Angered by an election flier critical of Hawthorne's political leadership, City Council members called an opponent names and threatened him with legal action and violence.By Sandy Mazza
Staff Writer
Angered by an election flier critical of Hawthorne's political leadership, City Council members this week called an opponent names and threatened him with legal action and violence.
The one-page letter, written by resident Norbert Huber, targeted "Team Guidi," the phrase used around town to describe Mayor Larry Guidi and his supporting cast on the City Council - Pablo
Catano, Louis Velez and Ginny Lambert.
Huber says he has not widely circulated the flier, which blasts the council for "under-the-table
contracts," "embarrassing the city's name and image," "voting unanimously on every issue for the past four years" and approving a series of high-density housing projects.
At the City Council meeting Tuesday, Guidi called Huber a "closet coward" for not putting his name on the flier, and Catano seemed incensed.
"You have a right to say whatever," Catano told Huber. "I think I also have a right to go punch somebody's lights out. ... I might just jump over (the podium) and go knock them out. I don't take
that stuff."
Gary Parsons, the lone dissenting council member, wasn't included in Huber's criticism, which also was directed at council candidate Thierry Lubenec. Guidi and Lambert endorse Lubenec, the city
treasurer, in the Nov. 6 election.
Huber, who along with Parsons supports Danny Juarez's bid for a council seat, told the council he is merely expressing his political views.
"I support the First Amendment right to free speech," Huber said.
"I have received three threats to sue me. There was nothing slanderous, nothing libelous against
anyone individually. ... It seems like when someone criticizes the City Council, intimidation occurs."
Parsons said he did not agree with the flier, but he defended Huber's right to speak freely.
"Political speech - and unpopular political speech - is a very protected right," Parsons said.
Guidi, Lambert and Catano blasted Huber for criticizing them even though he doesn't regularly
attend council meetings.
"If all you people who have been here through thick and thin, who didn't just show up for five
minutes of glory, you see the team effort paid off," said Guidi, who is unopposed for re-election. "Hawthorne's prospering."
Lambert, who's running for re-election, said the flier's allegations were plain wrong.
"I am known for my integrity. Our guys are known for their integrity," she said. "You have
committed a slanderous remark in each one of these. ... I have no respect for this gentleman any longer."
Other council members, however, acknowledged the validity of some statements in the flier,
including the fact that "back room deals" are made at times.
"Let me tell you something: You're never in the back room over there," Catano said, claiming the
council majority may agree in public but frequently disagrees on issues in the private sessions.
Guidi said he agrees with the right to speak openly at
council meetings - except in some cases.
"Freedom of speech is there until you slander somebody and then it goes opposite," he said, calling Huber's flier "underground political ... propaganda."
