Korenstein Lashes Out at Bernson’s Adviser

Los Angeles City Council candidate Julie Korenstein, apparently bracing for a deluge of hard-hitting campaign mailers from City Councilman Hal Bernson in the weeks before their runoff election to represent the northwestern San Fernando Valley, on Tuesday sought to discredit a Bernson campaign adviser.

Korenstein called the adviser one of the “sleaziest” consultants in local politics.

Korenstein, who faces the incumbent councilman in the election June 4, said at a news conference that she wanted to warn voters of the “outright lies” that she expects Harvey Englander, a Newport Beach-based consultant hired last month by Bernson, to include in upcoming campaign mailers.

“You present the issues and you educate the public,” Korenstein said. “You don’t put out sleaze.” She said she did not know what specific issues mailers would address.

Bernson on Tuesday defended his hiring of Englander, describing the consultant as an aggressive strategist who has helped Michael Woo and the late Howard Finn win City Council seats.

Bernson called Korenstein’s statements “the height of hypocrisy” because she has sent out numerous flyers attacking his record.

“When Julie Korenstein stops lying about me, we’ll stop telling the truth about her,” he said.