We received the following email last Saturday.
Dear Editor:
It has been brought to my attention that your newspaper declared me a Republican in your article on Bill Rosendahl’s swearing in. I am not now nor have I ever been a Republican, and your mischaracterization of my political affiliation has caused me severe personal and professional distress. I emphatically demand that you print a correction. And you might as well print my letter as well.
Yours truly,
Ruth Galanter, former L.A. City Councilmember
In fact, we did NOT declare Galanter a Republican but we did commit a very clumsy sentence that could be read that way:
“Rosendahl garnered more than 56 percent of the vote in the runoff election for the 11th District seat, and was endorsed by nine current City Council members, including the sole Republican, Ruth Galanter who represented Venice on the Council until a hotly debated redistricting two years ago, and the Sierra Club and League of Conservation Voters.”
“Sole Republican” refers to the only Republican now on the L.A. City Council, NOT Galanter, but it’s certainly anything but clear.
To be clear now – Galanter is not now, never has been and – unless the moon turns to molten metal – never will be a Republican.
We retract the offending sentence, and extend our most profound apologies to Galanter for causing her “personal and professional distress.
At this moment, we’re pretty personally and professionally distressed ourselves.
Peggy Clifford, Editor
