During the last several days, some of you have been bombarded with negative messages about me; either by phone, mail, on the radio or in person.

This type of rhetoric is a part of many campaigns and is to be expected if you choose a life in public service as I have. But, there is something dangerously different about this year’s campaign against me. It’s being led by people who don’t live in our community and, have more times than not, pushed an agenda that has been harmful and contrary to our needs and our interests.

They have rounded up a little-known member of our community who, in exchange for them spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to promote her candidacy, has sold out to them and to their agenda. The money they are spending is actually not their money…it’s their union members' money, many of whom support me. That’s how they pay for all of the phone calls, mailers, media ads and door-to-door walkers you’ve been seeing.

It’s important to keep in mind that when this little known member of our community ran her own campaign against me in 2003 with no help from the unions, she finished with 4% of the vote. I finished with 78%.

Because there’s little doubt many of you don’t know who my real opponents are, let me introduce you to them:

Meet Paul Weber.


He’s the President of the Los Angeles Police Protective League. Who is the Police Protective League? To give you a quick historical overview, this is the same group that said they would encourage police officers to retire from the department if Tom Bradley was ever elected mayor. More recently, this group butted heads with me when I was the Chief of Police because I fired 140 problem police officers. They believed I was being too harsh to their friends on the department. In fact, they have spent millions to defend corrupt and abusive police officers like those involved in the Rampart Scandal, which I uncovered, and those involved in the Rodney King beating.


Meet Brian D’Arcy.


He’s the business manager for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 18. And, though many of you may have never seen or heard of Brian, he affects your lives on a daily basis because when my opponent was a DWP Commissioner she voted to help Brian and hurt you by raising your water and power rates in excess of 30%.

Brian's favorite DWP Commissioner also:

Sat on the Green Energy Committee, but did not bring any meaningful jobs to the City of Los Angeles, specifically the Eighth District
Allowed medical costs to skyrocket during her tenure at DWP
Supported Measure B, which would have only provided jobs for DWP workers—and no one else
Was the only commissioner to vote against the Ratepayer Advocate

Now, Paul and Brian don’t appear on the ballot with me because, like I said, they don’t live in the community and they want to be the puppet masters. They live far, far away. So, the one thing you need to remember is that a vote for them and their handpicked puppet is a vote against your interests.

And, Paul and Brian aren’t the only show in town. I have support from several unions, including: Teamsters Joint Council 42, Laborers Local 300 ,Sheet Metal Workers Local 105, Iron Workers Local 433 and Iron Workers Local 416.

I have been endorsed by the L.A. Times and the L.A. Sentinel. Publications like the L.A. Daily News have called me the "lone Councilmember to display a backbone." And, that is why Paul and Brian are coming after me. Hundreds of years ago, people were allowed to own people. Paul and Brian don’t own me and they will never own my vote to consistently protect your interests.

Please remember to help me win in our community’s fight against Paul and Brain. Vote for Councilmember Bernard C. Parks on March 8, 2011. And, please continue to show your support by volunteering at our headquarters, which is located at 4371 Crenshaw Boulevard.

Talk to you soon,

Bernard C. Parks
Councilmember

BernardParks2011.com

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