The big guns come out

The big guns came out Thursday in the Los Angeles City Attorney's race.
In the May 19 election between Carmen Trutanich and Councilman Jack Weiss, it was Trutanich who scored big when he announced he was being supported by basketball superstar Shaquille O'Neal.
Less supportive, in a city where gun control is widely backed, was the backing of the California Rifle and Pistol Association for Trutanich.
Weiss called an event to criticize the NRA backing of his opponent _ whose law firm has represented the organization _ but also to remind voters he had the supprt of another basketball superstar, Magic Johnson.
"I would much rather have a shooting guard backing me," Weiss joked.
O'Neal, who played for the Lakers from 1996-2004, helped win three world championships, released a statement saying he was impressed with Trutanich's proposals to increase gang prevention, after school and job training programs.
"I don't get involved in politics very often," O'Neal said in his statement. "But, as a father and police officer, when it comes to our kids, I'm going to get involved. (Carmen) is the only man I trust to work with our kids to keep them safe at school and away from gangs."
Johnson, who brought "Showtime" to the Lakers in his years and won four championships with the team, is now a major business leader in South Los Angeles. He was among a group of African-American leaders who endorsed Weiss during the primary.
Also joining in on the race is the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, which filed papers with the Ethics Commission it plans to spend more than $335,000 in advertising on behalf of Weiss.
That trumps the $252,000 spent by the Los Angeles Police Protective League on behalf of Trutanich.