Valley boys make good

Rick Orlov points out that Tony Cardenas has been on the L.A. city council for less than a month, and already is planning a fundraiser. At the harbor, 30 miles at least from his constituents in Van Nuys. Now that's interesting. My guess is that Cardenas wants to squeeze some checks out of the businesses, unions and lobbyists with a stake in the port's copious cash flow. They'll respond because Cardenas now has a lot to say about what happens in 'Pedro, as Jake Gittes would say. Cardenas is the new chair of the committee that watches the harbor, appointed by his old Valley buddy, council president Alex Padilla. They share another connection. Their political mentor, James Acevedo, votes on the contract-issuing, trade-junketing, deal-making Harbor Commission. The post was Acevedo's reward after he and Padilla broke with Latino leaders and campaigned for Jim Hahn for mayor over Antonio Villaraigosa.