• Hertzberg on the defensive over his funding the MRCA without restrictions.
• Horvath on the defensive over Sheial Kuehl campaigning for her.
• Loud protestors try to disrupt – their dispute over vaccines not on the agenda.

Sunday’s debate between the two candidates for LA County Supervisor became more of a referendum on two people not on the ballot … Sheila Kuehl and Joe Edmiston.

It was an unprecedented event…  not in decades have the supervisors who represent Western LA County debated Malibu issues in front of a Malibu audience.

And issues 1, 2 and 3 were Joe Edmiton and his MRCA … The Mountain Recreation Conservation Authority.

The MRCA has had the ear of incumbent supervisor Sheila Kuehl … Jane Albrecht … the president of the Malibu Democratic Club … said that the MRCA and its politically-connected leader have outsize power in at the LA County Hall Of Administration.

NEWSCART A73512 ALBRECHT 

“The impression is that people are afraid, our elected officials are afraid to vote against Joe Edmondson because (A) he does fundraisers for them and (B) he will deliver the environmental vote against them.”

And Edmiston ..,., MRCA land use policies … and camping in the local mountains were almost the only topics.  Both candidates spoke out against unrestricted camping … but both candidates were a bit on the defensive over Edmiston and the MRCA

Horvath is endorsed by Edmiston’s enabler on the Board of Supervisors … Sheila Kuehl.  That lead to some questions from the Malibu dems.  Lindsey Horvath:

NEWSCART A73507 HORVATH 11

“You will notice Sheila Kuehl is not in the room. I am not Sheila Kuehl and he is not running against Sheila Kuehll.

“He is running against Lindsay Horvath.

“I am running on my record. I am running on my experience. I am running on the things that I have done in my own community and throughout the region, and I am running on the experience that I have had working with members of your community to understand and listen to your issues and to take action directly to make that change. 

“If you have questions for the supervisor I would direct them to her. I am not her and I intend to reverse course on the things I did not deliver for Malibu.”

But Hertzberg has his own record of support  for Edmiston and the MRCA.   Hertzberg is a powerful state senator … and the former speaker of the State Assembly.   That has translated to years of support fro Edmiston and his anti-Malibu policies.  A Edmiston enabler … in the minds of some.

At yesterday’s debate… Bob Hertzberg addressed that.

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“ I’m not a Joe Edmiston-hater. I think he’s done a lot of good stuff for a lot of people. I think he has.

“But look .. this is the reality of getting stuff done people were complaining about me because I was doing a lot of stuff for the valley because they were the people are represented. 

“And if I represent in Fresno the streets would be paved with gold. I just delivered zillions of dollars for the valley and if I represent you I’ll do the same for you. And with Edmondson I know how it works. 

“He respects power. He respects power and I know how to exercise it.”

And Hertzberg laid into the Horvath-Kuehl connection.

He repeatedly accused Horvath of being an extension of Kuehl.

Kuehl has endorsed Horvath … and Hertzberg says Kuehl is working hard every day to elect Horvath.

NEWSCART A73508 HERTZ RE KUEHL

“The current supervisor is not just a mild endorsement. Every day she’s calling every one of the people that support me and saying ‘don’t do that.’

“She’s going out and meeting. This is not some minor relationship in terms of the candidacy, every single day these missives.”

Horvath fired back at Hertzberg’s legislative record … and his past unrestricted support of Edmiston.

She said that Hertzberg has a record of funding the MRCA without restrictions … to the detriment of fire safety in the Santa Monica Mountains.

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“You just heard that he’s giving state funding to the MRCA.

“That money could be conditioned with consequences and action that actually deliver for Malibu residents.”

Horvath was all but booed after one person asked her to explain why her political patron … Sheila Kuehl … is in favor of camping in the local mountains. 

Why … the questioner asked … did the five members of the board go along with her???

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“I was told the reason that they voted for it was there were provisions that were updated that did provide more protections, and if that didn’t pass they would provide more.

“Now I want to make it very clear I am not the supervisor. I didn’t vote for that. Because of this experience. I am endorsed by a lot of people who do not agree with each other, let alone tell me what I am going to do in my role on the supervisors … as a supervisor. I want to be very clear I am an independent voice.”

But Hertzberg seized on that.   

He accused Horvath of being part of the same philosophy at L A County … that resulted in power being yielded to Kuehl … and thus to the MRCA and Joe Edmiston.

NEWSCART A73509 HERTZ DANCEABLE

“I have the exact same question: how the heck did five members do this so I called up (Republican supervisor) Katherine Barger, and I said ‘hey how did five members?’ 

“It was ‘Sheila wanted it’ and what happened was is a culture on the board – which I don’t agree – that you divide the county by five. I think that’s stupid.

“I don’t think it was Joe doing it. I think it was the culture. And everybody says ‘I want access and I want this.’

“if you look at my opponents statement after I made my statement, it kind of dances that. It’s not as clear I made my statement very direct and very clear. 

“If you look at what her statement is and you have a couple of in the room take a look at it, it dances that because she’s dancing that politics and I think the risk of fire is so overwhelming and compelling that it’s not a danceable issue.”

Bob Hertzberg … and before that Lindsey Horvath … at yesterday’s debate for the county supervisor seat.

That elected office is one of the most powerful elected offices in the United States. 

The person who sits there controls a county government that provides services to million people.

Open seats there happen usually every eight years.

The polls wail be open in this election from October 10 to November 7.

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Loud Protestors Try To Storm Debate

You may have heard some shouting during that report. 

About two dozen people using bullhorns and a portable loudspeaker tried to storm the debate Sunday.

The Malibu Democratic Club had rented the community meeting room at the Malibu public library. 

The Club did not admit them inside. 

There were some verbal confrontations at the reception table. 

Eight sheriff’s deputies were called in.

At times … the loudspeakers and bullhorn drowned out the debate. 

The demonstrators were protesting against Covid 19 vaccines and the possibility of mask orders. 

Deputies told them they could demonstrate outside the meeting … but not enter. 

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