Introduction

Culver City recently faced a costly and unnecessary legal battle against Mayor Yasmine-Imani McMorrin and council candidates Bryan "Bubba" Fish and Nancy Barba, who, along with their attorney Ellis Raskin—himself a candidate for city council in Santa Monica—filed a lawsuit against their own city. This lawsuit, centered around the city’s experimental and controversial downtown bike and bus lanes, was dismissed by the courts due to irrelevant and speculative evidence.

The result? Over $200,000 wasted in taxpayer funds—a hefty price for a political stunt by a sitting councilmember and two candidates. This case highlights the ongoing efforts of a faux resistance that seeks to control the narrative through baseless lawsuits, misleading political agendas, and the support of organizations like the Culver City Democratic Club (CCDC), which fails to live up to its own bylaws.

Introduction

On November 29th, 2022, at 11:20 pm, an armed robbery occurred at the Chevron gas station on Washington Place in Culver City. The suspects, wielding a semi-automatic handgun, forced the station attendant to hand over $200 before fleeing into the night. This alarming incident drew attention to the city's crime and public safety issues, prompting an investigation and a press release from the Culver City Police Department (CCPD).

However, instead of expressing concern for the victim or supporting law enforcement's efforts, Culver City Councilmember Yasmine-Imani McMorrin responded dismissively, questioning whether the CCPD’s press release itself cost more than the amount stolen, suggesting that perhaps not all crimes warrant a public response based on the monetary value lost. This flippant reaction raises a troubling question: does the seriousness of a crime hinge on how much money was taken, even when a semi-automatic weapon is involved?

Thomas Small, along with his colleagues, labeled real estate investor Michael Hackman as having "too much influence," despite accepting over $300,000 in payroll from Hackman via the non-profit organization, Culver City Forward, while serving as an elected official. This was all happening during the time when “Move Culver City” was being conceived and executed as a "quick-build" project—a project Small, who served on City Council from 2016-2020, himself admitted was a temporary pilot, meant to be adjusted and changed. Now, those same individuals are arguing that any changes to it are sacrilege. Time to pull back the curtain on their selective narratives.

In a concerning series of incidents, Fred Puza (elected to City Council in 2022) and Bryan "Bubba" Fish (now running for City Council) violated district policies by campaigning on school grounds at Culver City High School on October 12, 2022. Despite district regulations prohibiting such actions, they distributed campaign literature to students during school hours.

Councilmember Fred Puza, also serving as Director of Community Relations at Loyola Marymount University (LMU), must address the upcoming rally organized by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), misleadingly framed as a "Vigil for Gaza." This event distorts facts and denies violent incidents, promoting a one-sided narrative that neglects the suffering of all parties involved.

The Culver City Police Department continues to diligently serve the community, responding to over 46,957 calls in 2023, with an impressive average emergency response time of just 4:14 minutes. Despite these very strong numbers that demonstrate how dedicated our police are to helping people, Mayor Yasmine-Imani McMorrin has portrayed law enforcement as harmful during her campaign for re-election.

Advocates like Michael Schneider from ‘Streets for All’ and Bryan 'Bubba' Fish from LA County Transportation are vocal about their support for shared bus and bike lanes, frequently praising these lanes in other cities on social media.

It’s been a few years of an ugly and clogged downtown with small independent businesses losing income and tragically some being forced to leave.

This is not just about endorsements; it’s about holding our leaders accountable for their positions on international issues involving Israel and their impact on the Jewish community here in LA.