Galanter Supporters Accuse Russell of Not Acting on Complaints

Los Angeles City Council candidate Ruth Galanter’s campaign on Thursday produced before reporters a cross section of angry constituents and activists who accused incumbent Pat Russell of ignoring their complaints about a broad range of problems.

One by one, about 12 speakers at a press conference in Mar Vista said Russell has been unresponsive to such concerns as crime, lack of social services and aids to the handicapped. Galanter spokesman Jim Bickhart said the complaints showed that Russell, who faces a tough challenge from Galanter in Tuesday’s 6th District runoff, has not been doing her job.

“We wanted to show that we’re not just making this up,” said Bickhart, who is speaking for Galanter while she recuperates from a May 6 knife attack in her home.

Russell spokeswoman Alexa Bell said the Russell campaign could not immediately respond to the specific accusations made on Thursday, but denied that Russell has been unresponsive and that the councilwoman has a policy of responding to all constituent complaints that she can.

Callous Disregard Charged

The Galanter supporters, however, charged that Russell has shown a callous disregard for their problems.

Bill Bolte, the state vice president and Los Angeles regional director of the California Assn. of the Physically Handicapped, said that Russell ignored his request to talk about problems of disabled people. He said that Russell, although she has the right to appoint one member of the Los Angeles City Advisory Committee on Disabilities, has made no appointments.

Bolte said that most of the 6th District has no curb cuts for wheelchairs. He added that the Westchester Post Office and most public buses that travel through the district are not accessible to handicapped people.

Sally Pierce, an elderly Westchester woman, said she complained unsuccessfully to Russell for years about the lack of space inside the Westchester Senior Center. “I was looked upon as if I was a bill collector,” Pierce said. “Finally, I gave up.”

Other Complaints

Other speakers at the press conference included Julie Inouye, a Vista del Mar Neighbors Assn. leader who accused Russell of ignoring neighborhood complaints; Sam Sperling of Public Employees for Lower Taxes, who called Russell “unresponsive” to suggestions about crime fighting; Diana Moser, a women’s rights advocate who said that the councilwoman failed to act on complaints about city employees withholding child support payments, and S. Deacon Alexander, a Baldwin Hills activist who said Russell unfairly took credit for crime-fighting efforts.

They were joined by 11th District Councilman Marvin Braude, a Galanter ally. “The whole point is that Pat Russell ignores people and makes them feel neglected,” Braude said. “She has always held people at arm’s length.”