Isadore Hall: Uncle Moneybags

Hall's Congressional Campaign Logo

ISADORE HALL SURPASSES $400K RAISED IN CA-44 CONTEST

Powerful Fundraising Quarter Solidifies Hall's Dominance in Race for California's 44th Congressional District Seat

No one can underestimate Uncle Izzy: he is a formidable politician.

He arranged enough support in the background to enable him to push away Steve Bradford, who wanted to run in the special election last year to replace convicted felon Roderick Wright. Within hours of Aunt Janice's announcement for LA County Board of Supervisors, Hall declared his intentions to run for her Congressional seat, and the attending endorsements flowed from there.

These backroom machinations are good politics. But does it translate into good governance?

COMPTON, CA-Solidifying his status as the clear and strong frontrunner in the race to represent California's 44th Congressional District seat, today State Senator Isadore Hall's campaign announced that it exceeded the $400,000 mark in total funds raised for the campaign.

The election is almost two years away, and Uncle Izzy has four hundred grand on hand. Where does all this money come from? Why haven't any of the residents in the district, from San Pedro to South Gate, raised their voices or shared concerns about a Congressional seat being bought and sold right from under them?

The Top-Two primary has made a number of Congressional seats competitive, but what about residents in the Alameda Corridor? Aside from the 2012 contest between Auntie Laura Richardson and Aunt Janice, there has been no real contest of ideas, let ideologies. Don't Southern California residents deserve more than two liberal Democrats vying for the larger number of special interest group endorsements and donations?

State Senator Isadore Hall released the following statement of gratitude to his supporters:

"Thank you to all of those who have supported me so early in this campaign. This milestone, however, is not the end. I will continue to fight on behalf of and reach out to voters all across the 44th district. The people of the 44th district deserve a dedicated leader from our community who has a record of fighting for our community, working to bring jobs, to protect the Port, to advance immigrant rights laws, to increase educational opportunities, and to expand access to health care. I am determined to continue being that leader and fighting for these issues not just in California, but in Washington as well."

Has Hall reached out to all voters in the district? Does he even know the names of the diverse communities throughout the region? Aunt Janice claimed that Washington is completely dysfunctional. Now Hall wants to join that fray, joining with the minority. Democrats have a great deal of influence in one-party Dem dominance California. Will Hall get used to playing the marginal "No" vote in the House of Representatives?

Uncle Izzy

Hall's Chief Strategist John Shallman released the following statement:

"The incredible support for Senator Hall's campaign is a testament to his lifelong dedication to this community and his refusal to cut and run when times were tough. Isadore's strong financial report and endorsements reflect his passionate support among voters who know him, trust him and will stand with him as a proud son of Compton who stayed to make life better for those who needed help."

Uh, no. The tidal of support and campaign funding is a result of Uncle Izzy's immediate ambitions for a Congressional seat which was waiting for the taking, since Aunt Janice has wanted to sit on the LA County Board of Supervisors for years. Hall has jumped from one elected office to the next, and his anemic record of accomplishments beg outsiders to ask: what exactly has he accomplished in Sacramento, or before that as Compton Unified School Board trustee?

Taking in large donations does not indicate a strong commitment to the communities one seeks to represent. A large amount of the funding comes from major interests, like Tobacco and the Oil industry, which regressive politicians like Nanette Barragan and her illiberal supporters have already rejected.

Where are the ideas, where are the policy measures which the potential congressman wants to enact? Endorsements oftentimes inform little else about a candidate and the interest group. In the case of Uncle Moneybags, it appears that many competing interests have simply resigned themselves to Hall winning the 44th Congressional district next year, and getting into his good graces now will secure some of his influence for the future.

Is this the best that Southern Californians can expect from the democratic process?

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