Thomas Faces a Contempt Hearing After the Election

Declaring that Ervin (Tony) Thomas’ campaign literature violates a court order, a Superior Court judge Thursday ordered the Inglewood City Council candidate to appear for a contempt of court hearing several weeks after Tuesday’s election.

Judge Dzintra I. Janavs also ruled that Thomas must destroy or alter three of his latest campaign brochures because they violate the judge’s Aug. 8 injunction banning Thomas from portraying himself as an incumbent during his campaign against Garland Hardeman. Thomas must appear in court Oct. 30 to show cause why he should not be held in contempt of court for violating the judge’s order.

‘The Crybaby Cries Again’

“I don’t feel as though my literature was in violation,” said Thomas in an interview Friday. “Hardeman is trying to get the sympathy of the people through court rulings. . . . The crybaby cries again.”

The judge’s ruling came after Hardeman’s attorneys went to court Thursday protesting two photographs of Thomas sitting in the council chambers and a reference to Thomas being on the council in Thomas’ latest campaign brochures distributed throughout District 4.

Hardeman, a Los Angeles police officer, called the literature “another example of the Thomas campaign violating the law.”

Tuesday’s election will mark the end of a two-year-long clash between Thomas and Hardeman for the council seat. Thomas edged Hardeman 626 to 610 when they met in June, 1987, but state courts annulled Thomas’ victory and ordered a new election after finding violations by Thomas campaign workers in the absentee balloting.

Thomas remained on the council for two years, until this May, pending final appeals. Janavs ruled in August that because Thomas’ 1987 victory was annulled, he could not refer to himself as an incumbent councilman during the campaign.

Thomas said he will contest the judge’s ruling at the end of October. “I indicated (in the literature) that I have served the people for the past two years. That’s the truth. . . . I can’t throw the last two years away.”