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The Times and Daily News build spot stories around Valley attorney Fred Gaines, a prominent Hertzberg supporter, who says that he observed DWP commission president Dominick Rubalcava introduce Mayor Hahn at a breakfast fundraiser yesterday. If Rubalcava hosted or took part in the event, it could violate a city ban on commissioner fundraising that Hahn signed into law last year. In the Times story, Gaines says "Rubalcava was greeting people as they came in…. He thanked them all for contributing to the mayor. And he introduced the mayor. There was no doubt he was the host of the breakfast." The mayor's people say it went down differently. Campaign consultant Kam Kuwata insists that Rubalcava was having breakfast separately and stopped by the table to say hello: "He was not a host. He did not solicit anyone."
Also: The LAT says that a former personal assistant to developer Mark Alan Abrams has offered evidence that could tie an anti-Villaraigosa mailer in the 2001 race, supposedly sent by an independent committee, to Hahn's campaign. The connection would be through controversial fundraiser Troy Edwards, who resigned as a deputy mayor last year and is thought to be under investigation by the grand juries looking into possible City Hall corruption.
And: Both Ron Fineman and Cathy Seipp have the details that political columnist Jill Stewart is commenting on the mayor's race on KCAL-9's 9 p.m. news every Monday and Wednesday night. Republican consultant Allan Hoffenblum and Parks supporter Kerman Maddox are also commenting on the race for KCAL.
And finally: David Gershwin's title at the MWW Group will be vice president. The deputy to Council President Alex Padilla begins the new job we told you about yesterday on Feb. 23.