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.

SCAQMD Board Passes New Fire Pit Rules

A CURIOUS OUTCOME
Those who follow this issue already know the outcome of the raucous meeting held at the headquarters of the South Coast Air Quality Management District headquarters in Diamond Bar.  It was covered extensively in both print, online and electronic media last night.  Here's my summary of events based on the coverage provided by our local media friends.

BURKE THE SWING VOTE
The facts of the event are pretty constant among the various reports.  The short version of the outcome is that the SCAQMD Board, led by Chairman William Burke, who voted with the majority for a thin 7-6 margin to modify their rule 444 and place new restrictions on nearly 800 fire pits throughout the southland.  It establishes a 700-foot buffer zone between beach fires and residences.

WILL NEWPORT REMOVE THE FIRE RINGS NOW?
According to Jill Cowan's report in the Daily Pilot, HERE, based on the new rules the City of Newport Beach can get rid of 60 fire pits near the Balboa Pier and at Corona del Mar State Beach.  Whether they do remains to be seen based on her quote from City Manager Dave Kiff.  See more below.

JUST A LITTLE OUT OF TOUCH!
Cowan provides us with a very interesting quote from Burke.  He said, "I understand everybody out there doesn't want this rule.  I'm just amazed very few people are here in support of the rule today."  This, during a packed-house meeting at which more than four dozen people addressed the directors on this issue.

RIGHEIMER BLASTS NEWPORT COUNCIL

Cowan also quoted Costa Mesa Mayor Jim Righeimer as saying, "These beaches are regional.  If you're up and down the 55 you don't go to Huntington Beach."  Since the beginning of this issue I've found it fascinating that Righeimer decided to spit directly in the eye of the Newport Beach city council.  According to Amy Senk, publisher of the outstanding local blog, Corona del Mar Today, HERE, only councilwoman Leslie Daigle attended the meeting and spoke.  It's curious that others from the Newport Beach council, including Mayor Keith Curry, chose not to attend since it was their petition to the Coastal Commission that started this whole controversy in the first place.

COUNTING SPEAKERS
According to Senk, of the 49 speakers today, only 7 supported the changes that were eventually approved.  The remainder, including 17 public officials or their spokespersons, were in favor of keeping the bonfires without changes in the rules.  She quotes Orange County Supervisor Shawn Nelson, a member of the Board, as indicating that the "fire rings didn't pose enough of a health risk to warrant the AQMD's attention."  He went on to say that Newport Beach, has, "one of the cleanest environments our basin has to offer."

HOW THE VOTE WENT
Senk tells us that "the board members supporting the rule changes were Burke, Clark Parker, Judith Mitchell, Dennis Yates, Michael Cacciotti, Gonzales and Joseph Lyou. The board members who voted no were John Benoit, Ben Benoit, Pulido, Jan Perry, Michael Antonovich and Nelson."

MORE FROM RIGHEIMER
Former Daily Pilot reporter, Deep Bharath, now writing for the Orange County Register in an article tucked firmly behind their pay wall, HERE, quoted Righeimer stating, "They started this mess and they're not even here," he said of the other Newport Beach council members. "They get what they want. This is about multi-millionaires who don't want others there. They know that if you can make it about health, you can shut it down."  Obviously, Righeimer doesn't much care what the heavily-Republican electorate and leadership of Newport Beach thinks on this issue.

BEFORE THE GLOATING BEGINS...
But, before the few people who theoretically "won" yesterday get too cocky, Kiff and Mayor Pro Tem Rush Hill posted an entry on the City website late this afternoon, HERE, that implies much work still needs to be done in that city before this issue is resolved.  Kiff's final paragraph says it best - "This issue has been debated extensively in the community in recent weeks and months, and good people are on each side of the issue. I know that the Council will work closely with the community to determine the best way for Newport Beach to move forward. The next chapter is not yet written."

***MORE FROM CORONA DEL MAR TODAY
Amy Senk posted a followup entry to this issue today, Saturday, HERE.

GOOD REPORTING
Thanks to Cowan, Bharath and Senk for their excellent coverage of this important issue.  Now we watch...

Fire Rings Meeting Tomorrow

FIRE RING OUTREACH TOMROROW

A reminder to all you fire ring fans... the South Coast Air Quality Management District is holding an informational meeting - seeking input and providing facts - on the Great Fire Ring discussion tomorrow, Thursday, June 13, 2013 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Jamboree Road in Newport Beach beginning at 5:30 p.m.  You can read all about it HERE.

