Shameful: Fountain Valley Police Captain Makes Excuses for Bad Police Officers

Sometimes I wonder if it's worth making complaints to police departments about their police officers.

They will excuse the behavior of their police, without regard for the fact that members of the audience think that they can get away with certain things.

I attended the April  3, 2018 Fountain Valley City Council meeting to urge the city council to file an amicus brief with the Department of Justice lawsuit against the state of California.

It did not look good at the outset. The city council had informed the audience that they were prepared to sit back and do nothing, let other cities and counties take the lead on their own.

I arrived with other fellow Trump supporters in the city and from the region throughout Southern California showed up. Most of them spoke out and then went to West Covina right away.

I had to stay longer in order to give my public comment.

Before I got to speak, a man in the audience stood in front of me and prevented me from seeing the podium, the city council, and the speaker at the city council:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AWi6HOIdpY&feature=youtu.be&t=43m

At the 43 minute mark, as you can see above, one member of the audience stood up and blocked me and others from seeing the speaker and the city council.

I asked him to sit down. He refused. I went up to the police officers, and I asked Sergeant Spangler badge #200 to do something about the guy.

He refused, after looking at Captain Sheppard #220 , who apparently wasn't interested in actually doing anything at all.

After I spoke at Public Comment, I spoke with Sergeant Spangler to ask why he didn't do anything about the guy who stood in front of me and others in the city council chambers blocking our view.

He blew me off, then walked away. One of the deputies with him blocked me briefly before I could speak with Captain Sheppard


Then I spoke with Captain Sheppard.

Sheppard was a smart-ass, refused to answer my questions.

Finally, I contacted Captain Mike Simko for the Fountain Valley police department and filed a formal complaint.

Here is the text of it:

Today’s Date: April 7, 2018

Your Name: Arthur Schaper

Your Home Address" 20415 Anza Ave #21, Torrance, CA 90503

Your Home Telephone Number: (310) 793-8647

Alternative Telephone Number: None

Date of Occurrence: April 3, 2018

Location of Occurrence: 

City Hall
10200 Slater Avenue
Fountain Valley, CA 92507

Captain Mike Simko:

I am disgusted and very disappointed with the inconsistent and disrespectful behavior of two of your department's officers, who were serving as sergeant at arms and/or public safety detail in the Fountain Valley City Council chambers at the April 3, 2018 City Council meeting

Captain Sheppard Badge #220

Sergeant Spangler Badge #200

On April 3, 2018, I was attending the Fountain Valley City Council meeting.

About 43 minutes into the video below, which I was recording at the city council meeting, one man stood up in front of me, blocking my views and the view of other people at the city council meeting by standing up in the front row.

You can see the incident in the video below:

https://youtu.be/4AWi6HOIdpY?t=43m

fountain valley No Sanctuary State youtu.be

The black man next to me stood up in the middle of one person's public comment, so that I could not see the speaker. I asked him to sit down, and he refused.

I then approached Sergeant Spangler and asked him to have the black man sit down. He looked to Captain Sheppard, and they did nothing.

I sat down briefly and asked the black man to sit down again. He did not.

Someone in the next row behind me asked him to sit down as well, and nothing happened.

Afterwards, I asked the city council if I would be allowed to stand, too.

Then Sergeant Spangler approached me and told me to stop being disruptive. I was shocked and disappointed. He did nothing when one man was disrupting the meeting, preventing me from seeing the speaker (to record on my YouTube channel).

But then he tells me that I am disruptive. This is selective enforcement, and it is not acceptable.

After I spoke at public comment, I asked to speak With Sergeant Spangler.

He told me that I was being disruptive, but then I reminded him twice that the black man who stood in front of me and others was preventing us from seeing the speaker and the city council. He then suggested that the man standing in front of me, preventing me and others from seeing the person spdeaking at the podium as not disruptive. That is not true. During city proceedings, it is out of order for members of the audience to stand while members of the public are addressing the city council during public comment, and certainly they are not permitted to block others from seeking the city council and speakers.

Spangler just walked away from me and said "This conversation is done."

I then asked to speak with Captain Sheppard. He was rude and arrogant, refused to explain the conduct of his men or himself in failing to keep decorum in the city council chambers.

The conduct of these officers was unbecoming and unprofessional. Captain Sheppard was particularly disrespectful, not taking my concerns seriously and refusing to answer me. These officers had a responsibility to ensure that everyone in the city council chambers abide by the rules of decorum, which includes not standing and blocking others in the chambers from seeing the events and comments of people on the dais or at the podium.

