Sybert’s Ties to Group Called Racist at Issue

An anti-illegal-immigration group Thursday denied having racist motivations and challenged 24th Congressional District candidate Brad Sherman to prove otherwise.

Voice of Citizens Together “is not a racist organization, known or in the closet,” said Glenn Spencer, president of the Sherman Oaks-based group.

Spencer held a news conference outside Sherman’s campaign office on Ventura Boulevard to denounce the way the Democrat who hopes to represent the western San Fernando Valley conducted a poll.

Both sides basically agree that in the poll, voters were asked if they were more or less likely to support Rich Sybert--the Republican candidate for the seat--if they knew he was associated with the VCT, “a known racist organization.”

“We defy anyone to produce a statement [by VCT] that could be categorized as racist,” Spencer said.

Sherman, a member of the State Board of Equalization, and businessman-attorney Sybert are locked in a tough race to succeed Rep. Anthony Beilenson (D-Woodland Hills). Both are running as moderates.

Sherman said he stands by the allegation raised in the poll and called on Sybert to join him in condemning the VCT.

In a written statement, Sherman said the group’s racism “is beyond dispute. They do not speak in code or attempt to prettify their noxious beliefs--they spew them forth in public for all the world to see.”

Whether Sybert is tied to the VCT, or to what extent, is in dispute.

Spencer, who has endorsed Sybert, said the Republican candidate had appeared roughly four times in as many years at VCT meetings, most recently in September, when he was greeted by Spencer as a friend of the group since its inception in 1991.

Later Thursday, Spencer referred to Sybert in an interview as “a friend of VCT and a helpful advocate.”

At a December 1994 meeting of the group, Sybert told its members, “I’m delighted I got the opportunity to meet all of you and Glenn Spencer. I will be working with him,” according to a videotape provided by Sherman.

But Sybert said through a spokesman Thursday that this did not bind him to the VCT. “I believe I’ve spoken at VCT meetings twice in the last four years at their request as one of the state’s top immigration analysts,” he said.

“I have spoken with many groups, including the Los Angeles Times.”

Sybert campaign manager John Theiss said Sherman was wrong to portray VCT’s call for a halt to illegal immigration as racist.

“That’s all this organization is espousing,” Theiss said.

To buttress the allegation that Voice of Citizens Together is a racist group, the Sherman campaign also pointed to a letter that Spencer sent to The Times in August. The letter was not published, but the text is posted on VCT’s page on the Internet’s World Wide Web.

The letter begins:

“The Mexican culture is based on deceit. Chicanos and Mexicanos lie as a means of survival. Mexicans who have truly become Americans have shed themselves of this survival mechanism.”

It goes on to accuse The Times of being responsible “in large measure for illegal immigration.”

Shown a copy of the letter, Spencer said that it did not express racist sentiments or ethnic slurs.

“It has nothing to do with race,” Spencer said. “It has to do with culture. . . . There’s no way to pass enough laws to protect yourself from a deceitful culture.”

David Lehrer, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, disagreed.

“Clearly, the comment is offensive and the group’s inability to understand that is itself offensive.”

Sybert said of the letter: “I’ve never seen this and have nothing to do with it and do not agree with it.”

Joining Sherman in condemning VCT is Republican congressional candidate Paul Stepanek, who is running against Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Los Angeles) in the 29th District, which covers much of the Westside and part of the southern Valley.

“Mr. Sybert’s unconscionable pandering to the racist hate group, VCT, has, in my mind, disqualified him from consideration for a position of public trust and responsibility,” Stepanek said in endorsing Democrat Sherman.

Times staff writer Andrew Blankstein contributed to this story.