DAIGLE NOW SUPPORTS THE FIRE RINGS!
In a related story, Amy Senk at the Corona del Mar Today blog reported this morning that my old pal,  Newport Beach City Councilwoman Leslie Daigle,  has come out in support of the fire rings in Newport Beach.  You can read Senk's report HERE.  It seems like this issue has polarized that community... it's kind of fun to watch from over here in Costa Mesa!

Dave Ellis Attacks Bob Ooten - Really?

OOTEN'S COMMENTARY
On March 30, 2013 Costa Mesa Sanitary District Director Bob Ooten published a commentary in the Daily Pilot, HERE, in which he defined his decision to forgo the stipend he would normally receive for his service on the board as a way to offset some of the costs the District incurred during their legal challenge to Jim Fitzpatrick's claim that he was entitled to hold a seat on the Board despite two separate legal opinions that holding that seat and one on the Costa Mesa Planning Commission formed a conflict.  You may recall that this fiasco went on for months before Fitzpatrick finally resigned his Sanitary District Board seat rather than continue the legal wrangling.

PIT BULL ATTACKS - WHY?
Over the weekend OC GOP uber-operative Dave Ellis penned a letter to the Daily Pilot that just dripped in sarcasm, challenging Ooten's sincerity in his earlier commentary.  You can read his contribution to the "Smart Ass Hall Of Fame" HERE.  I'm trying to figure out what would prompt Ellis, who is NOT a resident of Costa Mesa nor is a ratepayer of the Costa Mesa Sanitary District, to exercise his limited, but caustic, critical skills on a mild-mannered, sincere public servant like Bob Ooten.  I mean, what's his interest in this issue?  Does he have a dog in this fight?

OH, NOW I UNDERSTAND...
As I considered that question I realized that Ellis is a cohort of Buck Johns and Fitzpatrick has recently been shilling Johns' EB-5 visa plan to wealthy Newport-Mesa residents.  In fact, Fitzy's recent communication on the subject described Johns as a "Titan of Industry" - not a surprising description for a bootlicker like Fitzy to use for one of his benefactors.  For more on the Ellis/Johns relationship, just Google "Dave Ellis+Buck Johns".

JUST WHO IS DAVE ELLIS?
We need a little perspective here.  You need to know that Dave Ellis - who prefers me to refer to him as "David Ellis" - fancies himself a kingmaker locally.  He's presently a member of the 32nd Agricultural District Board of Directors - the Orange County Fair Board - and apparently was one of the major players behind that group's attempt to buy the Fairgrounds on the cheap a few years ago.  Following a long investigation by a group approved by the current Fair Board, that issue has been delivered to the Orange County District Attorney's office.

A PLAYER OF DIRTY TRICKS?
Ellis has also long been involved in local politics, representing many local politicians in their quest for office - including current Newport Beach councilwoman Leslie Daigle in her campaign when she was challenged by current Orange County Register columnist Barbara Venezia.  Venezia dropped out of the race when the Ellis-directed campaign began attacking her husband's business.

SOME READING MATERIAL FOR YOU...
Let me provide you with some interesting reference material about Dave Ellis.

On 11/28/2002 Anthony Pignataro authored a piece in the OCWeekly titled, "Backstabber (Ellis screws friends and enemies alike)", HERE.

In 2007 the Newport Beach Voices blog offered  an entry titled "King David Ellis of the Orange County Fair," HERE.

Early in March, 2011, Vern Nelson published an item on the Orange Juice Blog titled, "Who is Dave Ellis?  A Portrait of our Fair Board Chairman", HERE. 

In June of 2011 Chasen Marshall published an entry in the OCWeekly titled, "David Ellis Opens Up About the Fair Board Foundation, the Appraisal and His Reputation", HERE.

And, just a few days ago, InlandPolitics.com published an entry that includes references to Ellis titled, "DA Advisor Entangled In Second Political Prosecution", HERE.

OPINIONS, PLUS SOME FACTS...

I make no claim about the "facts" provided in any of those links, but they may give you a view of Dave Ellis and his modus operandi that might be helpful to you as you try to answer that question above: "What's his interest in this issue?"  I wondered, for example, whether Buck Johns has retained him to attack Ooten for his part in the challenge to Fitzy's position on the Sanitary District Board.  It's just a question that seems reasonable to ask under the current circumstances.

