T'was the night before elections and the creatures are stirring.

It’s the night before runoff elections in Redondo Beach’s District 1, and all is not well.  With elections being held tomorrow, any accusations of electioneering made after the fact would be looked upon as poor sportsmanship, sour grapes or worse, just politics.  Folks, what we on Team Jim Light have been asked to accept as “just politics” over the past two months is appalling and completely unacceptable in any town, let alone ours.

Regardless of the outcome of the runoff elections tomorrow, the community needs to be told the truth about how candidates Aspel and Ginsburg have conducted themselves and what to expect should they be rewarded for being the intimidating bullies they have turned out to be.  Spoiler alert – it will not be good.

No one from the Aspel/Ginsburg gang of thugs is crawling back in their holes after the hell and brimstone they have reigned down upon Jim Light, his friends and his supporters.  We have endured threats to individuals and businesses, intimidation of Light supporters, money exchanged for vows of support, and finally  -- days out from the election, Team Aspel/Ginsburg sends their thugs out to stalk our family’s home over Mother’s Day weekend, reporting on blogs that they had found our house, knew how many signs were in our yard and throughout the neighborhood, etc.   Thugs said since there were more Ginsburg signs in the neighborhood they was sure to win…

At the same time I got a personal email from Jeff Ginsburg apologizing that I found anything objective about him planning and executing a flash mob at the Farmers Market Friday with participants sporting Vote Ginsburg T-Shirts in an area known to be off-limits to political activity.  For everyone else but him it seems. Highly suspect council intervention on this one, but sadly we have discovered dishonest people do not come forward when they are discovered and accused. They point back in hopes of deflecting blame and shame.   

It seems at the genesis, the emotional and decisive battle fought four years ago between Apel and Light is not over, as Aspel recruited and helped finance Ginsburg to keep Light from the council seat again.   This race has had little to do with District 1’s bright future and more to do with Apel’s using Ginsburg as his tool for revenge, intimidation and cronyism.   Should their debauchery work and their attempts to dupe the voters succeed, District 1’s Good Ole’ Boy Club will continue to thrive and push their personal agendas for personal gain for another four years. 

It has been said we get the leadership we deserve.  Never has that thought been more frightening than it is tonight.   My prayer to the Universe is that this time after the counting is done, we remember that in order to accomplish great things we must have great leaders.   If not this time, we will not be discouraged.

Gabrial Groves

Redondo Beach, CA