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Area 3 incumbent Lynda Johnson.
Ernie Nishii files papers to run in Area 3, bringing the total to four candidates, sources tell HMG-CN Johnson was “extremely angry” at Nishii.
Staff Report
In a surprising report, campaign documents, better known as “460’s,” show that ABCUSD Area 3 incumbent Lynda Johnson has raised zero dollars for her re-election campaign for the filing period ended June 30, 2017.
Her report could have been filed July 1 but Johnson waited until the last day to file on July 31.
Johnson’s campaign report showing a $79 cash balance. Click on image to view larger document.
Area 3 Candidate Armin Reyes did not file which indicates Reyes raised less than $2,000.
The report shows that Johnson started of with $649, paid expenses in the amount of $594, leaving her with $79 in the bank. The election is November 7.
Area 3 Candidate Daniel Fierro, on the other hand, reported raising $30,000 two weeks ago.
Sources have told HMG-CN that Johnson is having difficulty raising money due to the negative issues that have been brought to the forefront in the past few months.
It was reported that Johnson took over $7,500 in “cash in lieu” payments since her election to the ABC Board.
Cash in lieu is a duplicitous way for Johnson to receive a check every month from the cash-strapped district “in lieu” of health insurance.
Every year Johnson declines health insurance coverage from the ABC, then instead of giving the money back to the ABCUSD, she accepts a check for the amount of coverage.
Upon learning that the report was coming out, Johnson declared during a board meeting that she would “donate her cash payments. ”
Johnson was the only board member to take cash in lieu payments since 2013.
It was also reported Johnson, voted against a 1% raise and a 1% “off schedule payout” for confidential employees and contracted staff at ABCUSD.
The Johnson boycott included Superintendent Dr. Mary Sieu, who is vastly underpaid compared to other superintendents in similar-sized school districts.
The no-vote also included the ABCUSD CFO, three assistant superintendents, principals, assistant principals, deans, counselors, psychologists, and even assistants to Dr. Sieu.
Finally, in a move that reportedly had her boss L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn quite upset, HMG-CN obtained documents that showed Johnson filed two false incident reports in late 2016 alleging HMG-CN Publisher Brian Hews threatened and harassed her.
In the reports Johnson alleged Hews sent “threatening electronic communications,” which is a violation of California Criminal Code section 653M(b).
Approximately one month after Johnson filed the second report, a detective at the Cerritos Sheriff Station left a voice mail for Hews about “an criminal incident filed against you.”
“Obviously I was very alarmed and apprehensive when returning the call, I have never been called by a detective I did not know what it was about, I did not know Johnson filed the report,” said Hews.
“The detective asked me about Lynda Johnson and told me about her report, I told him I was a newspaper publisher and that her allegations were baseless.”
The detective then said, “If you are a newspaper publisher there is no case here, it can’t be threatening or harassment. I’m closing this case right now, have a nice day.”
“He shut the conversation down after he learned I was a newspaper publisher,” said Hews, “but that was secondary, my emails were not threatening or harassing yet Johnson told the detective that, she lied on police report.”