DON'T MESS WITH DAVE...
I can tell you one thing, though, from personal experience.  Don't let that smiling face, above, fool you - Dave Ellis is not a guy to trifle with.  I've found his sense of humor limited to only those clever comments he authors - like his attempt to pillory Ooten in his most recent public pronouncement.  He doesn't take kindly to criticism.

WAITING FOR HIS CALL...

History tells me that I will soon have a communication from Ellis, complaining about this entry and accusing me of trying to defame him - kind of like what he did to Ooten.  Of course, I've done nothing of the sort.  I've just provided information from my personal experience with him, an opinion of his attack on Ooten and links to information that will help you with some perspective on him.  He has my number...

Mansoor And Rush - Oh, My!

 A RARE VIEW
Take a little peek at that photo above.  It may be the last time you see these two men in a friendly handshake.

 LESLIE GUESSED WRONG
Yesterday the electorate apparently demonstrated that just throwing money into a campaign is not enough to sway their opinions and buy their votes.  I say that because, although Charlie Munger rained hundreds of thousands of dollars into Leslie Daigle's campaign for the past month or so, it didn't do any good.  Of course, the fact that Daigle dodged her opponents by refusing to face them in debates following her miserable performance at the Feet To The Fire Forum may have also contributed to her poor showing.  As you can see from the results of the 74th Assembly Vote below, not only was she trounced by the OC GOP anointed one, Allan Mansoor, but she trailed freshly-minted Democrat and political neophyte Bob Rush by more than 5,000 votes.

Official Results

  IT'S A LONG WAY TO NOVEMBER 

I don't think Mansoor can get too comfy with his showingat this point.  In November we're going to have a much bigger turnout.  The Presidental battle, apparently between the incumbent and Mitt Romney, alone will draw a crowd to the polling places.  And in Costa Mesa, where we expect to see large numbers of voters to decide about Jim Righeimer's Charter and whether or not he will maintain power on the city council on November 7th by who they choose to place on the dais with him.

WHAT WILL THE ELECTORATE DO IN NOVEMBER?
It will be VERY interesting to see whether the voters of the 74th Assembly District will choose to return to Sacramento an ineffective, unskilled politician - a lock-step lemming who marches to the drum that OC GOP Chairman Scott Baugh is pounding and who has a track record of ZERO accomplishments during his term - or will they choose someone who has demonstrated strong negotiating skills, can articulate his views, is a successful businessman and is a CPA, to boot, to help try to sort out the monumental difficulties that exist in the state capitol.  Hmmm, such a decision.. what will I do?

74th Assembly District - My Decision

THIS DARN BALLOT!
Today is the day I'll complete my absentee ballot for the June 5th primary election.  It will be in the mail Tuesday.  As always, part of it is cause for consternation.  For example, we have twenty-five (25) candidates for the United States Senate!  Who in the world has the time, or inclination, to try to sort through all those folks to make an informed decision?  Even if you try to vote a straight party line, trying to sort out those of your party from the others can make your head hurt.

MY CHOICE
But that's not the reason for this post.  Nope, today I'm going to tell you who I'm casting my ballot for in the race for the 74th Assembly District, and why.

RECENT POSTS
We've thrashed this issue around on this blog for a couple months.  To refresh your memory, you can read what I wrote about the Feet To The Fire Forum in April, HERE, and Leslie Daigle's reaction to that particular post the next day, HERE.  You can also read what I wrote about the candidate forum in Laguna Beach last Friday night, HERE.  That's the one Daigle decided to avoid, leaving only Allan Mansoor and Bob Rush to face the public and discuss issues.

CHECKING THE RESUMES
So, off we go.  Let me preface my comments by saying that I don't ever expect to agree with every candidate for any office on every issue.  While a lovely fantasy, it's not the way the world works.  I look at each candidate based on what they potentially bring to the office they're trying to achieve.  I look at their track record.  If they've held elective office before I want to know what they accomplished.  I want to know if they have the intellectual horsepower to handle the new job.  Does their academic history form a solid foundation for the rigors of the work ahead?  What kind of preparation for this job has their employment history provided?  Politics is, in great part, the art of negotiation, so I want to know if the candidates have shown us that they are skilled in that area.  Are they willing to compromise where necessary for the greater good, or do they dig their heels in and not give an inch?

