Kevin James: Hypocrite

Kevin James has long been ranting about how Los Angeles City Council needs to be part-time, especially when it comes to Sacramento politicians coming to Los Angeles, who shouldn't be able to win elected office:

The best way to improve the way the City is run is to improve the type of candidates that we get for City Council seats. Right now, we have some good people that run for city council seats, but they cannot beat the political structure that is in place that forces Los Angeles City Council to be sought after by essentially nothing but in the political spectrum but former Assemblymembers.

[…]

We have five former Assemblymembers on the Los Angeles City Council: Krekorian, Koretz, Wesson, Cardenas and Alarcon. Then you add Furutani, Mike Gatto who’s on the Assembly is rumored to be planning to run immediately when LaBonge retires for Tom LaBonge’s seat. Not when he retires, he’s termed out. And then Bob Blumenfield up in the Valley is widely considered to be running for Dennis Zine’s seat. So we’re just going to move professional politicians from Sacramento, double their salary and make them the highest paid body in the country? Per person? And put them on the Los Angeles City Council? I refuse! Our City Council is for us. Normal, every day, hardworking Angelenos from every walk of life. Not professional politicians that already have a fundraising base of special interests from Sacramento.

-                       Kevin James Show, 08-30-11, Segment 3

These remarks are hypocritical to say the least. Kevin James has become the career politician he has spent a decade ranting against. Instead of going back to his radio show or to his legal practice, Kevin James has decided he wants to become part of the City Hall establishment. Seems like he’s bouncing around while happily taking a seat on the only paid commission in Los Angeles. How does Kevin James justify receiving a six-figure salary for being a member of a body that meets three times a week? It is the embodiment of a part-time job.

“The Los Angeles City Council clearly has lots of time on its hands. The high salaries, slush funds, bloated staffs, and attractive perks all derive from the council’s full-time status.” (City Journal, September 8, 2011)

Does Kevin James really represent Los Angeles?