I have never seen such petty conduct from police officers before, and they should be duly reprimanded or not assigned to the city council chambers in the future.

Here is the video of  my interaction with the two police officers cited above.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjWEmNcH_UQ

Bad Cops in Fountain Valley www.youtube.com Bad Cops in Fountain Valley

I do not have the name of the third officer, the one who accompanied Sergeant Spangler when I questioned him, but he deliberately blocked me from approaching Captain Sheppard, too. 

Again, this disrespectful conduct is unacceptable and has no place in a city council meeting or in any place within a municipality.

I want them summarily reprimanded and no longer assigned to the Fountain Valley City Council chambers.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter:

Sincerely

Arthur Schaper

SIGNATURE PAGE:

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE A COMPLAINT AGAINST A POLICE OFFICER FOR ANY IMPROPER POLICE CONDUCT. CALIFORNIA LAW REQUIRES THIS AGENCY TO HAVE A PROCEDURE TO INVESTIGATE CIVILIANS’ COMPLAINTS. YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION OF THIS PROCEDURE. THIS AGENCY MAY FIND AFTER INVESTIGATION THAT THERE IS NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO WARRANT ACTION ON YOUR COMPLAINT; EVEN IF THAT IS THE CASE, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE THE COMPLAINT AND HAVE IT INVESTIGATED IF YOU BELIEVE AN OFFICER BEHAVED IMPROPERLY. CIVILIAN COMPLAINTS AND ANY REPORTS OR FINDING RELATING TO COMPLAINTS MUST BE RETAINED BY THIS AGENCY FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO MAKE A COMPLAINT THAT YOU KNOW TO BE FALSE. IF YOU MAKE A COMPLAINT AGAINST AN OFFICER KNOWING THAT IT IS FALSE, YOU CAN BE PROSECUTED ON A MISDEMEANOR CHARGE. I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD THE ABOVE STATEMENT. 

Complainant: Arthur Schaper

Date: April 7, 2018

Finally, Captain Simko contacted me.

He asked me if I had been a victim of discrimination. I simply responded that I thought the police would not say anything to him because he was black.

He asked me if I wanted to add anything to my complaint beyond what I had written what was in the video.

I reminded him that Sergeant Spangler told me that I could have moved my seat. Not acceptable, because there were no seats for me to move to.

The point remained--that man standing and blocking me and others needed to sit down.

For the next ten minutes, the Captain led me through the video that I had recorded

He wanted to focus on the fact that I had shouted at the city council for doing nothing about the guy standing in front of me. He wanted to focus on the fact that I had made comments quietly into the camera disparaging the remarks of the person at the podium.

I was incredulous!

This is how the Fountain Valley police department behaves.

It's time to hold this disrespectful police officers accountable.

Contact the Fountain Valley police department, and tell them to do their job, and have the two--now three police officers reprimanded:

Fountain Valley Police Department:

(714) 593-4400

lawrence.doan@fountainvalley.org

Captain Mike Simko:

(714) 593-4528

Email: mike.simko@fountainvalley.org

Here are the emails for the Fountain Valley City Council:

Michael.Vo@fountainvalley.org;

Steve.Nagel@fountainvalley.org;

Larry.Crandall@fountainvalley.org;

John.Collins@fountainvalley.org;

Cheryl.Brothers@fountainvalley.org

This selective enforcement from police officers has to stop, and we need to let cities and police departments know that their disregard is unacceptable.

Assemblyman Muratsuchi: We Need a Legislative Remedy to Ensure Government Transparency

Dear Assemblyman Muratsuchi:

My name is Arthur Schaper, a well-known constituent of Assemblyman Muratsuchi, currently living in the city of Torrance.

We need a legislative remedy as soon as possible regarding a very frustrating outcome that was unjust, yet transpired in the LA Federal Court on Friday, April 6th, 2018.

My friend Gary Gileno was convicted of a misdemeanor following his decision to bring a camera and then briefly record an exchange with a federal officer in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals building in Pasadena.

Here's a story about this miscarriage of justice in the Los Angeles Times:

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-brown-act-federal-trial-20180406-story.html

How an anti-illegal immigration YouTuber turned a $280 fine into a federal criminal trial www.latimes.com An anti-illegal immigration activist who was given a $280 ticket for filming inside a federal building last year is fighting his case in federal court, arguing that he was attending a hearing for an L.A. sheriff's oversight commission that is bound by state open meetings laws that permit filming.

