Compton : Dymally Separates Himself From Tucker Recall

Rep. Mervyn M. Dymally (D-Compton) was quick this week to separate himself from a recall movement being organized against one of his political foes, Compton Mayor Walter R. Tucker.

In a letter that Dymally released to the public, he told the mayor, “There is no justification for disgruntled citizens to seek to remove you from office. . . . You were overwhelmingly reelected. . . . The people have spoken.”

The recall effort is being promoted by Concerned Citizens of Compton, a group that was formed this summer by Benjamin Holifield and Basil Kimbrew. They claim to have 120 members. Holifield, a local businessman, was an unsuccessful City Council candidate this year. Kimbrew, a political consultant, managed the campaign of Tucker’s opponent.

Kimbrew also managed the campaign of Councilwoman Patricia Moore, who was elected with some help from her former boss, Dymally. Tucker has accused Moore of being behind the recall effort. She denies it.

Kimbrew said this week that his citizens group is still planning to serve the mayor with a recall notice at Tuesday’s council meeting. City police and firefighters are threatening to join the recall effort because Tucker is advocating that the city abolish its public safety departments and contract with the county for those services at a lower cost.