Scott Schmidt

West Hollywood Municipal Election Results: Voters Defy Political Establishment and Approve Term Limits for City Council

In one of those odd twists on election night, West Hollywood voters gave City Council incumbents Jeff Prang and John Duran another four years, but then solidly approved a term limits ballot measure for the City Council by more than 1,000 votes. The passage of Measure C is a major blow to the West H ... More >>

West Hollywood City Council and Term Limits Races Turn Political Scene Upside Down But Voters Get Last Word on Election Day

After months of political contention, West Hollywood voters will decide today if term limits for City Council members should be approved and if incumbents Jeff Prang and John Duran should be re-elected. Former Councilman Steve Martin, a front-running challenger, wants to replace either Duran or Pran ... More >>

West Hollywood Activists Take First Step in Placing Term Limits on City Council

West Hollywood community activists Elyse Eisenberg, Scott Schmidt, and Sheila Lightfoot made it official this week: They've filed the paperwork at City Hall to start the process of getting a term limits initiative placed on the March 2013 ballot. "We are asking the City Council to let the voters h ... More >>

Gays, Asians Fight for Own City Districts in Los Angeles Redistricting Battle

Redistricting is so hot this season! California's doing it; L.A. County 's doing it; and, because the city charter requires we do it once per decade, L.A. proper is jumping on the redistricting train in 2012, too. Literally. Tomorrow at 9 a.m., the Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission ... More >>

West Hollywood 2011 City Council Election: John D'Amico Sworn In, Says WeHo Starts 'New Spring'

Ted SoquiWest Hollywood City Councilman John D'Amico​John D'Amico, the challenging candidate who placed first in the hotly contested West Hollywood City Council election two weeks ago and ousted incumbent Lindsey Horvath, was sworn into office on Monday night at West Hollywood Park Auditorium ... More >>

John D'Amico, West Hollywood Non-Incumbent, Wins Historic First Seat in City Council Race; Heilman, Land Close Behind

PHOTO BY JENNIE WARRENJohn D'Amico: The WeHovians' choice.​BREAKING NEWS: West Hollywood City Council frontrunner John D'Amico made history today, when -- after a final count of 757 provisional and absentee ballots -- he surpassed two decades-old incumbents and pushed out their pet appointee f ... More >>

West Hollywood 2011 City Council Election: Vote Not Completed, Abbe Land, John D'Amico and John Heilman in Lead

​Update: New figures and analysis on WeHo City Council race. Since approximately 930 provisional ballots still need to be verified and counted, the hotly contested West Hollywood City Council race cannot be called tonight. So far, 522 votes separate first place Councilwoman Abbe Land from ... More >>

West Hollywood City Manager Paul Arevalo Appears To Be Second Big Spender in City Credit Card Scandal

City of West HollywoodWeHo City Manager Paul Arevalo made $309,186 in 2009 -- apparently not enough to cover meals​Updated after the jump: Fran Solomon, the other cardholder, was so not having us at last night's City Council meeting. Also, the candidates' final words! Update: West Hollywood e ... More >>

West Hollywood 2011 City Council Election: Challenging Candidates Cast Ballots, Urge Voters To Do Same

​UPDATE: Voter turnout may be much higher than in 2009. Polls in WeHo are closed. More after jump. UPDATE: Steady flow of voters at WeHo polling stations, with turnout expected to pick up after 5:30 p.m. More after jump. West Hollywood City Council candidates Mito Aviles and Scott Schmidt h ... More >>

West Hollywood: Political Ad Tells WeHo Residents to Read, Vote & Kick Out Incumbents

Park LaBrea News/Beverly Press advertisement​Someone sure wants change in West Hollywood, taking out a quarter page advertisement in the March 3 issue of the Park La Brea News/Beverly Press that features two L.A. Weekly cover stories. But there's no need to Google. You can find the exposes r ... More >>

West Hollywood City Deputies Spent At Least $13,788 on Perks -- Fancy Meals, Gift Cards, $370 Mont Blanc Pens -- Last Year

Make that F. Solomon​EXCLUSIVE UPDATE: WeHo resident Ed Buck, who filed the public records act request, says $13,788 was just a FRACTION of the unethical charges he found in the pile of city credit-card receipts. He estimates that, once properly combed, luxurious spending will reach $100,000 f ... More >>

West Hollywood Incumbents Dig In

A surprisingly pitched City Council battle for control of a town without term limits

Steve Martin, West Hollywood Candidate: Former Councilman Promises Change, Says Voters Feel 'Heilman Fatigue'

Jennie WarrenWeHo City Council candidate Steve Martin​Attorney and community activist Steve Martin loves a good fight, and, this year, he's sticking himself smack in the middle of one -- the highly contested race for West Hollywood City Council, which features six challengers and longtime inc ... More >>

