The Choices We Make Define Us

Mayor Bass chooses to replace Diane Middleton on the Harbor Commission

We all have to make choices in life and then live with the consequences, the most important ones define us for the rest of our lives, even the mistakes. — JPA

When I showed up to the Board of Harbor Commissioners meeting a few weeks ago to deliver a message from the Central San Pedro Neighborhood Council, I was as shocked as many were at the absence of Commissioner Diane Middleton, who I had just learned a few days before had been replaced by an appointee from another part of the city. I thought then, as I still think now, “What a mistake Karen Bass is making.” And then I started to wonder why she would do this and what behind-the-scenes-machinations must have taken place to get her removed.

During the public comment portion of that meeting, ILWU Local 13 president, Gary Herrera,  minced few words in calling out the mayor’s perceived injustice and betrayal. 

“Bass’ decision not to reappoint Diane Middleton to the Los Angeles Harbor Commission is an affront to the entire portside community and a betrayal of the labor force that has faithfully collaborated with her over the past year and a half.”

 I concur wholeheartedly with his comments. As I later learned, so did Rep. Nanette Barragán, LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn, and 15th District City Councilman Tim McOsker. And then a funny thing happened. Usually, when a commissioner gets replaced, the Port of LA offers some polite remarks at the meeting, hands them a certificate of appreciation and the board member politely accepts their circumstance and bows out without a fuss. Middleton was having none of it and didn’t even show up to be ceremonially dismissed. The ILWU showed up with guns blazing, giving the commission no quarter on this.

Here’s my suspicion: It has been rumored for months that Mayor Bass was going to replace port executive director Gene Seroka. The rumors gained credence after our   March 21, front-page article on Middleton  (https://wp.me/p3AltZ-cZs) ran,  heralding her lifelong advocacy for civil and workers’ rights. I think this got under Seroka’s skin, who for many years has become the celebrity of the marine transportation industry getting media interviews, leading trade delegations and even having his own show (basically the Gene Seroka show) starring none other than. You can pick it up on the port’s website and watch the episodes. All of this celebrityness came out of the public relations office of Philip Sanfield, a former news editor at the Daily Breeze. This has become Seroka’s own PR agency, and Sanfield his publicist.

It also came to my attention that Seroka and Middleton were not close behind the scenes. Middleton asked too many detailed questions about staff reports and contracts, after all, she’s still a lawyer by trade, and what seems to be the case is that she just asked too many of the wrong questions a little too often. Or were they the right questions at the wrong time? All I can tell you from my years of being a journalist is that the most powerful person in the room is the one who asks the best questions at just the right moments. It’s why those people with something to hide fear journalists asking nosy questions — did you actually have sex with a porn star, Donald Trump?

That also risks stepping on some sensitive toes and as one insider at the POLA told me recently, the flip side of great arrogance is even greater insecurity. And it would seem reasonable albeit irrational that Seroka orchestrated Middleton’s removal without his fingerprints on it. You see, getting greater transparency at the Port of Los Angeles has been one of the long-held missions of RLn, so much so that the port has retaliated by not spending a dime from its large PR budget on ads with us for over a decade. 

“If you’d just stop running those Paul Rosenberg articles about our pollution problems…,” is the silent complaint from the 5th Floor at  POLA. What they want are compliant reporters and no provocative questions.

So, it comes as no surprise that an advocate for the Harbor Area and labor who asked too many questions got canned by Mayor Bass particularly since Middleton was a political ally.

At the hastily organized Sept. 9 going away party organized by  Councilman McOsker  at the Seventh Heaven Jail on Beacon Street, it was apparent that Middleton’s support was wide and deep, even including  the San Pedro Chamber and other business interests that you wouldn’t suspect would support this “radical community activist.” Is San Pedro actually changing politically, shifting to the left or was I just witnessing a tribal response to Mayor Bass’ strong-handed attempt to placate Seroka?

Whatever it is, McOsker was quick to pick up on the mayor’s mistake and to bring Middleton on as a consultant to CD15 to help him with his Prop. HH campaign. You haven’t heard about HH yet?

Well, in the next two months there’ll be plenty to understand about the LA Charter reform and what it means for having permanent local representation on the Board of Harbor Commission, but it’s rare to find someone as qualified or informed as Commissioner Diane Middleton, she’s going to be a hard act to follow.