Equality California has endorsed John Erickson and is now intervening in his State Senate race by accusing his opponents of using anti-LGBTQ stereotypes. The group’s board president, Cecilia “Ceci” Cabello, works as a senior aide to Lindsey Horvath, who launched Erickson’s City Council career in 2020.
John Erickson is running for State Senate. He is facing criticism over taxpayer-funded travel.
Equality California has stepped in to support Erickson.
According to WEHO TIMES, the attacks criticized Erickson over trips to Italy, the Vatican, and Paris. One line read, “Where public service meets room service.”
WEHO TIMES reported that Equality California said the materials used imagery and stereotypes that evoked anti-LGBTQ tropes. EQCA urged candidates and committees to review their communications and avoid similar material.
EQCA is not a neutral observer in this race. It has endorsed Erickson. Erickson’s campaign website lists Equality California as an endorser.
The same page lists Lindsey Horvath.
It also lists “Ceci Cabello, Equality California Board Chair.” Erickson endorsements
Cabello is president of the Equality California board. EQCA
Cabello also works for Horvath. Horvath’s county office lists her as Senior Advisor and says she oversees policy areas including health, justice, social and child services, housing and homelessness, Metro, and intergovernmental relations. LA County
The central fact is simple. EQCA is defending Erickson, and EQCA’s board president works for Lindsey Horvath.
Who Is “Ceci” Cabello?
Most West Hollywood residents probably do not know Cecilia “Ceci” Cabello.
Cabello is a professional staffer and political operative. Biographies describe a career spent in elected officials’ offices, campaigns, appointed posts, consulting, and nonprofit boards.
A 2016 presidential campaign staffing profile listed Cabello as deputy political director for Hillary Clinton in California. The same profile said she had served as director of intergovernmental relations and deputy director of external affairs in Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office, senior legislative deputy in Garcetti’s City Council office, and special projects manager for U.S. Rep. Hilda Solis. P2016
Latino Victory described Cabello in 2017 as a California political operative and said she was then chief of staff to Los Angeles Controller Ron Galperin. It also cited her past work as California State Director for Hillary for America and Director of Intergovernmental Relations for Garcetti.
The City of Los Angeles lists Cabello as an appointed commissioner on the Board of Public Works from November 2018 through June 2021. LA City Clerk
Now Cabello works for Horvath. Horvath’s office says Cabello sits on the boards of Equality California, NARAL Pro-Choice California, Latino Victory, and Homeboy Industries. LA County
Cabello has influence through staff jobs, appointments, campaign work, and board seats. She has not needed an elected position to hold that influence.
The Horvath Link
The Horvath-Erickson relationship predates this Senate race.
In May 2020, Erickson’s first City Council campaign launch was promoted with Mayor Lindsey Horvath and former Mayor Abbe Land as endorsers. Canyon News
In October 2020, Horvath endorsed Erickson for City Council while serving as mayor. She said she “couldn’t be prouder” to support him and called him the person she trusted “to serve the people of West Hollywood with me.” WEHOonline
Erickson won one of the two West Hollywood City Council seats in November 2020.
That history matters. Horvath helped introduce Erickson to voters in his first council campaign. Her senior aide now chairs the board of the organization intervening on Erickson’s behalf in his current race.
What EQCA Should Disclose
EQCA has every right to endorse Erickson. It has every right to criticize campaign ads.
Voters also have the right to know whether the organization’s board president had any role in the statement.
EQCA should say whether Cabello participated in any discussion, approval, drafting, review, or circulation of the statement about Erickson’s travel attacks.
Horvath should say whether anyone in her office communicated with EQCA, Erickson’s campaign, or Erickson’s allies about the attacks before EQCA issued its statement.
Erickson should say whether his campaign or supporters asked EQCA to intervene.
These are narrow questions. They concern a live election, a taxpayer-funded senior aide, a statewide political organization, and a candidate Horvath has backed since his first run for office.
The public record already shows the overlap. EQCA is trying to influence the race now. Its board president works for Lindsey Horvath.
West Hollywood voters should have the full context before they hear another lecture about dignity, inclusion, and respect.
This is exactly why I’ve long described local politics as an incestuous cabal. On reflection, “incestuous cesspool” may be more accurate.
The same political consultants, advocacy groups, elected officials, commissioners, club leaders, nonprofit activists, staffers, and endorsers continuously rotate through the same small circle, all reinforcing one another’s narratives while presenting themselves as independent voices.
When legitimate questions are raised about public spending, travel, or policy decisions, the response is too often not to address the substance, but to mobilize the network, manufacture outrage, and accuse critics of attacking an entire community. Accountability becomes heresy, and disagreement becomes hate.
West Hollywood deserves better than a political culture where everyone seems connected to everyone else, criticism is treated as disloyalty, and ideological conformity is rewarded more than honest debate.