O'Grady's campaign finances deceiving

On January 10th, campaign financing disclosures for the current election were due to the Los Angeles Ethics commission. The results for CD 4 showed a huge increase in CD 4 challenger Tomas O'Grady over co-challenger Stephen Box, outwardly appearing that the O'Grady campaign had grown leaps and bounds in all-important community support. However, looks can be deceiving.

Of the $38,000 the O'Grady campaign reports, $25,000 is listed as personal funds. Although using your own funds is certainly one of the standard means of funding a campaign, it is obviously not indicative of community support. Meg Whitman learned that the expensive way.

Griffith Park Wayist received a copy of an email sent out by the O'Grady campaign just before the January 10th reporting date providing more details as to the sources of support for the candidate.

According to the campaign email blast, the $25,000 from O'Grady comes from a home equity line of credit. Another fraction of the next $10,000 comes from some among his Los Feliz Forward co-members.

(Los Feliz Forward: Alex De Ocampo, Christina Khanjian, Jessica Kornberg, Harpreet Malhi, Frank Masi, Mark Mauceri, Tomàs O’Grady, Ron Ostrow, Leslie VanKeuren, and Mio Vuckovic.) Los Feliz Forward was election slate that successfully engaged in an ugly hostile takeover of the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council.

O'Grady's campaign email lists four Los Feliz Forward slate members who have already donated to their fellow member.  Rather questionably, the O'Grady email ID's most of them specifically as GGPNC board members in the email blast, giving the impression that the GGPNC board is officially supporting O'Grady already at the end of December 2010.

Text of the email follows:

From: Tomas O Grady
Date: Tue, Dec 28, 2010 at 9:39 PM
Subject: TOMAS O'GRADY FOR CITY COUNCIL. Working Together, Anything's Possible

WWW.TOMASOGRADY.COM

Hi whom it may concern, We have raised $10,000 in 10 days. We now have $35,000. We borrowed $25,000 on our home equity line. If we raise an additional $15,000, then public financing will give us $25,000. With $75,000, we are very possible. We have a committed 1800 voters. (March 8th ).

Why should you vote for Tomas O’Grady? Or tell your friends? Or contribute? Watch this. You think I am just another politician looking for an easy gig? Think again. I have committed to cutting in half the incredible $1/4 Million per year pay package. I can do just fine on $100,000.

HELP ME MEET MY GOALS by Dec 31st 

ANYONE WHO GIVES, will be invited (with your significant) to a dinner party at our home in the hills of Los Feliz on Sat. January 8th. So please whom it may concern give what you can and Happy Holidays to you.

Take care, Tomas

Thank you, thank you to Genesa Wagoner, Ron Graham, Beachie Rogers, Jennifer Tyler, David Marsh and Meher McArthur, Kevin Mulcahy, Kathy Hill, Mio and Tina Vukovic, Thomas Francis, Leonardo Chalupowicz, Christina Neferis, Jordan and Crystal Marder, Yuri and Chris Nichelson, Adam Silverman of Heath ceramics, Luisa Nubaravacharyan of the GGPNC, Briana Ryan, Meg Taylor of Large Marge Sustainables, Mark Mauceri of the GGPNC, Frank Masi of the GGPNC , Warner Ebbink of Little Doms, Steve and Madi Ronk, Matt Moses, Renae Plant of Camelot Kids, Robert Del Campo of Casida Del Campo, Aram and Rose of Home Restaurant, Susanne Netka retired teacher of Franklin elementary, Annemarie Ralph, new green magnet coordinator of King middle school, Jessica Kornberg of the GGPNC, Barbara Bestor of Bestor Architecture, Leslie Weinstein of Friends of Franklin and Vera Paras. FOR THE $10,000 

PAID FOR BY  O'Grady for City Council 2011