Why did Gary bring the camera? Because he was going to attend a public meeting of the Los Angeles County Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission, a meeting which must abide by the Ralph M. Brown Act, aka the open meeting/transparency law established by the the state of California in the 1950s and expanded since then.

The Commission Chair, Robert Bonner--himself a former federal judge--admitted openly that he did not know about the Ralph M. Brown Act. See this article for proof:

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-sheriff-mental-teams-20170823-story.html

L.A. County Sheriff oversight board holds public forum in ... www.latimes.com L.A. Now ; L.A. County Sheriff oversight board holds public forum in federal courthouse, where cameras aren't allowed

He therefore moved a California public meeting, which falls under the purview of the Brown Act, into a federal building, which bars cameras, photography, video-recording etc. without a court order.
None of the unfair circumstances would have befallen Mr. Gileno if:

1. The Chairman of the Commission was aware and informed of the Brown Act
2. The federal officials in the building were informed of the Brown Act, and had been informed that a Brown-Act meeting was taking place in the federal courthouse.

 We need an amendment  to the Ralph M. Brown Act which ensures, mandates even, that all public meetings must be held in buildings or other arenas where federal laws will not pre-empt the rights of California's citizens to exercise their full First Amendment rights per the Brown Act.

I would add that any government body which fails to comply would face a fine and would negate any legislative actions taken by that legislative body, as well.

Transparency and publicity are essential securities for good government and against misrule. The public has a right to videotape public meetings under the purview of the Ralph M. Brown Act, and no misunderstand or mistake--like a commission moving their meeting to a setting with limited public access--should ever happen again.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Arthur Schaper

The People vs. Arthur Schaper--Downey Courthouse Update

                                 

Hey everyone.

I am giving everyone a full update regarding my criminal trial at Downey Court House.

In an unexpected turn, I was assigned to another public defender because of structural staffing changes within the Downey office.

Then on the day of the February 9th, 2018 pre-trial hearing, the new defender told me that another conflict of interest was found, so I had to wait for a bar panel attorney.

I ended up waiting in Department 4 for nearly four hours. Finally, my attorney arrived, ready to handle my case.

I am still pleading not guilty, and I am not accepting any plea deals. What the Huntington Park city council and the police department did to me was wrong, corrupt, and vile.

We are going to have our day in court.

I must say, there is some joy in knowing that I can go to a criminal court hearing and not feel stressed or fearful. Gary "Grindall61" Gileno knows what this process can be like. Now that his case continues to be postponed and continued, I am getting a similar taste of how slow the wheels of justice really move in Los Angeles County.

The presiding judicial officer, Commissioner May Santos, was prepared to go through arraignments and plea deals, but the whole calendar was suddenly disrupted by a de novo small claims hearing. That set back her calender by about 45 minutes.

Oh well. These sudden changes in court business are more common than most people realize. I served as an intern with the Orange County public defenders office a number of years ago. These setbacks happen all too often.

It was astonishing to me how many people showed up who were supposed to have proof of completion and restitution as part of plea deals which they had taken to avoid jail times. One young man had taken off two years and not completed any community labor requirements or restitution! I could not believe the massive amounts of leniency from the judicial officer.

I imagine that judges do not remand a number of defendants out on probation because there is simply no room for them in the county jails. The state's fiscal predicaments are so dire, that courts have been closed throughout the state, and in some countries there are long lines and continuances upon continuances for low-level crimes.

I get arrested just for sitting in a city council meeting, so it's no surprise that courts are pushing back trial hearings over and over. This is beyond ridiculous. I am urging that my new attorney file a motion to dismiss as soon as possible. This corrupt action from the Huntington Park City Council and Police Department is beyond ludicrous, and a full determination for our corrupt the leadership in the city has become. 

Here are my final remarks showcased on Grindall61's channel:

LA County Sheriff's Civilian Commission Chairman Does Not Know the Brown Act!

I have to spend a little more time on this.

The Chairman of the LA County Sheriff's Civilian Commission is Robert C. Bonner.

This man used to be a federal judge.

He now serves as the chairman of the commission.

According to documents provided by the Commission staffers, he was appointed by former LA County Supervisor Michael Antonovich.

But the way that he behaved in the Commission Meeting on August 24, that behavior would suggest that Antonovich should have selected someone else.

I have never seen such abysmal behavior.

After being delayed for nearly 30 minutes to enter the meeting, I finally had the chance to speak on a purported agenda item.

