Michael Trujillo's Dark Arts

Hillel Aron's story about political consultant Michael Trujillo was a great behind-the-scenes look at the race to replace Henry Waxman in the 33rd congressional district (“Almost Infamous,” June 13).

“Good article,” Rick_T writes. “Thanks for exposing this hack. Everyone in politics knows Mike Trujillo is the kiss of death. Once I saw he was working on the Wendy Greuel campaign, I knew she was doomed.“

ClownPatrol is equally dubious. “This guy is nothing but an uneducated clown — no wonder he got along so well with Villaraigosa. He has never run a grassroots campaign and has repeatedly lost campaigns where his candidate vastly outspent the opposition. Why would Greuel hire this fool, especially in a campaign that has become her last hurrah in politics?“

Ramona Gonzales writes, “This guy epitomizes the 'dirty, cynical game that has absolutely nothing to do with real issues' that politics has become — or, frankly, has always been. It's too bad that he keeps being hired. Let's hope he takes his 'inheritance' and goes away SOON.”

Finally, Rafael Calderon offers: “Mr. Trujillo brings to mind the actor Elisha Cook Jr. in the film The Maltese Falcon: earnest but irrevocably flawed.”

The Invisible Hand

Who's driving gentrification on Broadway downtown? As Isaac Simpson reported last week, it's no coincidence that cool stores are springing up around the Ace Hotel — it's the Ace's brokers who brought them, as part of a very conscious strategy (“Ace Hotel's Designs on Downtown L.A.,” June 13).

Indira Paschke applauds both Simpson's story and the accompanying online video, by Simpson and Toby Louie. “I want to thank the Weekly for taking the time to reveal what amounts to less of a gentrification issue and more like a complete extermination of people and their businesses when the Ace Hotel 'development' team comes to town. The Chicken Littles are too busy worrying about the sky falling to notice the fox has been readying his den for their slaughter. Thanks again to Simpson and Louie for the great video and article.”

BiancaDesdardo writes, “Gentrification is shoving the middle class, and below, out. We are the ones who worked on this neighborhood and we are the ones being segregated out. I have yet to see one city where gentrification works out for everyone.“

Jon Olivan disagrees, citing “when downtown east of Macy's Plaza was a hell­hole no one wanted to go to. It took tremendous efforts before the loft district redevelopment started happening to even get people from Silver Lake or Pasadena to come downtown. The redevelopment has helped breathe new life into blocks that were essentially just fashion industry sweatshops.”

Corrections

Last week's story about tech journalist Tom Merritt (“With a Little Help From His Fans”) gave an incorrect date for Merritt's move to L.A. He moved in January 2013 and was fired in December. We regret the error.

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