Scott Schmidt, West Hollywood Candidate: Gay Republican Tried to Stop Prop. 8, Now Aims to Unseat Incumbent John Heilman

WeHo City Council candidate Scott Schmidt​In West Hollywood, City Council candidate Scott Schmidt is apparently getting the reputation as the guy who worked harder to try to defeat Proposition 8 than incumbents John Heilman, Abbe Land, and Lindsey Horvath -- combined. Schmidt sent out a camp ... More >>

West Hollywood Revolt

Starting To Look a Lot Like Egypt: West Hollywood City Council Candidates Try To Oust Stubborn Dictator With Social-Media Uprising

PHOTO BY JENNIE WARRENWeHo City Council candidate Mito Aviles wants to send the Mubarak -- er, mayor -- packing on a private jet​In this week's cover story, "Dethroning West Hollywood's Martinets," Patrick Range McDonald documents three underdog WeHo City Council candidates who are taking a st ... More >>

Dethroning West Hollywood's Martinets

Can five intriguing gay men upset the City Council's 26-year dynasty?

West Hollywood City Council Candidates Debate Again, Challengers Seek to Unseat Longtime Incumbents

Ted SoquiWest Hollywood candidate John D'Amico​West Hollywood candidates meet up for another debate tonight at the West Hollywood Park Auditorium, where hard-charging challengers seek to unseat longtime incumbents John Heilman, Abbe Land, and Lindsey Horvath. Heilman and Land have served a c ... More >>

West Hollywood Councilwoman Lindsey Horvath Invokes Arizona Shootings To Win Votes?

West Hollywood City Councilwoman Lindsey Horvath​West Hollywood City Councilwoman Lindsey Horvath apparently thinks that West Hollywood's lively political culture is destined for a major tragedy if she's not elected and can help tone things down. During a West Hollywood candidate's forum on ... More >>

Term Limits Hot Button Issue at West Hollywood City Council Debate, Incumbents Oppose Them

West Hollywood City Council candidate Mito Aviles​Term limits for West Hollywood City Council members was the hot button issue at a candidates' forum held at the West Hollywood Park Auditorium last night. Nearly all challenging candidates supported term limits while incumbents Abbe Land and ... More >>

West Hollywood City Council Tries to Ban Public Restaurant Smoking Once and for All

Life MagazineWeHo starlets with cigarettes: a fading grace​Updated after the jump: The outdoor smoking ban passed last night, even after some awesome characters in bondage and mohawks (apparently not too convincing) showed up for public comment. Oh, West Hollywood. That fabulous little town o ... More >>

Will Gay Republican Fred Karger Run for White House in 2012? Something Very Interesting Is Brewing

Gay Republican Fred Karger​Fred Karger, the openly gay Republican who battled Mormons and the National Organization for Marriage during the Proposition 8 campaign, was featured in the Washington Post yesterday, gaining major recognition for his possible run for the White House in 2012. If Ka ... More >>

Mission Drift at Gay Inc.

Is the most powerful gay lobbying group in California becoming irrelevant?

Queer Town: L.A. Raises Money for Maine's Gay Marriage Fight

On the day anti-gay marriage forces aired their first TV ad in Maine, Los Angeles gays and lesbians gathered for a fund-raiser at West Hollywood's East/West Lounge, hauling in between $5,000 and $6,000 for Protect Maine Equality, the campaign that's fighting to keep same-sex marriage legal in that s ... More >>

Queer Town: Maine's Gay Marriage Fight Comes to L.A.

When gay Californians and their straight allies were battling Proposition 8 last fall, the "No on 8" campaign called on gays and lesbians across the country to contribute money to the cause. The larger gay community came through, and now Protect Maine Equality needs help for the same kind of politic ... More >>

Setting the (Gay) Wedding Table

Wiser, more diffuse, battle-savvy gay-rights groups craft a 2010 ballot measure for California

Queer Town: Gay Republicans and the Persuadables

I was sitting on a leather couch at O-Bar last night, watching handsome gay men in tight jeans and tighter T-shirts order free drinks during a five-minute open bar. Usually Thursday nights are a time to rest up for another day of tracking down politicians, but Scott Schmidt, a gay Republican and blo ... More >>

Queer Town: McCain Plays Small Ball in California

On the evening of June 26, with the right kind of ears, a steady, collective groan could be heard from thousands of gay Republicans throughout California…followed by an eerie silence. Their man, Senator John McCain, decided to play small ball in his quest for the White House, and came out with a ... More >>

How Superintendent David Brewer Ran Aground

The admiral's sinking ship