A Choice In Malibu's Local Election

Malibu thankfully was given a choice in the upcoming local Council election with the welcomed candidacy of Danny Smith, a staunch member of the city's Rebuild Task Force who as a victim of the Palisades fire speaks with veracity from the gut, How refreshing.

His candidacy is a clear and compelling contrast to the two mealy mouth incumbents running for reelection, Doug Stewart and Marianne Riggins. Beyond their smiles, one false, the other however earnest, their tenure mark them frankly as pro development stooges, whatever they might profess to the contrary as they shamelessly solicit votes.

But if their artificial smiles, shallow congeniality, and campaign falsifications prompt any sympathy for their candidacy, just consider who they appointed and mindlessly support on the critically powerful Planning Commission: two residents who if not stooges, are special interest surrogates, Drew Leonard and Skylar Peak. An electrical contractor, Peak also once served as mayor, without distinction.

Both Leonard, a realtor, and Peak may be understandably excused by consorts in the covetous local real estate and construction community, where gross greed, if anything, is allayed by fear. Not to be forgotten also is Leonard's nasty history of defaming and threatening residents in his heedless crusade to overdevelop and devalue Malibu.

To be sure, there is a fourth candidate who has filed for Council, though judging from his inexplicable, curious campaign to date does not appear to be serious or qualified, and so his name is not mentioned here, if only not to feed his hopes and delusions.