Councilmember Zwick begins his opinion piece (or rather, those who write for him) with a primary statement directed towards readers who “know” him. For better or worse, this writer has known him for several decades and sadly, but realistically, will say that supportive housing of any kind has never been close to his thoughts. That’s being kind. With the extraordinary wealth, love, opportunities and advantages he experienced in his formative and later years, Mr. Zwick could easily have given back to any number of communities-could have made a positive difference in the lives of so many. He has chosen otherwise.
I’ll not argue the merits of what his writers have claimed to be the virtues he espouses, although he should at least check his bio more carefully. Claims to have been born and raised in Santa Monica still haunt his writings. At one point in 2022, we discussed those false claims on social media:
August 24th at 3:31 p.m.
Jesse Zwick Author
“…And only later in life did I realize that it was technically a part of Los Angeles, not SM, as far as voting and such.”
“Thanks for the clarification and honesty, Jesse. Go ahead and correct your campaign bio so it will reflect that correction. There’s no shame in growing up in LA.”
He laughed it off, claiming to be confused, but this deliberate failure to correct false information indicated a pattern of deceitful pride in the lack of honesty and transparency from the very beginning. He used that same defense when he was caught in September of 2021 revealing the private home addresses of people he considered to be the opposition, falsely labeling them and causing subsequent property damage. Although the incident was reported in several newspapers, he continued to refer to these and other alarming events as “workplace accidents.” Nowadays these accidents repeat themselves in the form of nonsensical slander and stereotypes hurled towards those who see right through him and his donor-employers. Unfortunately, Mr. Zwick will continue to play Mother Theresa while he ignores the actual needs of our homeless families while harassing and falsely disparaging private Santa Monica residents as well as all who oppose his machinations, using social media, his newsletter and other exchanges, acting in his capacity as a Santa Monica City Councilmember.
There is also no need for Mr. Zwick to further insult readers by insinuating the necessity to take on another job or accept a recruitment offer, which just so happens to be with a massive building organization that advertises “…working to overcome NIMBYism.” Enough said with that slur against those for responsible development and growth. Such obvious conflicts of interest can carry significant penalties, as outlined in Nevada Commission on Ethics v. Carrigan. Elected officials are prohibited from voting on all matters in which they have a conflict of interest, but we’ve moved ‘way past that one now. The damage is accumulating, and any semblance of breathable, open space is rapidly disappearing as those who salivate at the prospect of excessive overdevelopment become richer while residents silently choke on the ever-growing glob of crushing density.
The very last thing our small 8.3 square mile town needs is a short-order wannabe politician who takes direction, not only from HAC, but from other overdevelopment billionaire corporate bosses while dishing up even more tired, old excuses to damage/delete roads, neighborhoods, art and entertainment venues, historic landmarks, infrastructure and the environment. Yes, yes, we get it. Fewer streets, retail, and badly needed art locales such as Bergamot Station will equal more space to build, build, build, or in pragmatic terms, create vacancies, make a fortune for the overdevelopment employers, build one-size-fits-all hastily constructed high rise overly priced boxes that, for the most part, will remain empty, block sea breezes & sunlight, and help no one..
In many of my lectures and discussions on professional ethics over the years, I’ve emphasized the two true motives of those who artificially shine through the literary spins of their writers and adoring beneficiaries to the detriment of others: Profit and Power. Every single time. Mr. Zwick could easily give the entertainment business another try. Perhaps for the sake of our city, he should.
Anna M. Rogers, Ph.D.
Santa Monica