Cerritos : Democrats Lift Censure

Area Democrats have rescinded their censure of Cerritos Councilwoman Diana Needham for endorsing a Republican candidate in the 33rd state Senate District race.

The 63rd Assembly District Caucus, the local arm of the state Democratic Party, voted in January to censure Needham for two years after she endorsed Republican Don Knabe.

At the group’s meeting last week at Norwalk City Hall it voted to lift the censure against Needham.

“I’m delighted,” she said. “This left an impression that there is not a good relationship between the Democratic Party and myself. I’ll never be a Republican. Philosophically I’m a Democrat and will stay one,” said Needham, 40, who has been on the Cerritos council for 10 years.

Knabe, a long-time Cerritos councilman, was serving as mayor when Needham endorsed him. She said she did so because he was a fellow council member, a friend, a hard worker and would make a good representative in Sacramento.

The Senate seat was won by Norwalk Councilman Cecil Green, a Democrat, in a special election to replace Cypress Democrat Paul B. Carpenter. Carpenter was elected to the state Board of Equalization. After Knabe dropped out of the race, Needham supported Green.