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Sheila Kuehl backers launch TV ad criticizing rival Bobby Shriver

Former state lawmaker Sheila Kuehl and former Santa Monica City Councilman Bobby Shriver are competing for retiring Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky's seat.
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
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After weeks of upbeat advertising, backers of former state lawmaker Sheila Kuehl have taken a confrontational turn, with a new TV ad criticizing her rival, former Santa Monica council member Bobby Shriver, for missing meetings and votes.

The 30-second spot, which debuted Thursday, says Shriver “repeatedly failed to show up for work on the Santa Monica City Council” and accuses him of skipping “hundreds of votes” during his eight years on the council.

It goes on to compare Kuehl favorably, citing laws she passed dealing with paid family leave, child support and nursing care. Kuehl served in the Assembly for six years and the Senate for eight, leaving in 2008

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Bill Carrick, Shriver’s political consultant, said Shriver missed about 20% of city council meetings, a figure Carrick says is on par with his council colleagues. And any votes that he missed were of little consequences, Carrick said.

“There were some votes he missed that were mostly procedural, of no substance at all,’’ he said. Shriver served from 2004-2012.

The ad is part of an onslaught of more combative messages from both sides hitting the airwaves and voters’ mailboxes in advance of the Nov. 4 election. Kuehl and Shriver are competing to replace Westside and San Fernando Valley Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, who is leaving because of term limits.

Fundraising in the race has exceeded $8.3 million, campaign finance records show, with a recent infusion of money from labor-affiliated contributors helping pro-Kuehl campaign committees pull roughly even with those supporting Shriver.

A committee largely financed by county worker labor unions has poured more than $2 million into the effort to elect Kuehl.

Maria Elena Durazo, treasurer-secretary of the L.A. County Federation of Labor, which is coordinating part of the pro-Kuehl effort, said the new TV ad shows that Kuehl is more prepared for the job. It’s also a response to recent commercials criticizing Kuehl’s Sacramento record, she said.

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“We want as much as possible to keep the positive message of who she is,’’ Durazo said. “But it’s hard when she keeps getting banged.”

On Friday, Kuehl released an open letter from one of her supporters, Santa Monica Councilwoman Gleam Davis, that characterizes Shriver as “rude” and often late to meetings.

“He frequently interrupted members of the public and other councilmembers when they were speaking,’’ Davis wrote of her former colleague. “Bobby didn’t work well with others, so he did not get very much done.”

Carrick said Davis’ letter contained “lies” put forward by one of Shriver’s political opponents. “I’ve known him for 30 years--it’s ridiculous.”

Several of Shriver’s former colleagues said he worked collegially with them, and the candidate has been endorsed by four other Santa Monica City Council members.

Follow me on Twitter at @csaillant2

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