We need your help, and we need it today!
After a quiet spell, all of the sudden the City Council has called the City Attorney's Office ("CAO") to the Council meeting this morning for a "closed session" (i.e. not open to the public) so that the Council, who is the client, can be advised by and give orders to the CAO in how to proceed in the Summit Media v. LA case regarding the take down of the 100+ illegal digital billboards that have plagued the landscape of LA for the last 6 years. Here is the "special agenda": http://ens.lacity.org/clk/councilagendas/clkcouncilagendas381823_04102013.pdf
Unfortunately, politics - and political favors - continue to play a huge roll in this mess, and threaten to derail our progress altogether. The City Council is being lobbied, or basically harangued, every single day by 5 or 6 massively powerful lobbying firms employed by CBS Outdoor and Clear Channel Outdoor in an effort to delay and ultimately avoid any negative action towards their lucrative, illegal digital signs. And the onslaught of lobbyists, money, media and influence that CBS and CCO are bringing to bear on this council is overwhelming, and is affecting the outcome of our democratic system.
That's where we need your help.
A hearing on the matter in the Summit Media v. LA case is set for this Friday afternoon in Superior Court. In that hearing, Judge Green will have the opportunity to finally enter a final order to take down the digital signs. If the CAO is supportive of the takedown, the judge is more likely to enter the order. However if the City is "neutral" or "adversarial", it could delay the takedown for months, giving CBS & CCO more time to try to get their special new law passed that will purport to give amnesty to their illegal digitals.
The CAO thus far has been starting to be supportive of getting the signs taken down. However, because the Council is the "boss" of the CAO, the Council, who appears to be highly influenced by CCO & CBS right now, can instruct the CAO to fight any takedowns.
So, we need to have our voices heard, and e-mail the Council tonight or first thing this morning (before 10 AM PDT) at least these two points:
(1) we oppose the "closed session" regarding Summit Media v. LA, and we oppose any secret meetings or motions behind closed doors, and demand total transparency;
(2) the Council should instruct the CAO to tell Judge Green at the hearing on April 12 that the judge should order the illegal digital signs to be taken down immediately.
Here are the email addresses that you should send your email to: (You can cut & paste this block of addresses into your "To:" field in your e-mail).
councilmember.wesson@lacity.org, councilmember.reyes@lacity.org, councilmember.krekorian@lacity.org, councilmember.labonge@lacity.org, councilmember.zine@lacity.org, councilmember.koretz@lacity.org, councilmember.huizar@lacity.org, councilmember.rosendahl@lacity.org, councilmember.englander@lacity.org, councilmember.garcetti@lacity.org, councilmember.perry@lacity.org, councilmember.alarcon@lacity.org, councilmember.parks@lacity.org, councilmember.buscaino@lacity.org, councilmember.cardenas@lacity.org, mayor@lacity.org, ctrutanich@lacity.org, michael.logrande@lacity.org
The outpouring of support and community involvement has been truly incredible, and together we've been heard by the City Council. Now we need to keep it up so that we don't let it all slip away just 2 days before the most important hearing so far. Please email the city councilmembers now and let's continue to tell them to "Take Them Down!"
Please act now and let's stop this madness while we still have a chance!
After a quiet spell, all of the sudden the City Council has called the City Attorney's Office ("CAO") to the Council meeting this morning for a "closed session" (i.e. not open to the public) so that the Council, who is the client, can be advised by and give orders to the CAO in how to proceed in the Summit Media v. LA case regarding the take down of the 100+ illegal digital billboards that have plagued the landscape of LA for the last 6 years. Here is the "special agenda": http://ens.lacity.org/clk/councilagendas/clkcouncilagendas381823_04102013.pdf
Unfortunately, politics - and political favors - continue to play a huge roll in this mess, and threaten to derail our progress altogether. The City Council is being lobbied, or basically harangued, every single day by 5 or 6 massively powerful lobbying firms employed by CBS Outdoor and Clear Channel Outdoor in an effort to delay and ultimately avoid any negative action towards their lucrative, illegal digital signs. And the onslaught of lobbyists, money, media and influence that CBS and CCO are bringing to bear on this council is overwhelming, and is affecting the outcome of our democratic system.
That's where we need your help.
A hearing on the matter in the Summit Media v. LA case is set for this Friday afternoon in Superior Court. In that hearing, Judge Green will have the opportunity to finally enter a final order to take down the digital signs. If the CAO is supportive of the takedown, the judge is more likely to enter the order. However if the City is "neutral" or "adversarial", it could delay the takedown for months, giving CBS & CCO more time to try to get their special new law passed that will purport to give amnesty to their illegal digitals.
The CAO thus far has been starting to be supportive of getting the signs taken down. However, because the Council is the "boss" of the CAO, the Council, who appears to be highly influenced by CCO & CBS right now, can instruct the CAO to fight any takedowns.
So, we need to have our voices heard, and e-mail the Council tonight or first thing this morning (before 10 AM PDT) at least these two points:
(1) we oppose the "closed session" regarding Summit Media v. LA, and we oppose any secret meetings or motions behind closed doors, and demand total transparency;
(2) the Council should instruct the CAO to tell Judge Green at the hearing on April 12 that the judge should order the illegal digital signs to be taken down immediately.
Here are the email addresses that you should send your email to: (You can cut & paste this block of addresses into your "To:" field in your e-mail).
councilmember.wesson@lacity.org, councilmember.reyes@lacity.org, councilmember.krekorian@lacity.org, councilmember.labonge@lacity.org, councilmember.zine@lacity.org, councilmember.koretz@lacity.org, councilmember.huizar@lacity.org, councilmember.rosendahl@lacity.org, councilmember.englander@lacity.org, councilmember.garcetti@lacity.org, councilmember.perry@lacity.org, councilmember.alarcon@lacity.org, councilmember.parks@lacity.org, councilmember.buscaino@lacity.org, councilmember.cardenas@lacity.org, mayor@lacity.org, ctrutanich@lacity.org, michael.logrande@lacity.org
The outpouring of support and community involvement has been truly incredible, and together we've been heard by the City Council. Now we need to keep it up so that we don't let it all slip away just 2 days before the most important hearing so far. Please email the city councilmembers now and let's continue to tell them to "Take Them Down!"
Please act now and let's stop this madness while we still have a chance!
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