Dennis RomeroPeople are starving on Skid Row, children go without parents in South L.A., and immigrants will work for practically nothing in this town.
But a couple of rich conservatives threaten to buy the Los Angeles Times and — whoa! — opponents will hit the streets like anarchists in Seattle:
Listen, folks: If it weren't for rich conservatives, half of us wouldn't have jobs in this journalism game. The Chandler family? Anyone? This journalist was raised on Corn Flakes purchased with the help of paychecks signed by Helen Copley.
On Tuesday, L.A.'s labor machine plans to flex its muscle against the Koch brothers' reported interest in the Times by staging a noontime rally outside Oaktree Capital Management, where Bruce Karsh, chairman of the Times' parent, Tribune Co., apparently holds court.
Maria Elena Durazo, head of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor:
The Kochs' radical right-wing extremism has no place in Los Angeles, particularly at the helm of the L.A. Times.
OK, we are talking about David and Charlies Koch, who've proven their willingness to spend millions on nefariously conservative campaigns.
But do you really think these guys, in this arch-liberal town, are willing to turn the mighty Los Angeles Times into the limp-dick Washington Times? Really?
You know what's better than beating back a couple rich guys who want to buy a newspaper? Taking their money.
And if that fails, there's always the alternative newspaper in town. Ahem.
[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]
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