Feet To Fire Forum Boycott
FOR SOME BACKGROUND...
In case you already have not heard about this, please read Barbara Venezia's Daily Pilot column, HERE.
ELLIS' CREW
It seems that three of the candidates for Newport Beach City Council seats in November have chosen - apparently on the direction/advice of their campaign advisor, Dave Ellis (he hates it when I call him Dave).
TOO STRANGE BECAUSE...
This is beyond strange, since this version of the series - the final one this cycle - adds to the panel of interrogators Orange County Register columnist and former Newport Beach council candidate Jack Wu and uber Republican insider and operator of the FlashReport site, Jon Fleishman. Both would seem to be kindred spirits and more likely than not to cut some of their pal, Ellis', stable of candidates some slack. I don't know for sure, but it seems likely.
SYSTEMIC STIFLING OF DISSENT
It sure looks like the OC GOP hierarchy is peeved at Barbara Venezia for the last Costa Mesa Forum, which can be watched HERE. It would appear to me that the move to stifle dissent is not constrained to Costa Mesa in the form of Mayor Jim Righeimer and his minions, but looks to be systemic within the leadership of MY Republican Party! I don't like it one bit!
DON'T KNOW THE GUYS...
I don't believe I know any of the boycotting candidates, but I do know OF a couple of them. How do you not get a warm, fuzzy feeling when you think of Marshall Duffield of Duffy Boats fame? And, I've read some of Scott Peotter's stuff in the Newport Beach Independent. He has been a field representative for lame duck Assemblyman Allan Mansoor. I don't know squat about Kevin Muldoon, but he must have a few bucks, because Ellis doesn't come cheap.
ELLIS AND GRUDGES
I DO know about Dave Ellis, though. I have spoken with him a few times, shared a meal with him and the stories about him around these parts are legion! Did you know, for example, that he advised Leslie Daigle during her Newport Beach council campaign in which Venezia was also a candidate? Did you know that some of the political shenanigans he pulled during that race that involved the business operated by Venezia's husband so angered her that she dropped out of the race? Do you think she might be holding a grudge? I would be, but that's just me.
POLITICAL COWARDICE?
I have NO reason to believe that Venezia would attempt to make life difficult for Ellis' stable of candidates just because they have a personal history. I DO think it's a cop-out on their part to avoid facing their challengers and members of the media to have important issues fleshed out in a community forum setting.
VOTERS LOSE...
So, the voters of Newport Beach lose on this one. Because of what certainly looks like institutionalize vindictiveness and political cowardice, nearly half the candidates running will blow off the Feet To The Fire Forum next week at the Oasis Center in Corona del Mar. What a shame.
In case you already have not heard about this, please read Barbara Venezia's Daily Pilot column, HERE.ELLIS' CREW
It seems that three of the candidates for Newport Beach City Council seats in November have chosen - apparently on the direction/advice of their campaign advisor, Dave Ellis (he hates it when I call him Dave).
TOO STRANGE BECAUSE...
This is beyond strange, since this version of the series - the final one this cycle - adds to the panel of interrogators Orange County Register columnist and former Newport Beach council candidate Jack Wu and uber Republican insider and operator of the FlashReport site, Jon Fleishman. Both would seem to be kindred spirits and more likely than not to cut some of their pal, Ellis', stable of candidates some slack. I don't know for sure, but it seems likely.SYSTEMIC STIFLING OF DISSENT
It sure looks like the OC GOP hierarchy is peeved at Barbara Venezia for the last Costa Mesa Forum, which can be watched HERE. It would appear to me that the move to stifle dissent is not constrained to Costa Mesa in the form of Mayor Jim Righeimer and his minions, but looks to be systemic within the leadership of MY Republican Party! I don't like it one bit!DON'T KNOW THE GUYS...
I don't believe I know any of the boycotting candidates, but I do know OF a couple of them. How do you not get a warm, fuzzy feeling when you think of Marshall Duffield of Duffy Boats fame? And, I've read some of Scott Peotter's stuff in the Newport Beach Independent. He has been a field representative for lame duck Assemblyman Allan Mansoor. I don't know squat about Kevin Muldoon, but he must have a few bucks, because Ellis doesn't come cheap.ELLIS AND GRUDGES
I DO know about Dave Ellis, though. I have spoken with him a few times, shared a meal with him and the stories about him around these parts are legion! Did you know, for example, that he advised Leslie Daigle during her Newport Beach council campaign in which Venezia was also a candidate? Did you know that some of the political shenanigans he pulled during that race that involved the business operated by Venezia's husband so angered her that she dropped out of the race? Do you think she might be holding a grudge? I would be, but that's just me.POLITICAL COWARDICE?
