Patrick Range McDonald

Strange & Ugly Times for Villaraigosa

Patrick Range McDonald
Something strange and ugly is happening in Los Angeles, although you don't hear Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa speaking much about it. On Tuesday, the National Fair Housing Commission visits Los Angeles to hold a hearing on the foreclosure crisis. According to the commission's press release, "Forty years after the enactment of......
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Queer Town: The Obama Pool Report

Patrick Range McDonald
Rather than watch the Republican National Convention or the U.S. Open in tennis, I covered Michelle Obama's visit to Los Angeles on Wednesday night as a "pool reporter." A pool reporter is someone who's chosen by a political campaign to cover an event that would otherwise be closed to the......
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Queer Town: Obama's Gay Moment

Patrick Range McDonald
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama undoubtedly thrilled, and probably somewhat shocked, gays and lesbians last night when he spoke this line during his nomination speech in Denver: “I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to......

Brewer's Back-to-School Speech

Patrick Range McDonald
According to the Daily News, LA Unified Superintendent David Brewer gave one of his rousing speeches at the Los Angeles Convention Center yesterday, as he welcomed administrators back to school. The event didn't get too much press coverage, unfortunately, and maybe that's why the former Navy admiral gets away with......
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Queer Town: The Unexpected Twists of Gay Marriage

Patrick Range McDonald
Whenever the accepted norms of society are changed, something unexpected always seems to pop up. With gay marriage in California, this truism of sorts is already starting to play out. According to a report in the Sacramento-based Capitol Weekly, the California Department of Corrections has now given the green light......

The Unfolding Mess at SEIU Local 6434

Patrick Range McDonald
Tyrone Freeman seems to be only the tip of the proverbial iceberg at the Service Employees International Union these days. Freeman, if you remember, was the target of an LA Times investigation early this month that found the SEIU Local 6434 president had used hundreds of thousands of dollars in......
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A Lesson in Philanthropy for Villaraigosa

Patrick Range McDonald
Over the weekend, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa flew into Denver for several days and nights of glad-handing and back-slapping at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. It'll be a good time for Villaraigosa to make new friends, assure old ones, and work on his status as a rising star in national politics......
Cardinal Roger Mahony

Queer Town: The Catholic Power Play to Ban Gay Marriage

Patrick Range McDonald
Cardinal Roger Mahony, the Roman Catholic leader of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, has been keeping somewhat of a low-profile in the battle over same sex marriage in California, but he can't keep his name out of the headlines any longer. One of the most powerful and influential Catholic priests......

Villaraigosa's Early Bird Endorsement Sweepstakes

Patrick Range McDonald
The mayoral primary election is six months away, and other candidates like developer Rick Caruso may still jump into the race, but a coalition of downtown business owners has decided not to hold out any longer. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the Central City Association has concluded, is its man......