Pacheco’s Friend Torres Took a Flier on Sleaze

After the ugly campaign that just finished, it’s hard to believe that the nastiness has already started for the 2003 City Council race (“Candidate Complains of Attacks in Mailers,” Nov. 12). As a resident of Eagle Rock, I voted for Nick Pacheco in the last election. However, I am deeply disturbed by the offensive mailers that were sent out against Antonio Villaraigosa.

Pacheco’s claim that he had nothing to do with the mailers just doesn’t seem to ring true. The offensive fliers were sent out by Pacheco’s law school buddy and supporter Ricardo Torres. When Pacheco again denied any involvement with the mailers, he also noted that “when you send out facts, it’s tough to mount a legal challenge.” That is certainly a backhanded denial if I have ever seen one. Political pundit Lanny Davis noted that whoever sent out the mailers “can’t take enough showers.” Ricardo, please pass Nick the soap.

Jeffrey Stewart

Eagle Rock

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Re “2nd Mailer Attacks Villaraigosa’s Private Life,” Nov. 11: Go ahead, Pacheco supporters, sling all the mud you want! But Villaraigosa will get my vote, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Frank Rodriguez

Los Angeles

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Shame on Torres for his flier, in which he attacked Villaraigosa for having “white advisors” (Nov. 9). If he wants to go after Villaraigosa, why not focus on issues, such as his support of convicted dope dealer Carlos Vignali for a pardon? I offer no apologies for being white. I voted for Pacheco. He evidently no longer wants my vote, or he would not acquiesce to the denigration of white people. Let’s see whether Pacheco has the moral courage to repudiate this racist flier and the man who created it.

Keith Allen

Eagle Rock

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The Times has reported two incidents involving local electoral politics that run counter to the prevailing trend of increased tolerance and colorblindness in our community. A supporter of Pacheco assailed Villaraigosa’s candidacy for the 14th District City Council seat, saying that Villaraigosa was betraying Latino constituents at the urging of “white advisors” and “gringos.” “Challengers File for School Board Races” (Nov. 10) reported that school board member David Tokofsky was being criticized by “some Latino political consultants” because he “doesn’t fit the profile” of his heavily Latino constituency.

While this kind of politics may serve a particular candidate’s short-term interest in animating his or her base by invoking group pride and disdain for the “other,” it ultimately hurts us all. At the very time when polls and societal trends point to increasing tolerance, this anachronistic appeal to bigotry simply cannot be tolerated. Political, media and community leaders, whatever their political stripe, must condemn these tactics in unambiguous terms.

Richard J. Riordan

David A. Lehrer

Joe R. Hicks

Los Angeles