Sherman and Berman add flacks

Rep. Brad Sherman has hired a familiar name to be his campaign spokesman during this year's showdown in the San Fernando Valley. It's John Schwada, the former Fox 11 politics reporter who took a few spins around the track here last year as a contributor at LA Observed. Before joining Channel 11 Schwada had been a reporter at the LA Times and, before that, for the Herald Examiner.

Meanwhile, Sherman's rival in the Democratic primary, Rep. Howard Berman, has listed a new contact atop his recent press releases as well. It's Steve Honig, who has a Studio City-based PR firm with recent clients that have included Lindsay Lohan and Brooke Mueller. Earlier this week, Berman was dinged by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington for paying his brother Michael $170,000 in consulting fees during the last two election cycles even though Berman faced no serious opposition.