September 21, 2025 • 32 mins
LA city council approves a $2.6 billion expansion of the convention center downtown despite warnings from some members and the city controller that it will put the city in a more precarious and dangerous financial position; Michael visits LA City Hall and talks with the regular gadflies whose unruly and offensive behavior has resulted in the banning of racial and sexist slurs.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
This is Michael Monks Reports on Michael Monks from KFI News.
We're together for the next two hours on this Saturday night,
coming at you from Burdbank. Another hot weekend in store.
Looking at the forecast here, looks like we're gonna be
in the eighties throughout next week. It isn't until Saturday
where I see the La Metro forecast finally just barely
(00:24):
touching eighty. Of course, things can change. I'm waiting on fall.
Lots of new candles today, very excited to light those,
but you really can't until it's a little cozier around here.
Kind of tired of all the heat. But we did
have some pretty significant weather here in southern California and
a tragedy that followed that weather. It was just a
(00:47):
terrible situation that took place in Barstow and San Bernardino County.
We know there was some heavy rain and that caused
some mud slides, and all day on Friday, we were
telling you about a missing two year old boy who
was with his father in a car that drove into
(01:08):
one of these month slides in some high dangerous water
and that police were looking for this kid, and unfortunately
they didn't end up finding that boy dead. Later on
on Friday, here is the latest on that story from
our partners at ABC News.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Officials confirmed that the two year old did not survive.
His body was found after a twenty hour long search
after he and his father had also gotten trapped in
floodwaters in Barstow. The father was rescued and he was hospitalized,
but unfortunately the two year.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Old boy to not make it.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Over in the San Bernardino County Mountains, the people who
live out there, they're really dealing with a major cleanup effort.
That is where we saw several homes, about almost a
dozen that were destroyed or damaged by these floods. We
saw mudflow, debris flow that fell into their properties, some
of it of course unfortunately breaking into the terrain there.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Those flash floods are very serious business and when they
tell you to be on the lookout for them, you
need to be. In What a tragedy to lose a
two year old child, this twenty six year old father
unable to hold onto him during that That's something that
that man will live with for the rest of his life.
Just a horrible, horrible tragedy out there in Barstow. Meanwhile,
this week, it's been a lot of talk about Jimmy
(02:31):
Kimmel and ABC News, Disney, Trump administration, Charlie Kirk tragedy.
Comments made by Jimmy Kimmel this week about the Charlie
Kirk situation suggesting that perhaps the killer of Charlie Kirk
was a supporter of President Trump and not a leftist
got him yank from the air amid what appeared to
(02:53):
be pressure from the Federal Communications Commission and the Trump
White House, and Jimmy Kimmel has remained off the air.
Sense and the future of that late night program is uncleared.
There's been protests here in Hollywood, near where that show
is taped. But tensions are high in this country right now.
And so yesterday when news broke that there was a
(03:13):
shooting at the ABC affiliate in Sacramento, it was a
very very scary thing.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Broadcast rappers at officer safety on an armed vehicle that
fired three times into a building. Vehicle to white twenty
twenties nison kicks, tented rear windows, five spoke silver rims,
unknown plate. Armed subject is now white or Hispanic adult,
heavy built, blue T shirt lasting northbound I five at
thirteen thirty five hours secondy clear fourteen oh one.
Speaker 5 (03:39):
Shots fired at KXTV ABC ten, the ABC affiliate in Sacramento, California.
Video taken outside the station shows what appeared to be
three bullet holes in the window. Police racing to the scene,
responding officers noting the building had been struck by gunfire.
Police are investigating, saying, fortunately no one was injured.
Speaker 6 (03:58):
The building was occupied and fortunately nobody was injured. Our
officers responded to reports of shots fired and the four
hundred block of Broadway at ABC ten. When officers got here,
they did observe that the building had been struck by
at least one bullet.
Speaker 7 (04:14):
The shooting was around one thirty in the afternoon, and
the bullets went through the window into a lobby, but
the shooter then sped off in a car Immediately. What's
called a BOLO, a be on the lookout, was put
out across northern California to all other agencies outside of Sacramento. Overnight,
the FBI and Sacramento Police moved in will arrest sixty
four year old Annabaal Hernandez. Santana police say they're working
(04:36):
on figuring out that motive. The arrest made this morning,
being held on assault with a deadly weapon, shooting at
an occupied building and discharge of a weapon bullets ripping
through the lobby glass and ABC ten in Sacramento. Luckily
nobody inside was hit, but police are telling us they
don't yet know a motive.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
No motive yet, nobody hurt. That's the good news. But again,
tensions are high in this country. Every little thing can
put us on edge, and this was a very direct
situation where you feel that this is completely related to
what's been going on with ABC and Jimmy Kimmel. Not
that affiliate in Sacramento has anything to do with it,
(05:13):
So we'll wait and see what comes of that situation.
Some of our neighbors up in northern California have also
been dealing with a scary situation, not as scary as
deadly violence, of course, but scary enough to send them
to the hospital. It's all about a vicious squirrel.
Speaker 7 (05:31):
People in San Rafaelle, California say at least five people
have been attacked.
Speaker 8 (05:35):
Very scary, and how do you get the squirrel attached
to your leg?
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Off?
Speaker 2 (05:38):
So I'm including Joan he Black had to go to
the emergency room.
Speaker 8 (05:41):
It's clamped onto my leg and it was just hanging
on and I was like, get off me, get off me,
and I kind of didn't want to touch it.
Speaker 9 (05:47):
Wild Life officials say it's probably not rabies, but a
squirrel that's used to being fed by humans.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
They look for food, they don't get it. There could
be frustrations. Vanessa Potter with the nonprofit Wildcare.
Speaker 10 (05:58):
Well, if they associate people with food, then they're not
They don't they're not afraid of them. They come up,
they look for food, they don't get it. There could
be frustrations there. You know, they can be territorial of
their space.
Speaker 11 (06:10):
My arm was completely overcome by the squirrel. Finally it
jumped off, and by then I was full of blood
and I run to the emergency room. The squirrel went
to the floor and from the floor tried to jump
to my face, which I tried to protect my face
(06:31):
from and then my arm was completely overcome by the squirrel.
Speaker 8 (06:38):
Very scary and how do you get this squirrel attached
your leg off? This clumped down to my leg and
was just hanging on and I was like, get off me,
Get off me, and I kind of didn't want to
touch it.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
We got a lot of squirrels around the studios here,
and if I'm sitting down on the bench and I
make eye contact with one, I can certainly feel where
these ladies are coming from. They're cute animals. I've always
thought that squirrels we're very close to being the next
domesticated pet. They're very cute. They got hands, they could
maybe help you around the house. But apparently they can
also lose their minds and cause significant damage to you,
(07:12):
So watch out for the vicious squirrels. It is Saturday night.
That means college football USC is kicking off here in
LA against Michigan State. That's coming up at eight o'clock.
