LAPD while covering protests, and LA leaders telling the charter reform commission they no longer want to get legal...

The LA Reporter, Issue 3: 'It's déjà vu all over again.'

This week, a win for journalists attacked by LAPD while covering protests, and LA leaders telling the charter commission they don't want advice from an elected city attorney. thelareporter.la/p/the-la-rep...

LA city leaders signal they support breaking up the City Attorney's Office Two City Council members have now weighed in to the charter reform commission that they might not want the legal advice of an elected City Attorney any longer.

LA city leaders say they want to drop the elected City Attorney, seek advice elsewhere thelareporter.la/p/la-city-le...

Required reading alert for LAPD officers sent to protests!

This is the Sept. 12 notice summarizing journalists rights, signed by LAPD chief Jim McDonnell, that a judge told officers they must read.

You can read the notice here:
thelareporter.la/p/here-s-the...

That bird needs a hat, you say? Show your love by clicking the heart on this post.

You like no hat? Click the heart on this post!

I have heard some complaints that the bird is lacking a hat. So I'm doing a two-day poll to see if it needs a hat.

Click the heart of the look you prefer, in the posts below.

If you wanna help independent journalists do so, you can become a paid subscriber to me or any of my colleagues.
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