But the Brown Act violations are manifold and manifest.

1. I had to show my ID in order to enter the building where the meeting was taking place.

1. We were not allowed to show signs in the meeting room.

3. We were not permitted to record the meeting.

There you have three clear violations of the Brown Act.

Not only that, but the security staff engaged in selective enforcement. I could not bring my signs into the meeting room, but Raul Rodriguez did.

What?!

Then look at what happened to me when I addressed the Commission:

The Commission Chair was not giving me his eye contact.

I scolded him for that.

Then he began shaking his head in shameful dismay towards me.

I called him out on that next.

Then he talked back and shouted at me, then rose up to leave the meeting.

Those actions are clear violation of the Brown Act!

But of course, Bonner doesn't know anything about the Brown Act ...

Add to that the abusive order from the Vice Chair to have me removed from the chambers just for speaking ... and we have massive violations which must be confronted!

Major Civil Rights Violation at Civilian Commission: Arrested for The First Amendment

Last Thursday, I attended the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Civilian Commission.

The board is staffed with appointees by individual members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, along with appointments by the board as a whole or from other agencies, including the Sheriff's department.

The Commission is not used to American citizens showing up.

They are not used to patriots, Pro-Trump conservatives putting pressure on the commission.

And we gave them more than they had bargained for.

Check out the outrageous behavior from the staffers and police at the front of the courthouse:

Gary is arrested for filming in the building?

The Civilian Commission meeting is under the Brown Act, which permits recording!

Unbelievable!

The LA Times reported this disregard for the First Amendment:

L.A. County Sheriff oversight board holds public forum in federal courthouse, where cameras aren't allowed

Sometimes people yell at the monthly turnout of the Los Angeles County Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission, but on Thursday the fireworks started before some attendees could get inside.

Yes, and much of this conflict began and ended because of the Civilian Commission's perverse move to have the meeting in a court house instead of in the Water District office along Alameda Blvd.

A man attempting to bring a camera to the public forum, held at the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena, was handcuffed and ultimately ejected after he began filming a dispute with security guards over whether he could bring recording devices into the federal courthouse.

The Brown Act permits men and women to bring in cameras and to record the meeting.

After being detained about an hour, Gary Gileno, a freelance journalist and a member of We The People Rising, a group opposed to illegal immigration, was issued a $280 citation for failing to comply with court security officers’ directions.

He will contest this ticket no doubt. The charges should be dropped. The actions of the security personnel or inexcusable.

Gileno, who said he has filmed a public gathering inside that courthouse before, said he’s well-versed about his rights at open meetings and that what happened to him was “outrageous.”

U.S. Marshals had been telling those entering the building that no electronics were allowed, even if people were headed to the public forum. The agents eventually let most people bring their phones and cameras inside, although they did not allow people to hold up signs in the meeting.

They "eventually" let people bring in their equipment. So why this selective enforcement?

Mike MacBean, acting supervisor for the U.S. Marshals Service for California’s central district, said officers who detained Gileno were simply enforcing rules barring recording devices of any type inside federal courthouses.

But the ordeal highlighted an awkward situation for the oversight commission, which is bound by the state open meetings law that says anyone at official public meetings has a right take pictures, video or audio of the proceedings, unless doing so creates a persistent disturbance.

The Civilian Commission are required to allow open access, signs, and electronic recording devices. It is beyond outrageous that the security and the court staff behaved the way they did.

Unreal.

Commissioners have frequently said they want to foster a welcoming atmosphere for anyone to come and speak about their experiences with the Sheriff’s Department.

That whole movement went down in flames that day. I was so furious with the outrageous limitations on our life and liberty within the chambers. It was inexcusable that signs and cameras were forbidden.

“I felt a little humiliated having to take off my shoes and stuff,” said Commissioner Heather Miller, a rabbi, noting the airport-like security measures at the federal courthouse. “You talk about law enforcement triggering things for people.”

"Triggering" is a good word.

Robert C. Bonner, a former federal judge who serves as chair of the civilian oversight panel, said he recommended that the federal courthouse be used for the meeting. The commission has been trying out different locations in search of a more permanent home.

Of course he did!

“The cameras are not allowed in a federal courthouse, that’s all I can tell you. These aren’t my rules,” he said.

Bonner said he was not familiar with certain provisions of California’s open meetings law, known as the Ralph M. Brown Act, and that he relies on county counsel for advice on the legalities.

What?!

This man is a former federal judge, and he has no knowledge of the Ralph M. Brown Act?!

