Activist, Mayor Trade Insults, Prompting Session on Decorum

A verbal sparring match between Compton Mayor Walter R. Tucker III and community activist Lorraine Cervantes at a recent City Council meeting erupted into picket lines and charges of sexism last week.

The ongoing battle prompted council members to pass out a copy of the Compton municipal code section on “Rules of Decorum for Meetings” at Tuesday’s meeting. “Meetings of the City Council shall be conducted in an orderly manner to ensure that the deliberative process of the council is retained at all times,” the regulations reminded everyone.

It all began April 7 when Cervantes and a man giggled while two council members made personal announcements, observers recalled. Their noises angered Tucker, who asked security officers to remove Cervantes.

Cervantes apparently declared--loudly--that she would not leave and was too big to be removed by force. Tucker then told Cervantes to “get your fat butt” out of the meeting, which was televised on the local cable channel.

The dispute has taken on larger political--and even religious--implications since then. Tucker, a candidate for the 37th Congressional District seat, has stated that Cervantes is working for his main rival, Lynn Dymally. Meanwhile, Cervantes has accused Tucker of Satanism.

Cervantes and about 10 supporters picketed last week’s City Council meeting, carrying signs declaring, “Fat women deserve respect” and “Fat women voted you in, fat women will vote you out,” according to Cervantes.

Cervantes said their picketing was interrupted by Tucker’s supporters, including the mayor’s wife and mother. During the council meeting, Cervantes accused Tucker and his entire family of Satanism, and Tucker retorted that the council would no longer stand for such antics.

Cervantes also complained to local police that one Tucker supporter, an unidentified man, verbally assaulted her 10-year-old daughter. Officers concluded there was no evidence of criminal wrongdoing but filled out a report, Lt. Gary Anderson said.

Out of the Woodwork--”It’s a groundswell. I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s like a revolution.”

That is Bonnie Mosley’s assessment of the nascent drive to get Texas billionaire H. Ross Perot on the presidential ballot this fall. Mosley, a Long Beach resident and corporate administrative assistant, is helping organize the Southeast Los Angeles County campaign to gather voter signatures for Perot’s budding candidacy.

Mike Ruppert, Perot’s press coordinator for Los Angeles County, said more than 600 people in the greater Long Beach area have expressed interest in building support for the 61-year-old entrepreneur’s presidential bid.

“They’re coming out of the woodwork. I love it,” Mosley chortled. Everywhere she goes, Mosley added, people glimpse the Perot pin on her purse and enthusiastically offer help. “Wherever I’m at, I get stopped.”

Perot backers in California expect to start circulating petitions in about a week to gather the 135,000 voter signatures required to place Perot on the state ballot. “We’re looking for more options available to us in November,” explained Lou Baker, a Bellflower used car dealer who is coordinating the local effort. “We want to renovate the White House in ’92.”

Pick Your Delegate--Calling all Democrats who live in the 39th Congressional District and who yearn to be delegates for presidential candidate Bill Clinton at this summer’s Democratic National Convention. The district’s Clinton Caucus will meet today at Cerritos College in Norwalk to vote for delegates. They will be ranked according to the number of votes they receive, and the final selection will be made after the June primary.

The caucus will be held in Room 102 of the Health Services Building. Doors will open between 2 and 3 p.m. Those arriving after 3 will not be allowed to vote. The 39th District includes parts of Norwalk, Cerritos, La Mirada, Artesia and Hawaiian Gardens.