Attorney Tells Malibu ‘Follow The Law’ And Deny Voters’ Voice On All 5 Council Seats
Written by 991KBU on January 14, 2020
Malibu moves to voting by district … but the voters will have to approve. And the attorney demanding the change all but sneers at his neighbors … who oppose his vision for our city.
NEWSCART 75401
“I think this is a really sad day for Malibu.”
Malibu Mayor Karen Farrer … last night … as our government is heading towards carving up the city into five voting districts.
By a 4 to 1 vote … the city council last night yielded to an almost certain loss in the courts …. and caved in to a costly lawsuit threatened by a pair of lawyers.
Malibu’s mayor says it’s a terrible forced decision … to carve up the city.
NEWSCART 75402 FARRER REASONING
“Going down this road weakens us as a city .. and has the potential … the predictable potential … to pit one council member against another … and one geographic region against another.”
Two attorneys … one of them a Malibu resident … have been going up and down the state … cashing in on a state law that grants almost-certain legal fees based on the California Civil Rights Act.
All a lawyer has to do is demand that at-large voting be replaced by voting by districts.
That’s good for a 30 thousand dollar payout.
And if the city decides not to go along … the law is stacked to protect minority voters from discrimination…. even where no discrimination exists.
Or in some cases … even where there is no concentration of minority voters in the first place.
Like in Malibu.
Last night … the city council voted to take all the steps to satisfy the demand for district elections …
But then also … sending the matter out to the voters.
But the part about taking the question to the voters … for affirmation or for rejection … is not allowed by the state law.
The California Legislature did not see fit to give local voters a say on what it sees to be a civil rights issue.
And that’s a problem … says council member Skylar peak.
NEWSCART 75400 SKYLAR DISSENTS
“I think that the idea of going full steam ahead with the democratic process – “I would like to see that is the only way something like this would work –
“Where you would put it before all the voters and see the will of the community.
“But I understand that is not the way that the state laws have been set up on this.”
As a result of last night’s vote … the city will hire a demographer to draw up proposals for five city council districts.
The maps would go up for public comment.
And the voters would make a decision on the fall ballot.
But even that may not be enough to satisfy Sheinkman and his law partner.
They could sue the city for not moving fast enough.
Malibu residents spoke last night against the district elections. … pointing out that it dilutes democracy.
Each voter will now get to decide on only one candidate … instead of five.
Lawyer Kevin Schenkman … and his law firm represent a shadowy group of clients … not one of whom live in Malibu.
These lawyers have been going up and down the state … and they have been successful in reducing obvious racism in voting in some cities.
Places like Palmdale and Santa Monica have been forced … for the first time … to give Latinos a decent chance at winning city council seats.
But those places like Palmdale and Santa Monica … have more than 35 percent minority voters.
Malibu has a 6 percent minority population .… and even smaller percentage of minority registered voters.
And not incidentally … the lawyers have been making millions in legal fees …by demanding that cities adopt district voting.
Last night … Malibu resident after Malibu resident publicly complained that district voting means they only get to vote on one city council seat … instead of five.
Then … Malibu resident and lawyer Kevin Schenkman answered them … with a bit of a sneer.
NEWSCART 75403 SHENKMAN
“So everyone is an expert on everything … with dystopian ideas of what would happen in Malibu if our election system were to change
…
“So … you know … I see city council meetings all over the state of California … because this is what I specialize in.
“And I reside in Malibu.
“And you know what???
“And that’s the reason that this has not come to this council before… is because I reside here.
“I hesitated to ever allow any of my colleagues to send that letter.
“But it has been sent now.
“And now the council really needs to simply follow the law.”
Attorney Kevin Schenkman … whose law partner will get 30 thousand dollars for forcing Malibu … to follow the law.
