A campaign flyer sent by a candidate to fill a seat on the Los Angeles City Council in the San Fernando Valley during the April 4 special election is drawing criticism from the chairman of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party.

Candidate Marco Santana recently

distributed broadcast a

door hangers saying he is endorsed by the “Democratic Party,” according to a filing with the city filed by his campaign.

“Looking at that ‘Democratic Party’ it’s completely misleading,” said the chairman of the Democratic Party

man

Mark Gonzalez said that in an interview on Thursday. “It’s not accurate. Unfortunately, the [other] campaigns have a right to be angry.”

Scott Mann, Santana’s director of communications, defended the flier, saying it is not misleading. Hi

added also said

“There is no need” to change any future pieces sent by the campaign.

He said Santana is supported by several Democratic clubs, including the Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley, a coordinating body for a coalition of clubs.

Responding to rival candidates’ criticism of the hanger, Mann said, “It’s a pity that someone is making such a desperate effort to reduce Marco’s overwhelming Democratic support.”

Gonzalez said Andrs Molina, executive director of the provincial party,

contacted

Santana’s campaign manager, Jonathan Herrera, on Thursday’s flyer. Herrera told Molina that the mailer was “old” and had been sent about two weeks ago, according to Gonzalez.

Herrera also told Molina that other Santana campaign mail is now going out

says specifies that

the Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley has endorsed Santana, Gonzalez said.

Under the city’s ethics laws, all campaign communications sent by a campaign to 200 or more people must be submitted to the city within 24 hours.

Imelda Padilla, who is also competing in the Council District 6 race, called Santana “very slick”.

“If you have a club, list the club,” Padilla said, referring to Democrat-affiliated clubs. “You can’t tell people you have the support of the Democratic Party.”

Mann, Santana’s director of communications, said Herrera, the campaign manager, was unavailable for an interview about his call to the party.

officially

.

He also said there was “no contradiction”.

in between

his response to The Times and Herrera’s replies to the LA County Democratic Party.

“We just got these door hangers in so I’m not sure where the two week time frame comes from because it’s not correct,” said Mann. “We adhere to ethical rules.”

Santana is one of seven candidates running to fill the council seat left vacant by the resignation of Councilman Nury Martinez.

Santana, who works at LA Family Housing, also has the approval of Councilor Nithya Raman

the approval of

The times

‘

editors, which are independent

different

of the news department.