We'll follow that in our second hour. The Angels are
up three nothing over the Rockies right now, the worst
team in baseball, the Rockies. Angels not much better this season.
(07:33):
They're at sixty nine and eighty five here in the
final games of the year, top of the ninth there
in Colorado. Three nothing. Angels and the Dodgers are also playing,
of course, and as always, you can hear that game
on our sister station, LA Sports AM five seventy right now.
The giants are up over LA four to two in
(07:55):
the bottom of the third. But we've got a big,
big two hours together on this Saturday night, So please
stick around for all of it if you can, and
if not, be sure to get the Michael Monks Reports
podcast and listen to it all at your leisure through
the iHeartRadio app or at KFIAM six forty dot com.
Up next, there's a historic downtown LA restaurant that closed
(08:17):
this year and then it announced it's coming back. But
it had a pretty big problem this morning. But it's
not the only problem brewing in downtown Los Angeles. The
City Controller says a decision by the city Council yesterday
has put LA in a more precarious financial position than
it was already in. And let me tell you, as
somebody who follows these things, it's been a pretty precarious
(08:41):
situation for quite some time.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
This is Michael Monks Reports. I'm Michael Monks from KFI
News with you till nine o'clock tonight here on KFI.
You can always join in on the conversation. I think
you might have something to say about the next topic.
Just open up that iHeartRadio app, click on that talkback button,
and we'll play some of your comments about that and
anything else on your mind as the night continues. Earlier,
(09:12):
I think just last week, we did some reporting on
the Original Pantry in downtown Los Angeles that closed earlier
this year after one hundred years of service. There was
some labor disputes, some questions about ownership. It used to
be owned by former and late Mayor Reardon, and then
his family trust was taking care of it, but it
(09:33):
shut down when they couldn't reach an agreement with some
of the workers. They had a big, big, big announcement
last week I think that they were coming back. They
were going to plan to reopen, and it is still
on scheduled to reopen, I believe on New Year's Eve,
December thirty. First. It's coming back after nearly a full
year away. But it's always a little chaotic in downtown
(09:55):
Los Angeles. A car crashed into the Original Pantry early
this morning. That's another bump in the road for that
restaurant as it tries to get back on its feet.
This thing was reported just after three o'clock, according to
our friends at ABC seven, And it looks like the
damage was not too bad. This car crashed into a
(10:19):
brick wall underneath a window, and perhaps another car was
involved that may have shoved that other vehicle into the restaurant.
So that was probably not on the menu for this
reopening plan. But if only that was the most chaotic
thing happening in downtown LA. And I'm not talking about
(10:40):
any of the mentally ill, drug addicted homeless people who
might scream at you or scream at nothing, as I
see as a resident down there nearly every single day.
The city Council made a decision just yesterday that is
going to have financial consequences for this city for a
very long time. And if you are a regular listener
(11:04):
to KFI, you heard all week as I was popping
on and off the various shows to talk about this,
you heard me talk about the significance of this vote
related to the Los Angeles Convention Center. On Wednesday, the
City Council's budget committee had a meeting, and I thought
that this convention center project may have died. They looked
(11:24):
at the numbers. Two point six billion plus about one
hundred million dollars estimated coming out of the city coffers
every year for the next thirty years. They already don't
have any money, and so this Budget Committee voted three
to two to suggest something else. Why don't we just
spruce it up a bit, run the vacuums, iron the curtains,
(11:46):
you know, clean it up until our financial house is
in order. We don't have to do this just because
the Olympics are coming and there are events there, just
because we're losing out on conventions to other cities. We
can wait on this because we are in financial dire straits.
So they sent both options to the full City Council
on Friday, but not before the chairperson of the Budget Committee,
(12:06):
Councilwoman Katie Rslovsky, said this at that meeting.
Speaker 12 (12:14):
But the truth is that we don't actually know. We
don't know because as a city, we haven't built up
a real estate development practice in house that can advise
us on whether or not this is a good deal
and that's capable of being finished by March of twenty
eight or it's not.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
We just don't know.
Speaker 7 (12:31):
I don't know.
Speaker 12 (12:33):
I'm a climate lawyer, right so, and mister Zabo isn't
going to get up here and countradict you miss so
is not going to get up here and contradict you.
BOE's not going to get up here and contradict you.
No one wants to offend, And so we have no
idea whether or not this thing is actually going to
be built, or if it's going to be six months later,
two years late. We just don't and we would like
(12:57):
to live in a world where our departments were able
to move a far defciently and quickly, mister McCosker, But
I haven't seen anything to the contrary over the last
two and a half years.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
So basically what she's saying is we don't have a
clear picture on how this is going to work. We've
seen fluctuating numbers. We've seen the price go up significantly
even in the past several weeks, and we as a
city hall do not have the best track record in
delivering projects or anything on time and on budget. And
she says she was referencing names there. Those are high
ranking city officials, the city administrator, the chief Legislative Analysts,
(13:28):
who prepares a lot of documents for the council to
read before they vote on significant stuff. They're not going
to come in here and tell us something. We don't
want to hear, basically, is what she was alleging that
they don't want to tell us. The city is incapable
of doing this massive project. In fact, Councilman Mcoscar Tim
mcgoscar represents the South Bay area, San Pedro and all
that area down there. He did feel that the city
(13:52):
was self sabotaging. He supports this project for downtown LA
and here's how he framed his support for it in
the budget committee meeting on Wednesday.
Speaker 13 (14:02):
It's a lot of money, but it is not unlike
what we did, what people before us did over thirty
years ago, and over the course of thirty years. You know,
we paid down that mortgage and what did we have
at the end of thirty years. We had a convention center.
So this self fulfilling prophecy, if we can't do it,
is coming true because of what we not, you guys,
(14:23):
what the city is doing. At a certain point, we
have to end the self fulfilling prophecy. We can't keep
saying that we're not capable. This building wouldn't have been
retrofitted if we weren't capable. If we get out of
our own way, we can finish the design.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
So he supports it. Counselman Kitty Arslowski does not. They're
both on the budget committee. They voted three to two
to recommend just cleaning up the current convention center, revisiting
a major expansion at a later date. Well, Friday comes
around and before the council votes, Ellemer Bass puts out
a statement that she is supportive of the expansion project.
(14:59):
And before vote that morning, six members of the city
council come out and hold a press conference in front
of city Hall and say we are also in support
of this thing. And as the guy who covers city
Hall for KFI'M trying to do the math and thinking,
maybe this project isn't dead, maybe there are enough people
to roll the dice and take this gamble. And they did,
(15:19):
by a vote of eleven to two, decide to move
forward on this massive project. And here is what Councilman
Yaroslavsky said before that vote yesterday.
Speaker 12 (15:30):
This project is being forced into an Olympic driven deadline
that is unrealistic on its face. Over the next nine
hundred and ten days, crews would have to work six
days a week every week, with only twenty days afloat
days and several more for bad weather and other contingencies.
