Ed Reyes' Birthday Party- did you get your invitation?

Looks like today is a good day for CD-1 CM Ed Reyes, first, he's getting a big wing ding of a birthday party, and second- and more eye-catching- is that it's going to be a big, big payday for his campaign if the "donation" list is followed.

Sorry for the late notice, but this was a late item; You might be able to make it to Barragan's On Sunset (not the one in Glendale or you will have a very different party experience tonight, a very lonely party experience, albeit a less expensive one). This was an announcement that was emailed to the Mayor Sam's blog today, with a separate thread posted there:

"Are you Ed Reyes' Compadre, or just his Amigo?," ( http://mayorsam.blogspot.com/2009/01/are-you-ed-reyes-compadre-or-his-amigo.html ) and they include many more details for quite a picture of this affair, sorry, celebration, including the "host committee" list.

That "list" looks to me as very close to being a Latino version of the rogues' gallery of local politics, with a few that surprise me, but you can form your own opinion.

"ED REYES' BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

Please Join Senator Gil Cedillo, Assemblymember Kevin De Leon, Council President-Eric Garcetti, School Board Member Yolie Flores Aguilar
Com. College Trustees Miguel Santiago, Mona Fields and event MC, Commissioner Herbert Siguenza of Culture Clash for a celebration honoring Ed Reyes' 50th birthday.

Date: Thursday Jan. 15, 2009 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Place: Armando & Rosie´s Barragan's Mexican Restaurant1538 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA. 90026
To R.S.V.P. please contact Sandra Figueroa- Villa at (213)215-7551

Suggested donations:

$ 500. Compadre/Comadre
$ 250. Padrino/Madrina
$ 100. Amigo "

I need to add the "update" that was added to MAYOR SAM'S posting that could help put a few more things into sharper focus:

"UPDATE: Observant commenters note that the sponsor's list
is essentially identical to the fake "Southwest Society" list. If true, this little party is nothing but payola to Reyes for his vote on the Autry expansion and rip-off of the Southwest Museum. And here we thought this was just about a birthday... "

You can see that there is a lot invested in CM Ed Reyes and having to start over with a new council member would be much more costly to a lot of people and organizations with the loss of arrangements that have been cultivated over the years in CD-1. They just can't let THAT happen, you know.

And, "Happy Birthday to Ed"