I have NO reason to believe that Venezia would attempt to make life difficult for Ellis' stable of candidates just because they have a personal history. I DO think it's a cop-out on their part to avoid facing their challengers and members of the media to have important issues fleshed out in a community forum setting.VOTERS LOSE...
So, the voters of Newport Beach lose on this one. Because of what certainly looks like institutionalize vindictiveness and political cowardice, nearly half the candidates running will blow off the Feet To The Fire Forum next week at the Oasis Center in Corona del Mar. What a shame.Labels: Allan Mansoor, Barbara Venezia, Dave Ellis, Feet To The Fire Forum, Jack Wu, Jim Righeimer, Jon Fleishman, Leslie Daigle, Marshall Duffield, Scott Peotter
posted by The Pot Stirrer at 9/26/2014 02:23:00 PM
12 Comments:
Have you seen the "Vamos con Ramos" signs on the Westside? Gonna make Marty's blood curdle.
I've seen so many illegally/wrongfully placed campaign signs around where I live. You would think that the city - which in the past has been obsessed with proper campaign sign etiquette - would have a hot-line or an e-mail posted on the city's home page where one could report this bad campaign signage behavior so that the city could have one of their employees come and remove these outlaw signs...just a thought.
I always thought he was Filipino...
I think ( not sure) the candidate has 30 days to remove an illegal sign, and even then, they have some grace period. The strategy in the last election seemed to be to put up non-conforming signs about 30 days prior to the election, so they ended up staying until they were no longer needed.
Here's what the Municipal Code says:
Sec. 13-123. Political campaign signs.
(a)
Any person, party, entity, or group posting political campaign signs within the boundaries of the city shall first file a statement with the city clerk designating the person or entity responsible for posting the political campaign signs in the city and liable for the estimated actual cost of removal of the political campaign signs to ensure compliance with the provisions of this article, and such statement shall certify to the city clerk that consent has been obtained from the owners, lessees or occupants of nonpublically owned real property prior to placement of political campaign signs thereon. Only one (1) political campaign sign statement is required of any party or group, regardless of the number of individuals posting signs on its behalf.
(b)
All political campaign signs shall be removed not later than ten (10) days following the date of any election to which they pertain, if any.
(c)
No political campaign sign shall be placed or posted on any public property or utility pole, except on or within a public right-of-way pursuant to the provisions of section 13-123.5, Portable Signs within Public Right-of-Way.
(d)
No political campaign sign shall be lighted, either internally or externally.
(e)
No political campaign sign shall be placed in a manner that would obstruct visibility to pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
(Ord. No. 97-11, § 2, 5-5-97; Ord. No. 99-10, § 5, 7-19-99)
If you read section 13-123.5, it makes it pretty clear that many campaign signs are posted illegally, yet the city doesn't seem to have a functioning remedy in place.
At a council meeting earlier in the year CEO Hatch assured us that they would be running a much tighter ship this year. Another unfulfilled promise.
Pot Stirrer, they may have said that, but it sure doesn't seem to be the case. There are illegal Rig and Ramos signs all over the place. There are some stapled to the Mesa Verde Golf Center (or whatever) wooden sign. And, I thought all the signs had to be removed from the public areas on weekends. There sure are a lot of Rig's signs out there. I'm thinking whats good for the goose is good for the gander.
Political signs also fall under other sections of the municipal code, and can be in the public parkways, but not center medians, from Friday AM until Sunday night.
They are not allowed Monday -Thursday.
BTW, CM4RG has had about 30% of our signs stolen or vandalized, on private property and public parkways. One night most of our "No on O" signs were stolen all over town, just those. They must make someone very nervous!
I've seen a few of other candidates mangled or knocked down. This kind of juvenile pettiness needs to stop.
Interesting correlation from the Washington Post 9/28/14:
"The dearth of televised debates isn’t for lack of trying: Media outlets have proposed dozens of televised forums. But this year, more than ever before, candidates have squabbled over venues, hosts, dates and formats for debates – and as a consequence, all but a small handful of the faceoffs, rare opportunities for voters to weigh two candidates against each other, have been canceled."
I sure the charter would solve this problem.
BTW - Aren't there size restrictions? During the last election I recall the size guidelines were changed by the council majority after some candidates had their signs printed.
Go walk precincts , if you don't know how to walk a precinct, contact me at gridgestudio@gmail.com
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