That's approximately five weeks of slack in one hundred and
(15:51):
thirty week construction schedule. Even the smallest disruption supply chain delays, weather,
labor shortages, or the city's own approval process, which we
all know what that is, well push us off schedule.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
So she's not happy about it. I'm going to share
with you some remarks from other members of city council
who voted in favor of this project, while simultaneousaneously basically
confessing their fear about the financial position they had just
voted to put themselves in. And then you're also going
to hear from City Controller Kenneth Mahea, who is beside
(16:27):
himself over the council's decision. That's coming up next here
on Michael Monks Reports.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
You're listening to KFI Am six forty on demand.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
This is Michael Monks Reports on Michael Monks from KFI News.
The La City Council has approved that two point six
billion dollar expansion of the Convention Center in downtown LA,
despite cries and concerns that the city cannot afford the
estimated one hundred million dollars per year for the next
thirty years to finance that debt. There are a lot
(16:58):
of concerns, and I thought, well, was interesting this week
before that vote was at the Budget Committee where we
heard Councilwoman Unsses Hernandez basically say, look, I don't know
that we can afford to cut our beloved departments that
the public deal with every day any further, I got
the sense that she was opposed to this, but when
it finally came to the full council for a vote yesterday,
(17:19):
she was one of many council members who voted in
favor while hedging their bets a bit. Listen, this is
what Unisses Hernandez, the councilwoman from the first district, had
to say.
Speaker 14 (17:31):
I will not allow for the convention to be a
world class convention center while the rest of the city
looks like got them city. I will not allow it.
I'm voting yesterday, but trust and believe I'm not going
to stop fighting like hell for our basic city services,
fast city services, clean streets, save sidewalks, working street lights.
(17:51):
We cannot afford billion dollar ambitions for his business interests
while leaving people.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Waiting a year for a street light to get fixed.
Speaker 14 (18:00):
So yes, I'm betting on this project today. But I
will hold I will hold every department, every leader, and
every budget cycle accountable to making sure the rest of
LA is not left behind, because we do that year
after year.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
She voted for it anyway. Counseloman Tracy Park, who represents
the Palisades, which is in the very early stages of
the massive rebuild after January's destructive wildfire, she also voted
in favor of this project. She has long been a
supporter of expanding the convention Center, but she can also
be conservative on some fiscal issues, and this is a
significant fiscal issue. There were also concerns raised that if
(18:38):
this project moves forward, some of the workers, particularly from LEDWP,
who are working in the Palisades, may be pulled off
to work on this convention center project. Now that was
refuted by some city officials, but the concern was raised.
Counseloman Park voted in favor of this project, also hedging
her bet a bit, saying.
Speaker 15 (18:57):
This, I expect nothing but full throught participation and cooperation
from every entity involved.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
And while I have.
Speaker 15 (19:08):
Deep reservations about the process that let us here, and
I have very serious concerns about the economic climate, I
have always fundamentally believed in this mission, and I still
do today. The jobs and economic opportunities this investment will
(19:28):
create are real. It will make our laborers more valuable,
and it focuses spending on real things that make La
really cool.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Now, the jobs projected are thirteen thousand plus construction jobs
right off the bat, and then two thousand jobs each
year because of the fact that the convention center has
been expanded, so they are expecting to gain some revenue
here as well. But the city Controller, Kenneth Mahea not
happy about this decision. Here's part of what he said today.
Speaker 16 (19:58):
This is going to have a price tag to tax
payers of five point five billion dollars and the city
will need to pay off the debt by twenty fifty six.
So when you combine all the revenues that it will
bring in from the expansion and all the incremental tax
revenue that will get we are still on the hook
(20:20):
to find an additional one hundred four million dollars for
the next thirty years. And so I'm afraid financially because
I do not know where we're going to find one
hundred four million dollars each year for the next thirty years.
The past two years, the city has suffered major budget deficits.
We've overestimated revenues. We've been four hundred million dollars short.
(20:45):
In addition, we've been spending over budget, liability claims, increase
labor costs, and the city just keeps spending.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
And yeah, he's not happy for obvious reasons. He's been
crying for some time about the city's financial condition, and
it doesn't seem that they cared much about his opinion
on this particular project. As the Convention Center expansion is
moving forward, we will continue to follow that. Of course.
I went down to City Hall this week for another reason.
(21:14):
You know, those folks who are constantly disrupting the city
council meetings not just because they've got grievances with the government,
they are also the reasons that the city Council was
banned the inward The c word is there folks who
don't behave well at City Hall, and I finally got
around to asking a bunch of them why they behave
the way they do. I refer to them as the
(21:37):
city Hall gadflies. So I went down to City Hall,
got a bunch of them together, and decided to have
a conversation with them. I've put together a special report
and we're going to have that for you next And
don't forget, we've got a whole other hour coming up
at eight o'clock with much more news here on Michael
Monks Reports.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
You're listening to KFI Am six forty on demand.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
This is Michael Monks Reports on Michael Monks from KFI News.
Here's my special report. The City Hall gadflies. Los Angeles
City Hall is an Art Deco architectural landmark. Rising from
the ground in nineteen twenty eight. It stood as the
tallest building in the city for forty years, and it
remains the seat of the city government. Its ornate, Spanish
(22:20):
influenced accents feature words of patriotism, justice, and responsibility. To
walk around the building, the days of La passed, especially
civic minded La from decades ago, seemed to whisper through
the trees and the surrounding park with its quieted fountain. Inside,
there is still the echo of a hard bottom shoe
(22:42):
clapping against the marble floor tiles, and the quiet and
charming ting of the classic elevators taking people to their
offices or citizens to deal with government. By all assumptions.
This is simply a beautiful landmark government building in one
of the world's great cities, but there is one room
that betrays the century old serenity that shields it from
(23:05):
the bustle of downtown LA.
Speaker 17 (23:06):
Which item said, do you want to speak to?
Speaker 1 (23:08):
What do you think I'm gonna talk?
Speaker 13 (23:11):
Thank you, dumb ass?
Speaker 1 (23:12):
What do you think?
Speaker 18 (23:13):
All the dumbass items and the dumbass general comment, Okay.
Speaker 19 (23:25):
This person with the ponytail in the back yelling you're
removed from this.
Speaker 9 (23:29):
Meeting about providing foreign born citizens ship citizenship.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
The city council chamber, where important laws are made, debates
and conversations are held, neighborhood leaders, high school softball teams,
civic bastions are honored, and where a regular cast of
gangflies lives to terrorize the expected decorum.
Speaker 17 (23:51):
Niko Young Ninji ninchin the thetis among Jong nakashin tend
me Junction. Song soongso Jin, a.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Man who goes by the name Shrimp, often shows up
in mumus or offensive T shirts, and while he used
to spend much of his time at the podium detailing
his supposed exploits with prostitutes on Figaroa Street. He has
since turned to singing in various Asian languages. He guesses
the council powers that be can't understand them. You believe
in the freedom of speech. You clearly believe in the
(24:26):
freedom of singing as well. You've decided to start singing.
