Rock and rip

EdVoice, that controversial Sacramento lobbying organization, has already rolled out at least two mailers on behalf of 78th District Democratic assembly candidate Marty Block, chairman of the board of the San Diego Community College District. According to a disclosure statement filed last week with the secretary of state, the group has spent about $20,000 on printing, postage, and design, including a $4000 fee to a yet-to-be-identified political consultant. As recounted here a few weeks ago, EdVoice is a favorite political vehicle of Los Angeles billionaire Eli Broad and other hyperwealthy individuals who lean to privatizing public schools as a cure for all that ails them. The EdVoice mail piece is said to be intended, in political parlance, to “chase” absentee voters, who cast their ballots early. Meanwhile, Block’s campaign has also picked up a little rock-and-roll star power in the form of $1000 from New York City’s William Zysblat, whose outfit, RZO, LLC, has managed U2, David Bowie, the Police, and the Rolling Stones, among countless others. He’s also given $3600 to Hillary Clinton. ... If your title were “director of council affairs” for San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, you’d probably be going out on the town thanks to some local special interests. Sure enough, Jaymie Bradford went to the annual “Alonzo Awards” dinner last November courtesy of Westfield, the Australian company that owns the city’s biggest shopping malls. Tab: $65. And Bearing Point, the business consulting giant, forked over a $150 ticket for Bradford to go to the San Diego Chamber of Commerce award dinner. The mayor’s “chief of protocol”, Lynn Hijar, got free admission to 20 events, including a $150 October reception at the World Trade Center and a $200 ticket to the February 2007 “Illuminada Gala”, sponsored by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.