LOS FELIZ—Robocalls were made to Los Feliz residents Friday, October 18, informing them that their councilmember David Ryu supported the installation of “Vegas-style” billboards throughout Los Angeles by 2020. The calls gave the residents the option to call Councilmember Ryu’s office to thank him.
“This strange and misleading robocall is an obvious misrepresentation of Councilmember Ryu and the existing laws on digital billboards. If anything, Councilmember Ryu has advocated for stronger restrictions on this kind of advertising,” said Ryu’s spokesperson Mark Pampanin.
As a response to the robocalls, Councilman Ryu’s office took to social media stating, “Some of you may have gotten a strange call or voicemail recently with a recorded message full of false information about digital billboards in our communities. These voicemails claim that digital, “Vegas-style” billboards are coming soon to your neighborhood. This is not true. It also states that I support the spread of digital billboards in our neighborhoods. This is also not true. These calls are not coming from our office or any City entity. Similar calls have been sent to residents in Council Districts across the City, and we are looking into the person or persons behind these calls.”
The robocalls targeted three other councilmembers including Bob Blumenfield, Mike Bonin and Paul Cortez. The other members accused of supporting the billboard installation have been critical of electronic billboards in the city of Los Angeles, including councilmember Ryu.
Electric billboards have been illegal on public property in Los Angeles for over 10 years. Councilmembers Bonin and Kortez worked to make the current policy on billboards possible. Blumenfield has been working to make electric billboards illegal on private property in Los Angeles.
It is unclear why the robocalls were made. In an email to Canyon News, Mark Pampanin indicated that there have been no updates at this time regarding the investigation.