A lot of your comments directed at the city council.
Tell me what the purpose of that is.
Speaker 17 (24:34):
They almost never never listen. They almost never never listened
to you. So I was thinking, Hey, can I come
out with a different idea. Let's can I just grab
their attention? Maybe maybe you know, if I can do
something that they can actually listen, they can actually consider
about my idea.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
He's not the only one who regularly appears at city
hall opting for a performance. This is Hollywood after all.
Speaker 17 (24:56):
Nick, Yeah, Ramen is that chair whoa of the Homelessness committee?
Speaker 4 (25:00):
Whoa Yeah, but I.
Speaker 17 (25:01):
Don't think she really does care no for the anhouse
dy in the city.
Speaker 12 (25:06):
No way, Elihan raise concern.
Speaker 17 (25:08):
Obviously Herman Spindler was using profanity. That method special method
doesn't work. So Hubball singing, So you know it's not singing, like,
let's try an opera. I know it's not opera Let's
try whatever.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
Shrimp says. His approach is different than Herman and Spindler,
two of the more notorious gadflies at city.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
Hall Asta Pata nagado stal in English.
Speaker 18 (25:34):
Hernandez all her eats now number fifteen.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Wayne Spindler has long gray hair and unkempt appearance and
a devil's tongue. He always lashes at the members of
city Council, but he is also an attorney.
Speaker 18 (25:48):
And what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna use your
own instrument talency to defund you because I got something
I found out.
Speaker 15 (25:59):
You don't know.
Speaker 18 (26:01):
And what am I talking about? What am I talking about?
Tell me what I'm talking about?
Speaker 2 (26:09):
What is the problem with that motion?
Speaker 1 (26:12):
I want to hear talk to Nan.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
He regularly threatens a forthcoming legal action, especially targeting this
newly approved city ordinance aimed directly at some of the gameflies.
It's one he himself was punished by just recently crazy.
Speaker 12 (26:27):
In a.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
We are the gods dand what you want is to
have California.
Speaker 19 (26:36):
Period of time. Speaker, you have used a derivation of
the inward, which is in violation of Rule seven.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
The racism and sexism spewed towards city officials had become
so frequent the city Council voted to ban the inward,
frequently aimed at black members, and the C word, which
is usually aimed at women members. Spindler, who used to
talk off and through a hand puppet, had promised to
the time not to return.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
You pass this motion.
Speaker 18 (27:02):
I'm not coming back here again with my puppin no
more vowel language. I'm putting out a suit in time.
Speaker 7 (27:08):
I'm gonna put me on.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
Some nurse love us.
Speaker 2 (27:11):
But he did and received the requisite penalty, a warning
from Council President Marquis Harris Dawson.
Speaker 19 (27:17):
This is your only warning that use of this word,
in any of its variations, including spelling it as described
in Rule seven, may not be used again in this
council meeting, any council meeting in the future, or Council
Committee Union meeting. If you violate the rule again, you
will forfeit your speaking time and be subject to removal
from this chamber.
Speaker 9 (27:36):
You're falling in the trap, little bit.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
Other insults, though regularly used by some of the gagflies,
still fly with abandon.
Speaker 18 (27:44):
See hugo, something worse, mony cow and because she's looking
what am I gonna do about that band?
Speaker 1 (27:51):
And when am I gonna make my move on that band?
Speaker 2 (27:54):
But the inward and the C word are now no nos,
nigga can not win.
Speaker 11 (28:00):
Yeah A.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
Comes from the terminology. Armande Hermann has particular affection for
those words during meetings, where he also often holds up
pro Trump messages or Nazi symbols. Are you racist?
Speaker 4 (28:14):
No, I'm not.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
Why do you come here? Why do you behave the
way you do with these meetings?
Speaker 9 (28:18):
Well, you have to use the First Amendment first of
all to have debate, and debate means that you have
to have two sides to what you are trying to accomplish.
I think I'm opening the doors for many by bringing
them to the attention of what's happening here, not just
in city hall, but in many cities where our First
Amendments under attack and we're under a political war now
(28:40):
for free speech and freedom of speech.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
What role does the N word and the C word
play in that?
Speaker 9 (28:46):
Well, you hear it in music, You watch movies with
the terminology. So one man's words of vulgarity is scary.
But yet one man's words of vulgarity are free speech.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
Herman is not a lawyer, but he's learned the laws,
including a landmark Supreme Court decision related to inflammatory speech
and the government.
Speaker 9 (29:10):
Why use the words because Brandenburg versus Ohio is a
case in which I emphasize a lot.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
I amplify Supreme Court.
Speaker 9 (29:20):
Rulings based on these cases so that people understand what
is free speech and what has been determined by the
Supreme Court is an exercise of your First Amendment.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Shrimp, the mumu wearing singer of Asian opera songs at
City Hall. He doesn't use racist words. He doesn't agree
with their use, but he says he understands Spindler's in
Herman's principles. Are you against the ban on the N
word and the C word?
Speaker 1 (29:44):
Generally yes?
Speaker 17 (29:46):
Generally yes, those wars are something that I do not use.
But generally I do believe that that is an overstep
of the government. I do believe that because I am
a huge support all the First Amendment rights. Because today
they put a ban on this ward. Maybe tomorrow they're
gonna ban the war to fuck you, maybe another one.
(30:08):
They're gonna ban the word I don't know, uh, you know,
motherfuck whatever.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
Less showy gadflies are also supportive of their fellow city
hall regulars.
Speaker 20 (30:17):
I have a different approach, so I can't. I know
they've been doing it a long time. I hear some
of them fifteen years. I don't. I believe a lot
of them are just like trying to push their First
Amendment rights, and I believe and they're trying to shake
things up or create. But I you know, from when
I do talk to them here, I don't feel they're
like trying to be evil, horrible people. You know, they're
(30:38):
trying to make a point and I don't. But I
don't support that language at all.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
She goes by the name audit La, and her frequent
target isn't any particular member of the city Council.
Speaker 20 (30:47):
It's scientology called a scientology that reports are being made
and you're gonna have to take it seriously. And just
to let you know that I am not suicidal that if.
Speaker 9 (31:01):
You know they are, it's very apparent that I'm steering
people to have different views and different understandings of what
my beliefs are. And I'm opening up a door whether
or not to challenge me and question me or mister
Bozzetti or anyone in this group with us is that Hey,
we want more free speech and we want our interpretation
(31:21):
of it not to be ruled as a threat or intimidation,
but rather an invite to public debate. Real simple, and
thank you Charlie Kirk, God bless.
Speaker 1 (31:31):
You for now.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
The challenge stands from the gadflies and the leaders at
City Hall. Council leadership believes the ban on the N
word and the C word are legally sound. The gadflies don't,
and three times a week the City Council meets, and
on and on it goes a First Street First Amendment
side show. The words are often ugly, but at least
(31:54):
the building is lovely, especially outside the council chamber. Michael
Monks k if I
Speaker 1 (31:59):
Knew KFI a M six forty on demand
You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
This is Michael Monks Reports on Michael Monks from KFI News.
