In an ongoing effort to report on corruption within local city halls, school districts, college board of trustees, and other local government agencies, Los Cerritos Community Newspaper Publisher Brian Hews announced on Tuesday that he has started a new political action group called
Citizens for a Clean and Honest Government, and has formed a website to compliment the PAC called WhoAreTheShameless.com.
The committee has filed the legal documents with the California Secretary of State’s Office and last week was issued a legal campaign identification number in order to begin operation.
“Citizens for a Clean and Honest Government was created after an outpouring of support from readers who have applauded our work in uncovering corruption throughout Los Angeles County this past 18 months,” Hews said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Citizens for the Clean and Honest Government will be raising grassroots support from concerned voters and residents throughout Los Angeles County who are demanding more transparency at all levels of government,” Hews said. “Since Assessor John Noguez’ arrest (a story first revealed in LCCN in February), people have been calling us complaining and giving us leads about local government corruption, the PAC and website will facilitate transparency.”
The group has already published two hard hitting full-page newspaper ads against local Cerritos City Councilwoman Carol Chen during the past two weeks. Below is a copy of the first ad.
Chen created a firestorm of controversy in 2012 when she spearheaded a trip for elected officials to visit officials in the People’s Republic of China by using city taxpayer’s resources and funds.
Hews said that “this is a new breed of print media for government accountability in Los Angeles County. This has been sorely missed in Los Angeles, ever since Otis Chandler and the Chandler Family sold the Los Angeles Times.”
Last week, Hews and LCCN published the official appointment calendar of Los Angeles City Controller Wendy Greuel that showed she conducted political business on the taxpayer’s dime in her current campaign for the Mayor of Los Angeles.
“We will be actively cross-marketing this in our newspaper and on our newspaper website, which receives over 70,000 unique visitors per month,” said Hews. “ We invite journalists to help us expose corruption, and in turn we will give those journalists exposure in our paper, it is a win-win for everyone, except corrupt politicians.”
Hews said he welcomes suggestions and support for the new committee; the website is at www.cleanandhonestgovernment.com or www.whoaretheshameless.com.
For more information, or to become a content contributor call (562) 407-3873.
Media Inquiries can also be made by calling (562) 407-3873.
Very impressive, thank you Mr. Hews.
Vote for me Gerad Valencia. I purposefully have no political backing and refuse taking political contributions. I do not believe in favors for special interest groups. Our city officials should consider the long term needs of its citizens, not projects that provide financial gain to their donors.
Thanks LCCN, Great start for exposing all sides of the Political Pancake & yonder!!!
Cerritos politics is to lopped sided towards the “GOP”-Republicans (+) Shadow Park Want-a-bees stench! SPHA have been elected in to power way to long. Also, nauseated of all of the intolerance in this city towards: ((Cultures- Open Binders-Races-Orientation- and dam olde Whitney BRAND))….. and so forth.
Pray that the LCCN creates some home town CANDIDATE FORUMS, Q/A Columns; so city is knowledgeable about candidate and not create another race driven elections, compared to past.
City elect for Cerritos are not governing politics, but are a fusion body for: Certain Races, Corporations and Unions; creating a cold silent war, which HEARTLAND OF AMERICA have sold & moved from 90703.
Cerritos politics is not about the peoples of the (County-City) and the ones elected to represent them; but is about corporate new Global America and how the elected global can pay back their own piers and not represent all 100% of Cerritos Residents.
Bell scandal politics is hemorrhaging the city more and more. Does not stop at the elected/appointees; but profusely bleeding in to the cherry picking of school campuses, staffers and favorite pet real estate projects throughout the city.
Forefathers created this data and we must address the graph; as yesteryears “HEARTLAND OF AMERICA”, have deserted the city because of socialism mentality:
1. Bias Whitney High School.
2. Overnight Parking and RV Ordinance/Birth Control.
3. Infinity of Nanny Ordinances, which have created spats between ‘hoods.
4. Loss of staple & diversified shopping/dining.
5. Over usage of: Korean- Chinese this/that.
6. Forgotten are the words: European, So America, African, Canadian.
Cerritos Candidate Forums breeds Pessimism:
• Disposal of city managed CCPA.
• Reduction of Sheriffs Contract.
• Usage of existing money to address menopausal Public Works.
• More transparency in city Government.
• Mandatory Town Hall Meetings.
• Elimination of Over Night Parking Restrictions.
• Disposing City owned RE assets and create city government and abort landowner kings mentality.
• Birth of District representation.
//jm (1/20/13)
Bill Raabe hit it on the head. Your paper has crossed the line in terms of objectivity. Don’t know what you have against Carol but you are totally out of line with the manner in which you use this paper
Chen got together with other council last year (led by Bruce Barrows) voted to take away all the newspaper’s advertising because we reported the truth about Bruce Barrows assaulting a resident.No such thing as freedom of the press in Cerritos….
Your ad also is very misleading. The CCPA was in place prior to Carol being on the City Council, the city calendar requires at least 3 votes, surely she is not the only person on the city council to support the electric co and the WRD lawsuit is not attributable to her. Finally, can you tell me anything that the union has done to improve the quality of life in Cerritos or for that matter the quality of life of the employees? You are now FORCED to be a union member if you are in certain classifications…..the union previously was unable to get many people to join because they provide no value.