Staff Report
Angry Cerritos residents are calling, texting, and emailing HMG-CN complaining about deceptive robo calls they are receiving pertaining to Frank Yokoyama.
Some are complaining about other candidates getting hit during the call and indicated that the calls were directed at the Democratic side of the ballot.
Sources are telling HMG-CN the calls are the work of Bruce Barrows, Carol Chen, and political consultant Matt Kauble, who are “sparing no expense” in their attempt to keep a stranglehold on Cerritos’ political direction.
Kauble has lately taken to social media defaming HMG-CN Publisher Brian Hews with accusations of “advertising blackmail, ” and, in borrowing a phrase from the Trump administration and white nationalist Steve Bannon, calling LCCN “fake news.”
Candidate Chuong Vo posted the same accusation on his new Facebook page; a page that Vo and Cerritos Planning Commissioner Brad Beach were “administrators” of at the time.
Screenshot of Vo’s statement defaming HMG-CN Publisher Brian Hews. Hews sent a retraction/defamation letter to Vo, and Vo immediately pulled the post.
Administrators of a Facebook page have complete control of content on the page; they can add and delete any and all content.
Vo accused Hews of the same behavior as Kauble, telling Facebook readers that Hews tried to extort advertising money from Vo.
Hews’ attorney then produced emails from Hews that offered Vo free publishing of his candidate’s statement.
Hews’ attorney then slapped Vo with a retraction/defamation letter; within hours Vo pulled his defamatory Facebook post.
Beach denied having anything to do with the post, which had been online for several days, even though Beach could have pulled the incendiary comments as an administrator of the page.
Screenshot showing Cerritos Planning Commissioner Brad Beach as administrator of Vo’s Facebook page, he was added as an administrator Jan. 4, the screenshot was taken Jan 21.
Now attacking Yokoyama
The robo call gives a first impression that it is a survey of the April 11 election saying, “the election is April 11, if you are going to vote for Grace Hu press one, Sally Havice press two, Barrows press three…” finally getting to, “if you are going to vote for Frank Yokoyama press four.”
Residents who pressed four were immediately hit with a negative message about Frank Yokoyama.
Then the call asked, “if you will still vote for Yokoyama, press one, if you are going to vote no, press two.”
“I am always amazed during Cerritos campaign season,” said Hews. “I have never seen such hatred and vitriol in a city council race. This is a city council seat but people like Barrows, Chen, and Kauble spend money like it is a U.S. Senate race, no other city sees this kind of money spent for a council seat, it is ludicrous.”
Yokoyama told HMG-CN, “I’m sad that my mom has to hear about these vicious, illegal and anonymous personal attacks against me. My opponents are obviously scared of my strong positive campaign and my diverse support throughout Cerritos. I will continue to meet the residents of Cerritos and tell them about my qualifications and how I will keep Cerritos safe and fiscally responsible.”
