Litchman for Congress

SIGN NOW: End cruel puppy mills now! We are the nation’s most effective animal protection organization thanks to supporters like you. We take on the big fights to end suffering for all animals.

SIZE MATTERS -- especially when it comes to elections. The results are in (I got clobbered) and although I'm disappointed I didn't make the runoff, there is much of which to be proud:

We ran a 100% volunteer effort and refused to take PAC or union money, instead accepting $250 -or- less contributions from real people. (To those of you who donated, thank you very much). We only raised a few thousand dollars but I guarantee you we didn't waste a dime. We got well over 3,000 votes without a single billboard, bus bench, TV commercial, robocall or slate mailer which means the votes I did receive were cast for the issues and ideas we were talking about, not because I'm wealthy, well-connected and well endorsed

My old boss, former State Assemblyman Richard Katz, really came through as did Sarah Farnsworth, Teshome Diriba and Eytan Reznik even though they all knew, as did I, there was little chance of beating an entrenched, 18-year incumbent armed with only spit wads, sarcasm and a sq**rt gun. Katz has enough headaches, without this one, but every conversation we had started and ended with "what can i do to help." Sarah and Teshome worked near full time from their homes to build and develop our website and social media. Eytan found time to expertly manage the nuts and bolts of the campaign even though he won't start high school until the fall.

Someone I don't know emailed me the following horoscope: "This would be a good time to take a refresher course in what you do. Everyone needs to brush up on their skills from time to time ... especially you."

Well, that is exactly what I'm going to do -- and then we're going after the LAUSD, puppy mills, backyard breeders, and the companies that poison our pets. In other words, we're just getting started.

Thanks again -- for everything.

SIZE MATTERS -- In reaction to over 1,000 animal deaths, congressional candidate Marc Litchman today called on pet owners and animal rights advocates to boycott Petco and Petsmart until they remove deadly animal treats from their shelves.

The jerky products are an ongoing source of sickness and death. As of May 1, more than 1,000 dogs have died after ingesting toxic treats. The FDA has received 4,800 reports of pet illnesses since 2007, 1,800 of which were submitted following the agency's last warning in October 2013.

Placing corporate profits squarely in front of the health of millions of pets, Petco announced that "it will stop carrying China-made dog treats at its more than 1,300 store locations nationwide by the end of 2014.

Petsmart made a similar calculation and promises to stop selling the treats by March of 2015. Asked why the products couldn't be taken off the shelves sooner, a Petsmart representative said, "We don't want to leave pet parents high and dry."

An example of the deadly double standard acceptable in the pet industry - Trader Joes quickly removed 15,000 pounds of hummus at the mere hint of safety concerns, even though not a single illness had been reported.

"Not only do they import and profit from treats they know to be harmful from China, now they want to cut their losses by duping uninformed pet owners into picking up the tab for their shameful greed," said Litchman.

"The boycott is only the beginning. Congress and the Food and Drug Administration must enact laws and regulations that ban the import of food that is harmful to animals. Pet owners have been defenseless long enough. We need representatives in Congress that will fight for the protections we expect and deserve," concluded Litchman.

An online petition has been launched at http://tiny.cc/s3vjgx and rallies are being planned for a number of Petco locations this weekend.

Boycott Toxic Treats Community

Major Retailers Refuse to Remove Contaminated Food from Shelves. Petco keeps selling toxic treats until the end of 2014. Petsmart promises another year of death.

PetSmart to stop selling pet treats made in China NEW YORK (AP) — PetSmart said it will join rival Petco and stop selling dog and cat treats made in China because of ongoing fears that the treats a

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-school-ipad-bond-20140523-story.html

L.A. Unified School District doesn't need more iPad yes men The Los Angeles Unified School District needs more independent-minded people who question its initiatives, not fewer. The school board made a mistake with its refusal to reappoint a member of the Bond Oversight Committee who had opposed the use of bond funds to pay for iPads for every student.

SHERMAN TANKS: VALLEY VETERANS SUFFER MAY 22, 2014
SAN FERNANDO VALLEY, CA — America’ fighting men and women are dying waiting for critical life saving services and lack access to quality affordable housing thanks to VA incompetence nationwide, non-existent congressional oversight and a series of shameful flip flops by 18-year Congressman Brad Sherman.

http://tiny.cc/qw0bgx

"The Nigerians I think would have to ask before we would do more ... and I don't think they're inclined to do so." Rep. Brad Sherman

Sherman is referring to a Nigerian government sapped by corruption that can not arm, feed nor pay its military. Reported sightings of the terrorist kidnappers have been rejected outright by soldiers allegedly in pursuit.

All these girls want is to go to school so they can lift themselves and their families out of a chronic poverty few of us can understand or even imagine. Their captors are blood thirsty Islamic extremists -- Muslims who kill other Muslims -- and prohibit girls and women from going to school.

Mr. Sherman: It's been over a month. Don't tell us after 18 years on the foreign affairs committee a member of congress with your seniority and power is sitting on hold with the Nigerian government.

After all the committee hearings, resolutions, town halls, community meetings, surveys, proclamations and questionnaires (yes, everyone knows: "you're listening") ...

What has to happen before you actually do something?

Candidate Renews Call to Break Up LAUSD - Post-Periodical A candidate for U.S. Congress is trying to revive a decades-old debate in the San Fernando Valley. Should L.A. Unified be divided into smaller districts?

The District is too big to manage. Criminals know this....

2 Men Accused Of Bilking LAUSD Out Of Millions With Fake Invoices - CBS Los Angeles Two men are facing several charges after allegedly bilking the Los Angeles Unified School District out of millions of dollars.

Brad Sherman is broke -- can anyone help??? http://conta.cc/1qffsYH

Brad Sherman is broke -- can anyone help???