Dear Los Angeles Friends,

I write to invite you to support my friend, Emanuel Pleitez, who is a candidate for Mayor of Los Angeles in the March 5th primary.  If you are not acquainted with this remarkable gentleman,  I hope you will examine his record and his vision and campaign on his web at http://pleitezforla.com

I met Emanuel and three of his Stanford University classmates shortly before he went to Washington to work in the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition team.  Later he served as a special assistant to Paul Volcker and managed the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board in 2009.  He has a remarkable track record of achievement, organizing ability, and leadership.  A former technology executive, with public, private, and non-profit sector experience, he raised over $200,000 from 1500 individual donors, far surpassing city matching funds criteria.  He was born and raised in the El Sereno district of Los Angeles by a single parent mother.  And he lives there now.  He has served as a chief aide to the Mayor of Los Angeles.  He knows Los Angeles and what to do about the problems the people face.

His campaign team is impressive for their energy and savvy. Many of them are YOUNG PEOPLE. They have made over 80,000 phone calls to LA voters, knocked on more than 15,000 doors, opened 2 offices (Boyle Heights, South LA), and collected over 1000 signatures to put Emanuel on ballot.  But, in addition to the City of LA, I think his election is hugely important for the Democratic Party and for democracy in our nation.  I remember my county’s Democratic Party central committee during the Obama campaign in 2007*, when members were saying “How do we engage the Latino community in the struggle for justice?”  And Emanuel Pleitez and his team are showing how it is done with the grass roots!  Yes, it’s Pleitez for Los Angeles, and Pleitez for the people!  The people of LA can trust Pleitez, unlike his opponent who was fined $4800 for taking big gifts from donors who get city money.

The March 5th primary is the great challenge.  What can you do to help elect Emanuel?  I hope you will be sure to vote and please ask your friends to help, too. If you can volunteer to knock on doors or make phone calls please visit the campaign headquarters (address and phone above in photo). Creo que el poder político es necesario para la justicia y el respeto!   Thanks for kind consideration.


Lamont Phemister