Wow!

“Why is it that people would have to have their own separate audio recording when we have an audio recording that picks up everything that’s said?” Bonner asked.

The commission posts audio files of its meetings online, but there is typically a lag time of a few weeks.

The lag time is certainly convenient.

Brian Williams, the commission’s executive director who approved the location, said he wasn’t aware that cameras were not allowed inside federal courthouses. He said he would keep that in mind when deciding on future sites for the monthly meeting, which has recently been held at the Metropolitan Water District building next to Union Station.

Wow! Pretty incompetent, I must say.

“I want to make sure the public has unfettered access,” Williams said.

Peter Bibring, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, said the oversight commission has an obligation to follow state law and should not hold meetings in places where people aren’t allowed to bring cameras or other recording devices.

This is the second time in two weeks that I have applauded a decision by the ACLU. They are actually defending the First Amendment rights of conservatives and patriots of all backgrounds!

Also on Thursday, the commission approved a resolution opposing President Trump’s statement last month to a crowd of law enforcement officers in which he told them, “Please don’t be too nice,” when arresting people.

I say that we condemn the antics and bigotry of the Civilian Commission.

Their disregard for our First Amendment rights and the violations of the Brown Act were insufferable.

The president was “appearing to encourage and condone out of policy and inappropriate use of force against suspects,” the commission’s resolution said.

How about the use of force against me, when I was speaking at the podium? The Vice-Chair asked for me to be removed from the room, but he did not have the right to do that. No one in that room had the right to have me removed or to tell me to sit down and say nothing.

In fact, the three officers on duty ended up backing away from the podium, but one of the officers told me to "be civil."

What?! Shame on them!

Commissioners and members of the public also discussed the Sheriff’s Department’s mental evaluation teams, which pair deputies with mental health clinicians to respond to calls requiring special handling of mentally ill people.

The whole Civilian Commission needs a mental evaluation. That should not be too complicated.

Final Reflection

Gary Gileno, the man who was arrested and cited just for having a camera and exercising his First Amendment rights, put together a great video of what happened to me in the meeting.

In fact, the video has gotten incredible traffic, despite YouTube's intense efforts to siphon off or squeeze the viewership for Gileno's videos:

The Official Citation from Huntington Park

Here are the key elements of the misdemeanors I received from the Huntington Park Police Department:

More information to come.

Cudahy Desperation: Mayor Sanchez Lies About "Fanatic" Constituents

The Spanish-speaking Newsmedia in La Opinion and Univision have finally exposed the four Cudahy Corruptitos for the repeated suppression of public comment, along with their abuse of public funds, mismanagement of public resources, and outright disdain for their constituents.

Mayor Sanchez attempted to downplay the damning letter from the Los Angeles County District Attorney, Public Integrity Division.

First, he claimed that the DA's rebuke was actually premature, and that the office had released a retraction of some sort.

Nothing has been forthcoming from the Cudahy City Council at this time.

In fact, the reporter who exposed the city council's abuses pressed them on this matter.

Here is Mayor Baru Sanchez' letter and the reporter's response

(I have rendered the original article--published in Spanish--into English through a translation engine)

May 22, La Opinión published an article by our reporter Araceli Martínez Ortega regarding the operation of the city of Cudahy.

Consequently, the mayor of this city sent a letter to the editor, published below together with the response of the reporter.

RE: Denounce Cudahy for violating the right of expression of its residents

Dear Editor:

The recently published article on alleged violations of the Ralph M. Brown Act and public comment in the city of Cudahy is incorrect and incomplete. Although  the Attorney of Los Angeles County sent a letter with recommendations to the city of Cudahy, later reported to indicate that the letter may have been premature allegations. Attorney Los Angeles County he never communicated with the city of Cudahy or prosecutor for review to determine the position of the city.

This is a total lie. The DA's office received several complaints from residents in the city as well as local participants criticizing the city council for the sanctuary city policy.

There was no violation during public comments at meetings of the City Council, because any disruption that occurs during that stage where residents exercise their constitutional right to speak to your local government, the clock is stopped so as not to penalize whoever is speaking. The Brown Act does not penalize for interruptions during the stage of public expression. To all who come to express their comments are given enough time during their allotted time.

I submitted a video showing the city attorney repeatedly interrupting  me and other members of the audience demanding reasons why the city was passing another ordinance to change the location of the city council meetings. Sanchez forgets to mention that the council tried to call a number of special meetings at inopportune times of the day. Residents in the city have strongly suggested that the corrupt city council engages in these shady maneuvers to diminish public participation.

