The Assault on Truth and Democracy in Los Angeles - Why The LA Fed Tapes Scandal Remains Unsolved

[ellisonz]

Part 22: The Assault on Truth and Democracy in Los Angeles – Why The LA Fed Tapes Scandal Remains Unsolved
Published May 9, 2023
By Zachary Ellison

The LA Fed tapes scandal that has engulfed the City of Los Angeles and beyond in turmoil since October 9, 2022 continues to unfold with last week’s disruption of a Cinco De Mayo presentation by disgraced LA City Councilmember Kevin De Léon and the awarding yesterday by the Pulitzer Prizes made in the Breaking News Category to the Los Angeles Times for their coverage of these events. One protestor was arrested for allegedly disrupting the presentation made by Kevin De Léon to the council in the presence of an official from the Mexican consulate as well as allegedly attempting to slam a door on a Los Angeles Police Department officer. In making its major award, the Pulitzer Prize committee recognized more than a dozen of its many staff reporters.

According to the Pulitzer Prize committee the award was given to the L.A. Times: “For revealing a secretly recorded conversation among city officials that included racist comments, followed by coverage of the rapidly resulting turmoil and deeply reported pieces that delved further into the racial issues affecting local politics.” Never mind that the upstart publication Knock LA actually beat the L.A. Times to the story, but that’s still about the horse race. More alarming is the continuing characterization by the Times and the Committee of these recordings a being done “secretly” rather than more accurately, illegally made, as the action is the subject of a felony investigation by the LAPD into whether the recordings violated California’s two-party consent eavesdropping laws. Even more alarming is the narrow characterization of this as “racial issues affecting local politics” when in fact, it seems that the case is actually the reverse. The intent behind these tapes clearly seems targeted at using racism on the recordings as an instrument of political gain. So it’s a little bit like putting the cart ahead of the horse, it’s inversion of the truth. That’s how gaslighting effectively works.

https://zacharyellison.substack.com/p/the-assault-on-truth-and-democracy

The Los Angeles Times won the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting on this yesterday, but they still don't have the source of these tapes. Plus it doesn't exactly seem like they're really that interested in the USC-Caruso angles here that are compelling. So I remain non-apologetic as a whistleblower. I know how I saw Rick Caruso's closest political associate behaving on August 18, 2022 and I know what I reported on August 26, 2022. I also have the evidence - I can put Sam Garrison on the tape on Kevin De Léon's tongue, and in the note, his old boss is Martin Ludlow. To see the original note leaked with the tapes: https://www.reddit.com/user/Honest-Finding-1581/comments/xirs3o/la_county_federation_of_labor_scam/

They should have a rule, no journalism awards on leak investigations without bagging the source! You can see the award to the LA Times team for their reporting on the scandal here: https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/staff-los-angeles-times

[ellisonz]

1. Here's the award:

For a distinguished example of local, state or national reporting of breaking news that, as quickly as possible, captures events accurately as they occur, and, as time passes, illuminates, provides context and expands upon the initial coverage, Fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000).
Staff of the Los Angeles Times

For revealing a secretly recorded conversation among city officials that included racist comments, followed by coverage of the rapidly resulting turmoil and deeply reported pieces that delved further into the racial issues affecting local politics.

[ellisonz]

2. Updated comment from the spokesman for LA City Council President Paul Krekorian:

"Recording a private conversation without the permission of all parties is illegal in California. Period." - Hugh Esten

He added that his office hasn't received any update from LAPD on their investigation.