By Lookout Staff

December 10, 2010 -- In an unusual request, longtime Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights (SMRR) leader Jay Johnson has asked a City Council candidate to resign from the tenant’s group after blaming him for Ted Winter’s loss.

In an email dated December 7, Johnson, a former Planning Commission, asked longtime community activist Jerry Rubin -- who finished sixth with 3,731 votes -- to resign from SMRR.

Johnson accused Rubin of siphoning votes from the SMRR-backed candidate and endorsing SMRR foe Bob Holbrook, who beat Winterer in the race for three four-year-seats by 57 votes.

“You know I love you,” Johnson wrote, “but your 3,000 votes most likely cost Ted the election. This fulfills the exact prediction I made to you b/4 you ran -- that your votes would mean the defeat of the 3rd SMRR council candidate.”

Johnson then asked Rubin to resign from the powerful tenants’ group.

“As a member of SMRR your candidacy defeated a terrific endorsed candidate,” he wrote. “In view of your public actions, I suggest you immediately resign from SMRR. It is the honorable thing to do.”

Johnson concluded: “I am not challenging your right or desire to run for council -- go right ahead -- just don't be a member and then betray the organization.”

Rubin was taken aback by the request.

“It was like a punch in the stomach,” he told The Lookout. “We’ve been friends for 30 years. I think he owes me an apology.”

Rubin said he didn’t support Winterer because the Planning Commissioner was a driving force behind Prop T, a 2008 initiative to curb commercial development in the city that failed at the polls.

Rubin said he would resign from SMRR if the organization so wishes.

“I really don't want to resign. I've been a SMRR member and supporter since they first began,” Rubin said. But “if the steering committee says, ‘Jerry, we want you to resign,’ I’d resign.

“People are trying to find reasons why Ted lost,” he said.