Observer, Westside Voice, Make Endorsements in City Council Races

Two of Santa Monica’s news outlets are on the record endorsing candidate slates in this year’s City Council elections. Unsurprisingly, the progressive Westside Voice has endorsed the progressive “United Democratic Slate” while Santa Monica Observer endorsed the “Safer Santa Monica” Slate.

The United Democratic Slate features four challengers to the current Council majority and includes Dan Hall, Ellis Raskin, Barry Snell and Natalya Zernitskaya. The endorsement, written by Westside Voice publisher Todd Flora excoriates the current Council majority before declaring, “We prefer candidates who want to preserve the best of Santa Monica while remaining progressive, welcoming, and forward-looking. And that’s Hall, Raskin, Snell, and Zernitskaya and it’s not even close.“

While the Observer is nationally known for spreading disinformation about the attack on then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband Paul, it does have a larger reach than the Westside Voice with a print edition of 10,000 copies distributed throughout the city. Their endorsement is as fact-challenged as their news reporting*, but the paper makes a case that the slate of Mayor Phil Brock, Councilmember Oscar de la Torre, Dr. Vivian Roknian and John Putnam would make Santa Monica safer.

“Phil Brock, Oscar de la Torre, John Putnam, and Dr. Vivian Roknian have consistently voted in favor of measures** that prioritize community safety, from supporting ordinances to fund and expand our police force to endorsing policies that tackle crime head-on. They have been the voice of reason on the City Council, often standing against the current progressive majority*** that has blocked common-sense safety measures,” the Observer writes in their endorsement.

* The endorsement claims the United Democratic Slate is against allowing traffic stops. The slate has repeatedly called for greater enforcement of traffic safety laws.

**John Putnam and Vivian Roknian are not members of the city council and thus have not “consistently voted in favor” of anything

***Phil Brock and Oscar de la Torre are joined by Christine Parra and Lana Negrete as part of a clear majority on the City Council, often winning votes on 4-3.

About The Author

Damien Newton

Damien is the executive director of the Southern California Streets Initiative which publishes Santa Monica Next, Streetsblog Los Angeles, Streetsblog San Francisco, Streetsblog California and Longbeachize.

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