Sparks fly in second Berman-Sherman debate
Sparks flew between rival Democratic Reps. Brad Sherman and Howard L. Berman during an issues-packed candidates’ forum Tuesday night.
A panel of questioners from the Jewish Journal, which organized the forum, devoted nearly two-thirds of the 90-minute forum to questions on foreign policy, especially on Iran and Israel. The rest of the time went to such domestic issues as unemployment.
But the candidates, seasoned veterans who found their homes drawn into the same San Fernando Valley congressional district during last year’s redistricting, managed to lob zingers at each other while defending their positions on foreign trade agreements and efforts to halt piracy of music and movies.
The most contentious issue in the forum, held before an overflow audience of more than 500 at Temple Judea in Tarzana, concerned so-called “super PACs,” through which corporations are allowed to donate unlimited amounts to elect or defeat candidates, so long as they don’t coordinate their activities with the candidates’ campaigns.
-- Jean Merl, Los Angeles Times