Elizabeth Chou
@reporterliz.bsky.social
850 followers 640 following 170 posts
"What's up with what's going down?" Read my LA politics newsletter @thelareporter.bsky.social Keep The LA Reporter in the field here: https://ko-fi.com/thelareporter
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reporterliz.bsky.social
🐦 The LA Reporter, Issue 6: Introducing interviews at your local doughnut shop

This week, The Doughnut Shop Interviews debuts, Austin Beutner's social media lets cat out of bag, progressive council office orders CARE+ that draws big LAPD presence
thelareporter.la/p/the-la-rep...
reporterliz.bsky.social
Slummy vanlords didn't come up as part of this survey. People living in RVs pointed to things like police harassment and getting ticketed/towed as some of the issues they face. Basically ppl see actions by their own city as their biggest headaches. challengeinequality.luskin.ucla.edu/2025/06/25/k...
“Keep Moving”: West LA Vehicle Residents Survey
A Venice Justice Committee Report via UCLA Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy
challengeinequality.luskin.ucla.edu
reporterliz.bsky.social
It's really not uncommon for people to be residing in vehicles that could be valued at $4,000.

I met a father and son (he was going to online high school so he could work) a couple weeks ago who said they used a month's rent to purchase their vehicle: thelareporter.la/p/the-la-rep...
The LA Reporter, Issue 5: 'There's nothing we can really do'
News from an LA Reporter. This week, that includes twice-a-week encampment sweeps in West Los Angeles, and candidates in 'progressive' state race shying away from AIPAC
thelareporter.la
reporterliz.bsky.social
Gov. Newsom has signed AB 630, a bill sponsored by Mayor Karen Bass that's aimed at vanlords and makes it easier to destroy RVs. But advocates say it would actually hurt people living in RVs.

It was included in today's legislative update: www.gov.ca.gov/2025/10/13/g...
Reposted by Elizabeth Chou
thelareporter.bsky.social
LAPD turns out in force to Westlake CARE+ operation: ‘We were raided, treated like criminals’

thelareporter.la/p/lapd-turns...
reporterliz.bsky.social
dropped it in the gutter. getting cleaned!
reporterliz.bsky.social
🐦 The LA Reporter, Issue 6: Introducing interviews at your local doughnut shop

This week, The Doughnut Shop Interviews debuts, Austin Beutner's social media lets cat out of bag, progressive council office orders CARE+ that draws big LAPD presence
thelareporter.la/p/the-la-rep...
reporterliz.bsky.social
LAT has a little bit on Beutner's views on SB 79, in which he says he'd like to have tinkered around with the language more. This has a pretty good rundown of Beutner's career and political history, as well as the political landscape as he enters the race.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
reporterliz.bsky.social
This LAist piece has a bunch more insights from what appears to have been an interview with Beutner earlier this week. His remarks put a spotlight on many of the criticisms that have come up over Mayor Bass's leadership and decisions.
bsky.app/profile/pett...
reporterliz.bsky.social
He's the former LAUSD superintendent, a onetime publisher of the LA Time. Also a former finance guy, investments, hedge funds and things.
Reposted by Elizabeth Chou
joeyneverjoe.bsky.social
I requested email records from the LA Mayor’s office regarding journalist detainments, arrests, and assaults during the two weeks of protests anti-ICE protests in June. Only one email was released and it was from @adamrose.bsky.social. Are we really to believe her office has one email about it?
Email titled: Fwd: URGENT: LAPD holding journalist in jail for up to a week

Sent to the Mayor’s office and LAPD officers

Email says:

Anthony Orendorff is an independent filmmaker currently in LAPD custody in Van Nuys.
I'm in contact with his sister, who informs me that the Public Defender's office says he may be held for up to a week.
However, there is clearly a dispute about the situation. I cannot say with certainty until I find video, and I ask you to seek BWV immediately (today) and act to ensure this is handled appropriately -- including the potential of expedited release this afternoon.
Orendorff was arrested at an active ICE raid at a Costco parking lot in Pacoima yesterday (Thursday, June 19). According to his sister: "LAPD was called to do crowd control and singled him out. There were tons of witnesses who saw what happened. He didn't touch any officer. He was lunged at by one officer in particular and arrested, and charged with battery."
PIO confirms to me that the charge is a misdemeanor PC 243(b) for battery on a police officer.
Unfortunately, LAPD officers have proven themselves extremely unreliable over the past two weeks - and frankly last several years. The description by Orendorff's sister would be consistent with many recent examples of false and misleading statements used to "justify" unlawful detainment and arrest of journalists. As a separate matter, I have reviewed the footage of the incident with ABC News chief national correspondent Matt Gutman including the preceding incident. In the Gutman case, an officer assaulted Gutman by grabbing him from behind and shoving him. Gutman's arm lifted slightly for balance, clearly a natural reflex, but he controlled himself and did not lay hands on the officer.
Subsequently, an unhinged officer screamed at Gutman about "touching" an officer and shoved Gutman for no reason. As video proves, Gutman was the victim of assault by an LAPD officer, and then LAPD attempted to blame the victim.
reporterliz.bsky.social
If there are filings, those haven't been posted to the City Ethics website as of this exact moment.
reporterliz.bsky.social
What appears to be happening is there have been rumors and now this seems to help confirm them.

Businessman Austin Beutner, also a former LAUSD superintendent and one time LA Times publisher, might be throwing his hat into the ring to challenge LA Mayor Karen Bass.
reporterliz.bsky.social
Hmm? What's happening here?
Reposted by Elizabeth Chou
thelareporter.bsky.social
The LA Reporter spoke to Meza at Monterey Donut, a beloved local spot in northeast Los Angeles where patrons greet the owner, Mrs. Lee, like their friend or family member.

Some grew up or spent years going to her shop, with one couple saying they spent one of their anniversaries there.
Reposted by Elizabeth Chou
thelareporter.bsky.social
The LA Reporter this week is debuting The Doughnut Shop Interviews series in which we sit down with a major figure in local politics and regulars at a neighborhood doughnut shop.

The first chat is with Raymond Meza, chair a citizen panel helping to rewrite the LA city charter.
Reposted by Elizabeth Chou
joeyneverjoe.bsky.social
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Joey Scott
Writings about policing, inequality, and a better world.
www.joeyscott.xyz
Reposted by Elizabeth Chou
1danross.bsky.social
Incredibly important reporting on City Hall and other local politics by @reporterliz.bsky.social through @thelareporter.bsky.social. Highly recommend subscribing:
Reposted by Elizabeth Chou
thelareporter.bsky.social
The LA Reporter, Issue 5: 'There's nothing we can really do'

News from an LA Reporter. This week, that includes twice-a-week encampment sweeps in West Los Angeles, and candidates in 'progressive' state race shying away from AIPAC

thelareporter.la/p/the-la-rep...
The LA Reporter, Issue 5: 'There's nothing we can really do'
News from an LA Reporter. This week, that includes twice-a-week encampment sweeps in West Los Angeles, and candidates in 'progressive' state race shying away from AIPAC
thelareporter.la