We're together for the next two hours on this Saturday night,
coming at you from Burdbank. Another hot weekend in store.
Looking at the forecast here, looks like we're gonna be
in the eighties throughout next week. It isn't until Saturday
where I see the La Metro forecast finally just barely
(00:24):
touching eighty. Of course, things can change. I'm waiting on fall.
Lots of new candles today, very excited to light those,
but you really can't until it's a little cozier around here.
Kind of tired of all the heat. But we did
have some pretty significant weather here in southern California and
a tragedy that followed that weather. It was just a
(00:47):
terrible situation that took place in Barstow and San Bernardino County.
We know there was some heavy rain and that caused
some mud slides, and all day on Friday, we were
telling you about a missing two year old boy who
was with his father in a car that drove into
(01:08):
one of these month slides in some high dangerous water
and that police were looking for this kid, and unfortunately
they didn't end up finding that boy dead. Later on
on Friday, here is the latest on that story from
our partners at ABC News.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Officials confirmed that the two year old did not survive.
His body was found after a twenty hour long search
after he and his father had also gotten trapped in
floodwaters in Barstow. The father was rescued and he was hospitalized,
but unfortunately the two year.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Old boy to not make it.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Over in the San Bernardino County Mountains, the people who
live out there, they're really dealing with a major cleanup effort.
That is where we saw several homes, about almost a
dozen that were destroyed or damaged by these floods. We
saw mudflow, debris flow that fell into their properties, some
of it of course unfortunately breaking into the terrain there.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Those flash floods are very serious business and when they
tell you to be on the lookout for them, you
need to be. In What a tragedy to lose a
two year old child, this twenty six year old father
unable to hold onto him during that That's something that
that man will live with for the rest of his life.
Just a horrible, horrible tragedy out there in Barstow. Meanwhile,
this week, it's been a lot of talk about Jimmy
(02:31):
Kimmel and ABC News, Disney, Trump administration, Charlie Kirk tragedy.
Comments made by Jimmy Kimmel this week about the Charlie
Kirk situation suggesting that perhaps the killer of Charlie Kirk
was a supporter of President Trump and not a leftist
got him yank from the air amid what appeared to
(02:53):
be pressure from the Federal Communications Commission and the Trump
White House, and Jimmy Kimmel has remained off the air.
Sense and the future of that late night program is uncleared.
There's been protests here in Hollywood, near where that show
is taped. But tensions are high in this country right now.
And so yesterday when news broke that there was a
(03:13):
shooting at the ABC affiliate in Sacramento, it was a
very very scary thing.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Broadcast rappers at officer safety on an armed vehicle that
fired three times into a building. Vehicle to white twenty
twenties nison kicks, tented rear windows, five spoke silver rims,
unknown plate. Armed subject is now white or Hispanic adult,
heavy built, blue T shirt lasting northbound I five at
thirteen thirty five hours secondy clear fourteen oh one.
Speaker 5 (03:39):
Shots fired at KXTV ABC ten, the ABC affiliate in Sacramento, California.
Video taken outside the station shows what appeared to be
three bullet holes in the window. Police racing to the scene,
responding officers noting the building had been struck by gunfire.
Police are investigating, saying, fortunately no one was injured.
Speaker 6 (03:58):
The building was occupied and fortunately nobody was injured. Our
officers responded to reports of shots fired and the four
hundred block of Broadway at ABC ten. When officers got here,
they did observe that the building had been struck by
at least one bullet.
Speaker 7 (04:14):
The shooting was around one thirty in the afternoon, and
the bullets went through the window into a lobby, but
the shooter then sped off in a car Immediately. What's
called a BOLO, a be on the lookout, was put
out across northern California to all other agencies outside of Sacramento. Overnight,
the FBI and Sacramento Police moved in will arrest sixty
four year old Annabaal Hernandez. Santana police say they're working
(04:36):
on figuring out that motive. The arrest made this morning,
being held on assault with a deadly weapon, shooting at
an occupied building and discharge of a weapon bullets ripping
through the lobby glass and ABC ten in Sacramento. Luckily
nobody inside was hit, but police are telling us they
don't yet know a motive.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
No motive yet, nobody hurt. That's the good news. But again,
tensions are high in this country. Every little thing can
put us on edge, and this was a very direct
situation where you feel that this is completely related to
what's been going on with ABC and Jimmy Kimmel. Not
that affiliate in Sacramento has anything to do with it,
(05:13):
So we'll wait and see what comes of that situation.
Some of our neighbors up in northern California have also
been dealing with a scary situation, not as scary as
deadly violence, of course, but scary enough to send them
to the hospital. It's all about a vicious squirrel.
Speaker 7 (05:31):
People in San Rafaelle, California say at least five people
have been attacked.
Speaker 8 (05:35):
Very scary, and how do you get the squirrel attached
to your leg?
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Off?
Speaker 2 (05:38):
So I'm including Joan he Black had to go to
the emergency room.
Speaker 8 (05:41):
It's clamped onto my leg and it was just hanging
on and I was like, get off me, get off me,
and I kind of didn't want to touch it.
Speaker 9 (05:47):
Wild Life officials say it's probably not rabies, but a
squirrel that's used to being fed by humans.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
They look for food, they don't get it. There could
be frustrations. Vanessa Potter with the nonprofit Wildcare.
Speaker 10 (05:58):
Well, if they associate people with food, then they're not
They don't they're not afraid of them. They come up,
they look for food, they don't get it. There could
be frustrations there. You know, they can be territorial of
their space.
Speaker 11 (06:10):
My arm was completely overcome by the squirrel. Finally it
jumped off, and by then I was full of blood
and I run to the emergency room. The squirrel went
to the floor and from the floor tried to jump
to my face, which I tried to protect my face
(06:31):
from and then my arm was completely overcome by the squirrel.
Speaker 8 (06:38):
Very scary and how do you get this squirrel attached
your leg off? This clumped down to my leg and
was just hanging on and I was like, get off me,
Get off me, and I kind of didn't want to
touch it.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
We got a lot of squirrels around the studios here,
and if I'm sitting down on the bench and I
make eye contact with one, I can certainly feel where
these ladies are coming from. They're cute animals. I've always
thought that squirrels we're very close to being the next
domesticated pet. They're very cute. They got hands, they could
maybe help you around the house. But apparently they can
also lose their minds and cause significant damage to you,
(07:12):
So watch out for the vicious squirrels. It is Saturday night.
That means college football USC is kicking off here in
LA against Michigan State. That's coming up at eight o'clock.
We'll follow that in our second hour. The Angels are
up three nothing over the Rockies right now, the worst
team in baseball, the Rockies. Angels not much better this season.
