Mayor John D’Amico’s willingness to host a campaign kickoff event last Sunday at his home for Joe Guardarrama annoyed several other candidates in the March 2015 race for the West Hollywood City Council.
They took it as a sign that D’Amico was endorsing Guardarrama (as did WEHOville). Given D’Amico’s position as an incumbent and his role as mayor, none were willing to go public with their annoyance. But D’Amico clarified his role in the event this morning, saying he had not endorsed Guardarrama and that he’d be happy to host an event for any candidate for City Council. His intention, he said, is to encourage all candidates for the three Council seats, leaving the decision as to who should be elected up to the voters.
D’Amico noted that the event took place at his home because he has been a friend of Guardarrama for some 18 years. But he didn’t organize it or choose the guests.
D’Amico said his willingness to host a kickoff event for Guardarrama or other candidates is part of an effort to increase civic engagement in West Hollywood, encouraging more and better candidates to run for office and more residents to register to vote.
He noted that Monday’s City Council agenda will include a proposal by him that the city implement a voter registration drive. If approved, the city would launch a social media campaign to encourage residents to vote. It also would provide links to an online voter registration form (which can be accessed here) in every email sent by a city staffer, include voter registration forms in all citywide mailings 90 days before the election and make those forms available at all city meetings.
Another challenge for the city is voter turnout. In the 2013 City Council election, only 20 percent of the city’s 26,394 voters cast ballots. Only 14 percent of West Hollywood voters cast ballots in this past June’s primary election.
I agree with Woody. It is in bad taste for sitting council members to stick their big nose, John D’Amico in the election p[process. The odds are already stacked against possible replacement canidates with the illegal campaign contributions made to the sitting members.
Good judgement seems to be as elusive as integrity. These are qualities that the public expects and deserves.
Back peddling for sure. This invite was not extended to all candidates until after the article written by Wehoville OR he would have clarified the first article! Besides, if his campaign manager takes on another campaign, (Joes) she would ask and get his approval. Renee ran the Shink fundraiser when her campaign started. Joe jumped in and Renee went from one campaign to the other. To think that the he is not in the loop is ridiculous I agree above, he originally ran 4 years ago to bring change to the Heilman/Land era and now that he has the chance… Read more »
I’ve been making the rounds all year to candidate events. I’ve seen Mayor D’Amico at events for Duke Mason, Heidi Shink, Larry Block, etc. In late summer he told me that he wanted to encourage any candidate that would put themselves out there. Sure, he might have favorites, politicians are supposed to be opinionated people. But his actions genuinely reflect his position in this article, of encouraging all candidates to foster civic participation.
The Mayor needs to know, that we know, that all these candidates want his endorsement. So when the Mayor hosts a kick off campaign event for a candidate, we know it’s an endorsement.
For the Mayor to say that hosting that gathering was a meaningless event is to say he thinks we don’t know better.
The Mayor has underestimated the intelligence of his constituents.
The back-pedaling is even more obvious than originally hosting Joe at his home. D’Amico is stepping in it right now!
Hmmmm, I for one am not buying the back-pedaling.
I wish sitting politicians would stay out of other politicians’ campaigns. To me It comes off as self serving power mongering & even collusion in the eyes of some. Of course politicians have a right to state their agenda & express their feelings like anyone else, but the voters do not need sitting politicians meddling & manipulating & influencing the policy positions of other potential candidates in order to further their own agendas & control trips. Each candidate should stand alone as an individual, not a carbon copy of another politician, & let the voters decide without the dubious distinction… Read more »
It was very wise to issue this statement…on his part. It seems like he’s backtracking now. Of course he wants Joe…he’s going around town telling everyone he’s supporting Joe. He’s told me. In fact, he and Joe are using the same consultant…Renee Nahum. It’s fine to endorse people. What’s not fine is to dance around when people start challenging you. He should have doubled down and explained why Joe would be a good Council Member (in his opinion). It seems like D’Amico is afraid to rub people the wrong way. He can’t run away from this. His consultant is running… Read more »
I think it’s pretty disingenuous to suggest that having a party at his house is not an endorsement. It sounds like backtracking to me, which reads like an exculpatory excuse after being caught. It will be interesting to see if any other candidate takes him up on his offer to host a party for them.