Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Riggy Calls, Katrina on TV and Another Special Council Meeting

CARPETBAGGER CALLS...
Yesterday, following the publication of Norberto Santana's second article, and my second blog post, regarding carpetbagging Planning Commission Chairman Jim Righeimer's apparent transgression, I received a call from Righeimer.



ANGER MANAGEMENT THERAPY REQUIRED

Yep, he called me twice, actually. The first call, right around the noon hour, found him in need of anger management therapy - he was fuming about my first blog entry. He hadn't seen the second one. In fact, he hadn't even read both of Santana's, nor had he listened to the audio clip in question.


"OFF THE RECORD"
At the beginning of our "conversation" - which I put in quotes because it was more of a one-way street, with Riggy doing the sending and me doing the receiving - he told me that the conversation had to be "off the record". Reluctantly, I agreed and off we went for about 40 minutes. The second call, mid-afternoon, lasted nearly 20 minutes, so I got my ear permanently bent by Riggy for about an hour yesterday.

RIGGY BLOCKS CLARIFICATION
Sadly, because Riggy gave me the stiff arm, requiring that these conversations be "off the record", I can't really tell you what he said. I can tell you, though, that late in the first conversation I - in one of the few opportunities I had to actually talk - told Riggy that, based on what he was telling me, he probably needed to "go public" with his view of this issue. I told him that, because he had required me to keep our conversation "off the record", I would be unable to provide my readers with his perspective - and offered him the opportunity to have his views presented here. He declined. I reminded him of my agreement with him, telling him that he'd painted me into a corner. Apparently he's OK with that because, even during our second telephone conversation, he held to our agreement. That, of course, leaves you readers to speculate about what he might feel mitigates the impact of the tape recording, the context, etc. I know that's frustrating for you and probably wasn't a good decision on his part, but I tried...

FOLEY ON "INSIDE OC"
Part of what caused Mayor Allan Mansoor to throw a hissy-fit at the last council meeting apparently was Katrina Foley's appearance on "Inside OC" on March 31st. Mansoor - or the people who wrote his prepared statement - apparently felt that Foley had violated the Brown Act by talking about the Fairgrounds Sale on television. (I remind you that he didn't seem to be concerned that Gary Monahan had blurted out information about a lease/purchase proposal on radio in January) I had not seen that program, so I rummaged around the web and found the video clip and watched it today. In it Foley is a panelist along with Orange County Assistant District Attorney Todd Spitzer and Chapman Professor Pete Weitzner and was interviewed by host Rick Reiff. They discussed sex offenders living in communities, a planned development on an oil patch in Fullerton, and the Orange County Fairgrounds sale. You can view the clip - its just under 30 minutes - HERE.

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING TOMORROW AT 4:00
The Costa Mesa City Council will have a Special Meeting tomorrow, Wednesday, April 14th, beginning at 4:00, to discuss the Fairgrounds Sale issue. Notification of the meeting was just posted on the city web site and calls for an open and closed session. As far as I know at this time, the council study session scheduled for today is still on.

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10 Comments:

Anonymous I'm Right Here said...

Just who is Jim Righiemer anyways? I cannot figure out why a planning commisioner is always trying to outstage the mayor of Costa Mesa. My friends, who live in other cities, are starting to ask, "What's with that Righiemer fella?" I did a Google search and nothing but negative hits came back. I would prefer if he just went away. His shoes have to be covered with manure from always stepping in it.

4/13/2010 12:47:00 PM  
Anonymous CMTRUTH said...

Don't forget our bigoted mayor is speaking on April 28th!

PLACE: Women's Club - 9501 Chapman Avenue at Gilbert
Garden Grove, California
DATE: Wednesday, April 28, 2010
TIME: 7:30 P.M.
ADMISSION: Free (Members) -- Non-members: $5.00
FREE Parking - Delicious Refreshments - Security Provided

http://www.ccir.net/MEETINGS/100428.html

4/13/2010 03:55:00 PM  
Anonymous Eastsider said...

Truth, something I've never understood, maybe you can help me with: why is it that if you are opposed to illegal immigration you are automatically racist or bigoted. I don't use those words lightly because I think they are ugly and distasteful. I would call my enemies a lot more things before using those terms. How do we get there with Mansoor?

4/13/2010 04:53:00 PM  
Anonymous Dancing with the stars said...

Dear Bubbling Cauldron, if Jim Righiemer calls you again ---- HANG UP. Put your number on the Do not call list.

4/13/2010 08:15:00 PM  
Anonymous Bob Woodward said...

"Off the record" means that you don't mention that the conversation happened, otherwise you expose your source to the very scrutiny they are trying to avoid. That's why they speak off the record.

4/13/2010 08:54:00 PM  
Blogger The Pot Stirrer said...

Yeah, Bob Woodward, I know what it means... I didn't say what he said, just that he said it.. :-)

4/13/2010 08:57:00 PM  
Blogger Gericault said...

He didn't tell me his story off the record.....

4/13/2010 10:05:00 PM  
Blogger Humberto said...

Geoff, I'm sure you're aware that if there's an investigation on this issue, your conversation with Rig would have to come out, including the &^@#%^ language he might have used with you.

4/13/2010 10:42:00 PM  
Anonymous I'm Right Here said...

Wow. This is so exciting. It's Costa Mesa's very own Watergate. Let's call it Riggygate. I can't for Riggy to give his "I'm not a crook" speech. Bubbling Cauldron you must write a book on the tales of Costa Mesa politics.

4/13/2010 11:05:00 PM  
Blogger familyguy said...

Righeimer as well as the other planning commissioners (namely mensinger)are completely out of control. They are acting like a second city council. Somebody needs to rein these jerks in. Watch any study session or commission meeting and they walk all over the city staff members in attendance. It appears they are too worried about layoffs to stand up for themselves. It's actually kind of sad.

4/14/2010 02:43:00 PM  

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