(07:33):
They're at sixty nine and eighty five here in the
final games of the year, top of the ninth there
in Colorado. Three nothing. Angels and the Dodgers are also playing,
of course, and as always, you can hear that game
on our sister station, LA Sports AM five seventy right now.
The giants are up over LA four to two in
(07:55):
the bottom of the third. But we've got a big,
big two hours together on this Saturday night, So please
stick around for all of it if you can, and
if not, be sure to get the Michael Monks Reports
podcast and listen to it all at your leisure through
the iHeartRadio app or at KFIAM six forty dot com.
Up next, there's a historic downtown LA restaurant that closed
(08:17):
this year and then it announced it's coming back. But
it had a pretty big problem this morning. But it's
not the only problem brewing in downtown Los Angeles. The
City Controller says a decision by the city Council yesterday
has put LA in a more precarious financial position than
it was already in. And let me tell you, as
somebody who follows these things, it's been a pretty precarious
(08:41):
situation for quite some time.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
You're listening to KFI AM six forty on demand.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
This is Michael Monks Reports. I'm Michael Monks from KFI
News with you till nine o'clock tonight here on KFI.
You can always join in on the conversation. I think
you might have something to say about the next topic.
Just open up that iHeartRadio app, click on that talkback button,
and we'll play some of your comments about that and
anything else on your mind as the night continues. Earlier,
(09:12):
I think just last week, we did some reporting on
the Original Pantry in downtown Los Angeles that closed earlier
this year after one hundred years of service. There was
some labor disputes, some questions about ownership. It used to
be owned by former and late Mayor Reardon, and then
his family trust was taking care of it, but it
(09:33):
shut down when they couldn't reach an agreement with some
of the workers. They had a big, big, big announcement
last week I think that they were coming back. They
were going to plan to reopen, and it is still
on scheduled to reopen, I believe on New Year's Eve,
December thirty. First. It's coming back after nearly a full
year away. But it's always a little chaotic in downtown
(09:55):
Los Angeles. A car crashed into the Original Pantry early
this morning. That's another bump in the road for that
restaurant as it tries to get back on its feet.
This thing was reported just after three o'clock, according to
our friends at ABC seven, And it looks like the
damage was not too bad. This car crashed into a
(10:19):
brick wall underneath a window, and perhaps another car was
involved that may have shoved that other vehicle into the restaurant.
So that was probably not on the menu for this
reopening plan. But if only that was the most chaotic
thing happening in downtown LA. And I'm not talking about
(10:40):
any of the mentally ill, drug addicted homeless people who
might scream at you or scream at nothing, as I
see as a resident down there nearly every single day.
The city Council made a decision just yesterday that is
going to have financial consequences for this city for a
very long time. And if you are a regular listener
(11:04):
to KFI, you heard all week as I was popping
on and off the various shows to talk about this,
you heard me talk about the significance of this vote
related to the Los Angeles Convention Center. On Wednesday, the
City Council's budget committee had a meeting, and I thought
that this convention center project may have died. They looked
(11:24):
at the numbers. Two point six billion plus about one
hundred million dollars estimated coming out of the city coffers
every year for the next thirty years. They already don't
have any money, and so this Budget Committee voted three
to two to suggest something else. Why don't we just
spruce it up a bit, run the vacuums, iron the curtains,
(11:46):
you know, clean it up until our financial house is
in order. We don't have to do this just because
the Olympics are coming and there are events there, just
because we're losing out on conventions to other cities. We
can wait on this because we are in financial dire straits.
So they sent both options to the full City Council
on Friday, but not before the chairperson of the Budget Committee,
(12:06):
Councilwoman Katie Rslovsky, said this at that meeting.
Speaker 12 (12:14):
But the truth is that we don't actually know. We
don't know because as a city, we haven't built up
a real estate development practice in house that can advise
us on whether or not this is a good deal
and that's capable of being finished by March of twenty
eight or it's not.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
We just don't know.
Speaker 7 (12:31):
I don't know.
Speaker 12 (12:33):
I'm a climate lawyer, right so, and mister Zabo isn't
going to get up here and countradict you miss so
is not going to get up here and contradict you.
BOE's not going to get up here and contradict you.
No one wants to offend, And so we have no
idea whether or not this thing is actually going to
be built, or if it's going to be six months later,
two years late. We just don't and we would like
(12:57):
to live in a world where our departments were able
to move a far defciently and quickly, mister McCosker, But
I haven't seen anything to the contrary over the last
two and a half years.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
So basically what she's saying is we don't have a
clear picture on how this is going to work. We've
seen fluctuating numbers. We've seen the price go up significantly
even in the past several weeks, and we as a
city hall do not have the best track record in
delivering projects or anything on time and on budget. And
she says she was referencing names there. Those are high
ranking city officials, the city administrator, the chief Legislative Analysts,
(13:28):
who prepares a lot of documents for the council to
read before they vote on significant stuff. They're not going
to come in here and tell us something. We don't
want to hear, basically, is what she was alleging that
they don't want to tell us. The city is incapable
of doing this massive project. In fact, Councilman Mcoscar Tim
mcgoscar represents the South Bay area, San Pedro and all
that area down there. He did feel that the city
(13:52):
was self sabotaging. He supports this project for downtown LA
and here's how he framed his support for it in
the budget committee meeting on Wednesday.
Speaker 13 (14:02):
It's a lot of money, but it is not unlike
what we did, what people before us did over thirty
years ago, and over the course of thirty years. You know,
we paid down that mortgage and what did we have
at the end of thirty years. We had a convention center.
So this self fulfilling prophecy, if we can't do it,
is coming true because of what we not, you guys,
(14:23):
what the city is doing. At a certain point, we
have to end the self fulfilling prophecy. We can't keep
saying that we're not capable. This building wouldn't have been
retrofitted if we weren't capable. If we get out of
our own way, we can finish the design.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
So he supports it. Counselman Kitty Arslowski does not. They're
both on the budget committee. They voted three to two
to recommend just cleaning up the current convention center, revisiting
a major expansion at a later date. Well, Friday comes
around and before the council votes, Ellemer Bass puts out
a statement that she is supportive of the expansion project.
(14:59):
And before vote that morning, six members of the city
council come out and hold a press conference in front
of city Hall and say we are also in support
of this thing. And as the guy who covers city
Hall for KFI'M trying to do the math and thinking,
maybe this project isn't dead, maybe there are enough people
to roll the dice and take this gamble. And they did,
(15:19):
by a vote of eleven to two, decide to move
forward on this massive project. And here is what Councilman
Yaroslavsky said before that vote yesterday.
Speaker 12 (15:30):
This project is being forced into an Olympic driven deadline
that is unrealistic on its face. Over the next nine
hundred and ten days, crews would have to work six
days a week every week, with only twenty days afloat
days and several more for bad weather and other contingencies.
