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“In towns and cities... there is no more important institution than the local paper.”
Warren Buffett
La Mirada Councilman Andrew Sarega. Picture courtesy aschaper1.blogspot.com
Sarega files lawsuit in “Pro Per” representing himself and paying nothing in legal fees.
By Brian Hews
La Mirada Councilman Andrew Sarega has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior court in a blatant attempt to financially injure the 44 year old La Mirada Lamplighter newspaper and possibly force its closing.
The lawsuit challenges the 43 year-old legal adjudication of the newspaper, a critical source of revenue that enables the Lamplighter to operate.
Sarega filed the lawsuit in “Pro Per” representing himself and paying nothing in legal fees.
However, the owner of the Lamplighter, Hews Media Group and Brian Hews was forced to hire an attorney and pay a substantial retainer to fight the lawsuit.
“The Lamplighter is a free newspaper,” said Hews, “this is a nuisance lawsuit, this is Sarega’s intentional effort to inflict damage on the newspaper.”
HMG-CN’s attorney Scott Talkov of Riverside based Reid and Hellyer said, “Mr. Sarega’s complaint alleges that the La Mirada Lamplighter is not in compliance with rules relating to newspapers of general circulation that are found nowhere in the law. Mr. Sarega is making up legal standards that do not exist.”
Sarega’s actions stem from a series of investigative articles by the Lamplighter that prompted a Fair Political Practice Commission investigation against the controversial councilman, candidate Tony Aiello, and an independent expenditure committee called Residents for a Better La Mirada, (“RBLM”).
The first story, published Feb 26 of this year, documented RBLM’s expeditures supporting Sarega and Aiello that slammed their opponents John Lewis and Pauline Deal.
Two days later, the second story broke documenting a strong connection between RBLM, Sarega, and Aiello.
It is illegal under the Political Reform Act for candidates to coordinate with independent expenditure committees.
The story documented several USPS campaign mailers paid for by Sarega and Aiello, along with mailers that slammed Sarega and Aiello’s opponents paid for by RBLM, were printed at the same company in Texas and mailed from the same post office in Texas.
A third story one week later showed collaboration between Sarega and Aiello on campaign administrative details.
According to Sarega’s LinkedIn page, he is co-founder of SAS Marketing.
An internet records search indicated that SAS and Sarega was the registered owner for Aiello2017.com which was Aiello’s campaign website address.
A similar search shows that that SAS and Sarega was the registered owner for Andrewsarega.com which was Sarega’s campaign website address.
Additionally, the investigation found Sarega’s company, which leases its business space and is not located in La Mirada, was suspended by the Franchise Tax Board.
On Mar. 24 2017, based on the series, the FPPC opened an investigation on Sarega, Aiello, and RBLM.
Three weeks later, on April 13, 2017, Sarega filed his lawsuit against the Lamplighter.
But Sarega, and his controversial father Ion Sarega, were not satisfied with just filing the lawsuit.
On Tuesday May 16 Sarega and his father waited outside HMG-CN offices in Cerritos for publisher Brian Hews to emerge.
“It was 6 PM at night, I was walking out to my car and Andrew’s dad Ion approached me in a menacing manner. I was surprised and told him to get away from me, and that is when Andrew got out of the car and approached me also. ”
Hews pulled out his iPhone and took pictures and video to document the harassment as the two scurried back into Sarega’s late model Lexus.
“As soon as I started snapping pictures they got back in their car, ” said Hews.
“It’s obvious Sarega filed this lawsuit to injure the Lamplighter which shows Sarega is more interested in revenge than the City he was elected to represent,” said Hews.
The Lamplighter is the only community newspaper in La Mirada publishing several stories and press releases for the City each week. We keep the residents informed about what is going on in La Mirada, and we are also the watchdog, keeping an eye on City Hall, no other newspaper does that.”
HMG-CN recently filed court documents to have Sarega’s lawsuit thrown out, the hearing is in August.
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