We believe voters deserve the facts. But the special interests, like Big Tobacco, clearly do not. In the June Primary, they spent millions of dollars on outrageous TV ads and mailers that out and out lied about Councilmember John Erickson. Now, they are at it again—along with John’s opponent’s father. This time, they are lying about John’s public safety record. As the special interests throw more mud at John, we will continue to update this page.

So, ask yourself: Why don’t the special interests want John to win a seat in the state senate? What are these special interests afraid of? Before you vote, please take the time to read the facts.

FACT: As a councilmember, John funded his city’s largest-ever investment in 21st-century public safety technology, including drones and a real-time watch center. These tools have helped law enforcement prevent crimes from happening and solve crimes too. (Source: West Hollywood City Council Minutes, 7/15/24)

FACT: John never called for defunding the police. Before John was on the West Hollywood City Council, when homelessness became even more serious throughout LA County, John reposted a comment that referred to the need to utilize specially-trained mental healthcare workers to handle non-violent mental situations, so that trained police officers could focus on cracking down on violent crimes. Never did he state that any law enforcement agency should be abolished/defunded. (Source:

FACT: Crime decreased under John’s watch. John was elected to the city council in 2020. Over the past few years, crime has decreased—especially violent crimes. The claim that crime rose under John’s watch is plain sloppy statistical analysis that compares two months during COVID lockdown, when nobody was out and about, with subsequent years. No respectable statistician would twist the numbers like that. (Source: find that article and LASD.org)

FACT: John initiated the creation of a state-of-the art joint police and fire station. He generated a $31 million budget surplus—while other cities had deficits from COVID—and reinvested those dollars in public safety. (Source: City of West Hollywood Public Records)

FACT: John increased the number of personnel at the West Hollywood Sheriffs station—the law enforcement agency that polices West Hollywood. (Source: West Hollywood City Council Minutes, 5/15/23)

FACT: John cracked down on hate crimes. He backed the city’s Jewish Community Safety Plan, which added Sheriff’s patrols around synagogues amid rising antisemitic threats, and took bold positions against hate crimes targeting anyone for their faith, ethnicity or sexual orientation. (Source: Beverly Press, 2/9/22; Source: City of West Hollywood News, 4/7/21)

FACT: John advanced a regional ordinance to fight the rash of thefts that started during COVID. He also called in the FBI to crack down on pickpocketing rings targeting residents and visitors. Source: (Source: West Hollywood City Council Minutes, 12/19/22; CCCA letter on AB 2943, 3/22/24)

FACT: John passed one of California’s first gun liability insurance laws, which banned gun dealers near bars and liquor stores and keeps guns out of city parks and buildings. (Source: West Hollywood City Council Minutes, 5/19/25)