That's approximately five weeks of slack in one hundred and
(15:51):
thirty week construction schedule. Even the smallest disruption supply chain delays, weather,
labor shortages, or the city's own approval process, which we
all know what that is, well push us off schedule.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
So she's not happy about it. I'm going to share
with you some remarks from other members of city council
who voted in favor of this project, while simultaneousaneously basically
confessing their fear about the financial position they had just
voted to put themselves in. And then you're also going
to hear from City Controller Kenneth Mahea, who is beside
(16:27):
himself over the council's decision. That's coming up next here
on Michael Monks Reports.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
You're listening to KFI Am six forty on demand.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
This is Michael Monks Reports on Michael Monks from KFI News.
The La City Council has approved that two point six
billion dollar expansion of the Convention Center in downtown LA,
despite cries and concerns that the city cannot afford the
estimated one hundred million dollars per year for the next
thirty years to finance that debt. There are a lot
(16:58):
of concerns, and I thought, well, was interesting this week
before that vote was at the Budget Committee where we
heard Councilwoman Unsses Hernandez basically say, look, I don't know
that we can afford to cut our beloved departments that
the public deal with every day any further, I got
the sense that she was opposed to this, but when
it finally came to the full council for a vote yesterday,
(17:19):
she was one of many council members who voted in
favor while hedging their bets a bit. Listen, this is
what Unisses Hernandez, the councilwoman from the first district, had
to say.
Speaker 14 (17:31):
I will not allow for the convention to be a
world class convention center while the rest of the city
looks like got them city. I will not allow it.
I'm voting yesterday, but trust and believe I'm not going
to stop fighting like hell for our basic city services,
fast city services, clean streets, save sidewalks, working street lights.
(17:51):
We cannot afford billion dollar ambitions for his business interests
while leaving people.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Waiting a year for a street light to get fixed.
Speaker 14 (18:00):
So yes, I'm betting on this project today. But I
will hold I will hold every department, every leader, and
every budget cycle accountable to making sure the rest of
LA is not left behind, because we do that year
after year.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
She voted for it anyway. Counseloman Tracy Park, who represents
the Palisades, which is in the very early stages of
the massive rebuild after January's destructive wildfire, she also voted
in favor of this project. She has long been a
supporter of expanding the convention Center, but she can also
be conservative on some fiscal issues, and this is a
significant fiscal issue. There were also concerns raised that if
(18:38):
this project moves forward, some of the workers, particularly from LEDWP,
who are working in the Palisades, may be pulled off
to work on this convention center project. Now that was
refuted by some city officials, but the concern was raised.
Counseloman Park voted in favor of this project, also hedging
her bet a bit, saying.
Speaker 15 (18:57):
This, I expect nothing but full throught participation and cooperation
from every entity involved.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
And while I have.
Speaker 15 (19:08):
Deep reservations about the process that let us here, and
I have very serious concerns about the economic climate, I
have always fundamentally believed in this mission, and I still
do today. The jobs and economic opportunities this investment will
(19:28):
create are real. It will make our laborers more valuable,
and it focuses spending on real things that make La
really cool.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Now, the jobs projected are thirteen thousand plus construction jobs
right off the bat, and then two thousand jobs each
year because of the fact that the convention center has
been expanded, so they are expecting to gain some revenue
here as well. But the city Controller, Kenneth Mahea not
happy about this decision. Here's part of what he said today.
Speaker 16 (19:58):
This is going to have a price tag to tax
payers of five point five billion dollars and the city
will need to pay off the debt by twenty fifty six.
So when you combine all the revenues that it will
bring in from the expansion and all the incremental tax
revenue that will get we are still on the hook
(20:20):
to find an additional one hundred four million dollars for
the next thirty years. And so I'm afraid financially because
I do not know where we're going to find one
hundred four million dollars each year for the next thirty years.
The past two years, the city has suffered major budget deficits.
We've overestimated revenues. We've been four hundred million dollars short.
(20:45):
In addition, we've been spending over budget, liability claims, increase
labor costs, and the city just keeps spending.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
And yeah, he's not happy for obvious reasons. He's been
crying for some time about the city's financial condition, and
it doesn't seem that they cared much about his opinion
on this particular project. As the Convention Center expansion is
moving forward, we will continue to follow that. Of course.
I went down to City Hall this week for another reason.
(21:14):
You know, those folks who are constantly disrupting the city
council meetings not just because they've got grievances with the government,
they are also the reasons that the city Council was
banned the inward The c word is there folks who
don't behave well at City Hall, and I finally got
around to asking a bunch of them why they behave
the way they do. I refer to them as the
(21:37):
city Hall gadflies. So I went down to City Hall,
got a bunch of them together, and decided to have
a conversation with them. I've put together a special report
and we're going to have that for you next And
don't forget, we've got a whole other hour coming up
at eight o'clock with much more news here on Michael
Monks Reports.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
You're listening to KFI Am six forty on demand.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
This is Michael Monks Reports on Michael Monks from KFI News.
Here's my special report. The City Hall gadflies. Los Angeles
City Hall is an Art Deco architectural landmark. Rising from
the ground in nineteen twenty eight. It stood as the
tallest building in the city for forty years, and it
remains the seat of the city government. Its ornate, Spanish
(22:20):
influenced accents feature words of patriotism, justice, and responsibility. To
walk around the building, the days of La passed, especially
civic minded La from decades ago, seemed to whisper through
the trees and the surrounding park with its quieted fountain. Inside,
there is still the echo of a hard bottom shoe
(22:42):
clapping against the marble floor tiles, and the quiet and
charming ting of the classic elevators taking people to their
offices or citizens to deal with government. By all assumptions.
This is simply a beautiful landmark government building in one
of the world's great cities, but there is one room
that betrays the century old serenity that shields it from
(23:05):
the bustle of downtown LA.
Speaker 17 (23:06):
Which item said, do you want to speak to?
Speaker 1 (23:08):
What do you think I'm gonna talk?
Speaker 13 (23:11):
Thank you, dumb ass?
Speaker 1 (23:12):
What do you think?
Speaker 18 (23:13):
All the dumbass items and the dumbass general comment, Okay.
Speaker 19 (23:25):
This person with the ponytail in the back yelling you're
removed from this.
Speaker 9 (23:29):
Meeting about providing foreign born citizens ship citizenship.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
The city council chamber, where important laws are made, debates
and conversations are held, neighborhood leaders, high school softball teams,
civic bastions are honored, and where a regular cast of
gangflies lives to terrorize the expected decorum.
Speaker 17 (23:51):
Niko Young Ninji ninchin the thetis among Jong nakashin tend
me Junction. Song soongso Jin, a.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Man who goes by the name Shrimp, often shows up
in mumus or offensive T shirts, and while he used
to spend much of his time at the podium detailing
his supposed exploits with prostitutes on Figaroa Street. He has
since turned to singing in various Asian languages. He guesses
the council powers that be can't understand them. You believe
in the freedom of speech. You clearly believe in the
(24:26):
freedom of singing as well. You've decided to start singing.
A lot of your comments directed at the city council.
Tell me what the purpose of that is.