What the reporter does not indicate is that there are indeed some members of the public who have used this expression time to personally attack some councilors and thus disrupt the affairs of the city with the clear intention to completely stop the city government. However, this situation does not only happen in the City of Cudahy. One has only to see the personal attacks carried out against the President of the Council of the City of Los Angeles or against members of the Police Commission of the City of Los Angeles. The fact is that members of the public abuse the system in an attempt to stop the city government completely.

Members of the city council forget to mention that they rigidly cut down the times and periods for public comment. They also neglect to acknowledge their poor decision making, the lack of transparency, the budget deficits and the looming bankruptcy threatening the city.

Sanchez also forgets to tell the report about the routine abuses they levy against Councilman Jack Guerrero. 

While we in the City of Cudahy respect the right of free expression and the right to petition your government, we are also aware that the role of government should work for all and the simple act to continue driving city business should not be interrupted by a group of fanatics who only seek to completely stop the function of local government.

"Fanatics".

That is the term Baru Sanchez uses to describe the residents, the voters, the taxpayers in the city of Cudahy.

Wow!

Sincerely,

Baru Sanchez, CPA

Mayor, City of Cudahy

The report of the story, Araceli Ortega:

Dear mayor of Cudahy:

We would be grateful if you could send copies of official letters of the Attorney of Los Angeles County that said the Brown Act violations were made based on premature accusations.

I can give Ms, Ortega the answer to this request. There are none.

Baru Sanchez, sworn in as mayor

"Reducing times joints Council has gradually given to allow end issues of the agenda: In the written report either version of neighbors like you in responding to the criticism, saying included and not to prolong the joints until dawn. "

"We respect the right of expression but asked to do so with respect and without shouting."

I even asked him to send me in writing the statements you want to be included in the second part of the story but were not received

The reporter wanted to provide both sides of the story, but the Cudahy Corruptitos do not have another side. They are the ones lying, they are the ones abusing their local authority, attacking residents, ignoring federal law, and abusing public funds.

They need to go. Period.

Cudahy's next city council meeting is June 13th, 2016.

More residents of the city are furious with their perverse lack of leadership, their incessant pandering to private vendors and the Democratic political machine at the expense of the residents.

"Fanatics?" Really?!

Ustedes son mentirosos!

You are liars!

My Intended Remarks for Cudahy City Council--May 23, 2016

The Cudahy Corruptitos called off their latest city council meeting, most likely because they did not want to face angry crowds of Cudahy citizens, young and old, irate at the corruption and fraud which is eating out the city's reserves.

And perhaps they don't like Chris Garcia, who mocks and derides critics rather than representing what is best for the city.

So, I was informed within hours of the city council meeting that they were not going to meet. A lackk of quorum was cited, but let's state the truth plainly. There is a lack of courage, integrity, and just plain honesty.

So, here are my intended remarks for the Cudahy City Council:

Good Evening Cudahy City Council:                                                                                                

My name is Arthur Schaper, a member of We the People Rising.

I want you to look at this hat and the shirt that I am wearing. I received these gifts from Nick Ioannidis, aka Nick the Greek, an immigrant who founded Immigrants Day, October 28th

So, please spare me your baseless attacks that We the People Rising are somehow racist and anti-immigrant. You are lying. We have not ceased helping him and other freedom-loving, law-abiding immigrants in this country.

In January last year, this council declared itself a sanctuary city.

On Univision and in La Opinion, it became very clear that this city is no sanctuary for its citizens.

The city council has engaged in brazen efforts to suppress freedom of speech.

Has awarded corrupt contracts with private vendors.

Has shut down open office hours for city residents.

Has hiked fees for city services, all while awarding excessive pay for city employees.

Has charged excessive parking citation fees on a working class community where many work two jobs just to survive.

Has done nothing to alleviate the homelessness situation.

And denied little girls the opportunity to perform for friends and family because of a petty dispute with the dance instructor.

It was vindicating to see the local press report on the letter of rebuke which this city council received from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Public Integrity Division, as I was one of many who had submitted complaints to the DA.

Let these are other movements serve as a warning to this council.

You trifle with taxpayer dollars, and you violate their Constitutional rights, you are playing a dangerous game that you will not win.

May I also suggest a new city motto: “Open wallets, closed minds” or perhaps “Open zippers, no morals”.

Thank you.

Arthur Schaper

We the People Rising