Speaker 17 (24:34):
They almost never never listen. They almost never never listened
to you. So I was thinking, Hey, can I come
out with a different idea. Let's can I just grab
their attention? Maybe maybe you know, if I can do
something that they can actually listen, they can actually consider
about my idea.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
He's not the only one who regularly appears at city
hall opting for a performance. This is Hollywood after all.
Speaker 17 (24:56):
Nick, Yeah, Ramen is that chair whoa of the Homelessness committee?
Speaker 4 (25:00):
Whoa Yeah, but I.
Speaker 17 (25:01):
Don't think she really does care no for the anhouse
dy in the city.
Speaker 12 (25:06):
No way, Elihan raise concern.
Speaker 17 (25:08):
Obviously Herman Spindler was using profanity. That method special method
doesn't work. So Hubball singing, So you know it's not singing, like,
let's try an opera. I know it's not opera Let's
try whatever.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
Shrimp says. His approach is different than Herman and Spindler,
two of the more notorious gadflies at city.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
Hall Asta Pata nagado stal in English.
Speaker 18 (25:34):
Hernandez all her eats now number fifteen.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Wayne Spindler has long gray hair and unkempt appearance and
a devil's tongue. He always lashes at the members of
city Council, but he is also an attorney.
Speaker 18 (25:48):
And what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna use your
own instrument talency to defund you because I got something
I found out.
Speaker 15 (25:59):
You don't know.
Speaker 18 (26:01):
And what am I talking about? What am I talking about?
Tell me what I'm talking about?
Speaker 2 (26:09):
What is the problem with that motion?
Speaker 1 (26:12):
I want to hear talk to Nan.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
He regularly threatens a forthcoming legal action, especially targeting this
newly approved city ordinance aimed directly at some of the gameflies.
It's one he himself was punished by just recently crazy.
Speaker 12 (26:27):
In a.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
We are the gods dand what you want is to
have California.
Speaker 19 (26:36):
Period of time. Speaker, you have used a derivation of
the inward, which is in violation of Rule seven.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
The racism and sexism spewed towards city officials had become
so frequent the city Council voted to ban the inward,
frequently aimed at black members, and the C word, which
is usually aimed at women members. Spindler, who used to
talk off and through a hand puppet, had promised to
the time not to return.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
You pass this motion.
Speaker 18 (27:02):
I'm not coming back here again with my puppin no
more vowel language. I'm putting out a suit in time.
Speaker 7 (27:08):
I'm gonna put me on.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
Some nurse love us.
Speaker 2 (27:11):
But he did and received the requisite penalty, a warning
from Council President Marquis Harris Dawson.
Speaker 19 (27:17):
This is your only warning that use of this word,
in any of its variations, including spelling it as described
in Rule seven, may not be used again in this
council meeting, any council meeting in the future, or Council
Committee Union meeting. If you violate the rule again, you
will forfeit your speaking time and be subject to removal
from this chamber.
Speaker 9 (27:36):
You're falling in the trap, little bit.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
Other insults, though regularly used by some of the gagflies,
still fly with abandon.
Speaker 18 (27:44):
See hugo, something worse, mony cow and because she's looking
what am I gonna do about that band?
Speaker 1 (27:51):
And when am I gonna make my move on that band?
Speaker 2 (27:54):
But the inward and the C word are now no nos,
nigga can not win.
Speaker 11 (28:00):
Yeah A.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
Comes from the terminology. Armande Hermann has particular affection for
those words during meetings, where he also often holds up
pro Trump messages or Nazi symbols. Are you racist?
Speaker 4 (28:14):
No, I'm not.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
Why do you come here? Why do you behave the
way you do with these meetings?
Speaker 9 (28:18):
Well, you have to use the First Amendment first of
all to have debate, and debate means that you have
to have two sides to what you are trying to accomplish.
I think I'm opening the doors for many by bringing
them to the attention of what's happening here, not just
in city hall, but in many cities where our First
Amendments under attack and we're under a political war now
(28:40):
for free speech and freedom of speech.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
What role does the N word and the C word
play in that?
Speaker 9 (28:46):
Well, you hear it in music, You watch movies with
the terminology. So one man's words of vulgarity is scary.
But yet one man's words of vulgarity are free speech.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
Herman is not a lawyer, but he's learned the laws,
including a landmark Supreme Court decision related to inflammatory speech
and the government.
Speaker 9 (29:10):
Why use the words because Brandenburg versus Ohio is a
case in which I emphasize a lot.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
I amplify Supreme Court.
Speaker 9 (29:20):
Rulings based on these cases so that people understand what
is free speech and what has been determined by the
Supreme Court is an exercise of your First Amendment.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Shrimp, the mumu wearing singer of Asian opera songs at
City Hall. He doesn't use racist words. He doesn't agree
with their use, but he says he understands Spindler's in
Herman's principles. Are you against the ban on the N
word and the C word?
Speaker 1 (29:44):
Generally yes?
Speaker 17 (29:46):
Generally yes, those wars are something that I do not use.
But generally I do believe that that is an overstep
of the government. I do believe that because I am
a huge support all the First Amendment rights. Because today
they put a ban on this ward. Maybe tomorrow they're
gonna ban the war to fuck you, maybe another one.
(30:08):
They're gonna ban the word I don't know, uh, you know,
motherfuck whatever.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
Less showy gadflies are also supportive of their fellow city
hall regulars.
Speaker 20 (30:17):
I have a different approach, so I can't. I know
they've been doing it a long time. I hear some
of them fifteen years. I don't. I believe a lot
of them are just like trying to push their First
Amendment rights, and I believe and they're trying to shake
things up or create. But I you know, from when
I do talk to them here, I don't feel they're
like trying to be evil, horrible people. You know, they're
(30:38):
trying to make a point and I don't. But I
don't support that language at all.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
She goes by the name audit La, and her frequent
target isn't any particular member of the city Council.
Speaker 20 (30:47):
It's scientology called a scientology that reports are being made
and you're gonna have to take it seriously. And just
to let you know that I am not suicidal that if.
Speaker 9 (31:01):
You know they are, it's very apparent that I'm steering
people to have different views and different understandings of what
my beliefs are. And I'm opening up a door whether
or not to challenge me and question me or mister
Bozzetti or anyone in this group with us is that Hey,
we want more free speech and we want our interpretation
(31:21):
of it not to be ruled as a threat or intimidation,
but rather an invite to public debate. Real simple, and
thank you Charlie Kirk, God bless.
Speaker 1 (31:31):
You for now.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
The challenge stands from the gadflies and the leaders at
City Hall. Council leadership believes the ban on the N
word and the C word are legally sound. The gadflies don't,
and three times a week the City Council meets, and
on and on it goes a First Street First Amendment
side show. The words are often ugly, but at least
(31:54):
the building is lovely, especially outside the council chamber. Michael
Monks k if I
Speaker 1 (31:59):
Knew KFI a M six forty on demand
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