LEADERSHIP
I also want to know if they've demonstrated the ability to build consensus in difficult situations.  Have they taken a leadership role when tackling tough issues?  Does their style unify or divide people?  In the case of the Assembly, since California is a very diverse state demographically, have they demonstrated the ability to reach across ethnic boundaries to solve problems?  Have they been effective in their professional lives and in other public positions they've held?  Will their personal lives - financial and otherwise - permit them to spend enough time in this new job?  What is their personal philosophy of governance?  What, or who, do they look to for guidance, mentoring, inspiration and financial support?  These factors, among many others, are things I consider when assessing candidates for any elected position and are among those I will look at when considering candidates for the 74th Assembly District.  Let us begin...

ALLAN MANSOOR
Allan Mansoor is a man about which I know a great deal.  I've watched him in action for eight years as a Costa Mesa City Councilman, including his multiple tours as mayor.  I actually knew a little bit about him before that, too.  He was a frequent commenter on the now-dormant Concerned Costa Mesa Citizens web site - basically a chat room created by some Costa Mesa residents as a place to "discuss" issues in the community.  Without going into all the lengthy details, suffice it to say that several items caught the eye of the local media - Daily Pilot reporter Lolita Harper wrote a 3-part expose' on the site - and the Orange County Human Relations Commission became aware of it and started nosing around.  One of the issues was the posting of anti-gay articles by Allan Mansoor who, at that time, was a member of the Costa Mesa Human Relations Committee.  Following the public scrutiny the owners of the site eventually just folded it up.  As a sidebar, during Mansoor's tenure on the city council the Human Relations Committee was unceremoniously defunded then disbanded without so much as a simple "thank you" to the participants, some of whom had devoted decades to the work done by that committee.

NARROW FOCUS
Mansoor was a career Orange County Sheriff's Deputy and, despite his presentation that he spent time in patrol and other assignments, most of his tour of duty was spent as a jailer.  That's not necessarily bad - those jobs are essential - but his performance on the city council clearly demonstrated that he had little, if any, grasp of real law enforcement.

 BIAS AND DIVISIVENESS MARKED HIS COUNCIL TENURE
During his tenure on the Costa Mesa City Council Mansoor was a divisive figure.  Although the son of immigrants - a badge he proudly wears and brings tears to his eyes in public - is personal animosity for the immigrant population of our city was evident in many of his actions.  Few will forget the night he had immigrants-rights activist Benito Acosta dragged from council chambers by a half-dozen officers and arrested.  That ham-handed handling of an already volatile situation split our city and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees and Acosta's name continues to appear on warrants for payment to our legal counsel years later.  He was embraced by the radical right because of his "bravery" and made an honorary "Minuteman" by the Grand Pooba of that organization himself, Jim Gilchrist.

AN AMIABLE EMPTY SUIT
Mansoor's platform for the Assembly seat is founded on Pension Reform, yet during his tenure on the Costa Mesa City Council - including his time as mayor - he accomplished NOTHING in that area.  In his two years in the Assembly he has accomplished NOTHING.  He has shown no leadership in either job - which is not surprising to me, having watched him in action for more than a decade.  He is academically and intellectually unprepared for this job and his philosophy is only an echo of words provided for him by the leadership of the Orange County Republican Party, who have plowed lots of money into his campaign in the form of Independent Expenditures.

SPEWING THE PARTY LINE
In a recent post on his blog, Civil Thinking, my friend, Bruce Krochman addressed this race and said the following: "What Mr. Mansoor does bring, is the ability to stay in line with party leadership. In the broader scheme of things, of this group of candidates, that is the one quality that above all else makes Assemblyman Mansoor the one to vote for. "  And, in my opinion, that single characteristic is what makes him unworthy of my vote.  What we need in Sacramento are people willing and ABLE to work across the aisle to make things better for all Californians.  Mansoor does not possess the skills to do that - never has and probably never will.  He won't get my vote.


LESLIE DAIGLE
Leslie Daigle has been a HUGE disappointment to me.  I had high hopes that she would be a very viable alternative to Mansoor in this race.  She's been a member of the Newport Beach City Council for several years but I don't have a sense that she's been a consensus-builder in that role.  She won re-election two years ago, so I'm assuming the voters in Newport Beach thought she was doing a good job.  I WANTED to like her as a candidate and tried to establish a rapport with her early in her campaign.  Then came the Feet To The Fire Forum.

FEET TO THE FIRE FAILURE
At that event, which pitted the egos of some journalists against the egos of politicians, Daigle failed miserably.  She was clearly uncomfortable trying to field questions from some members of the press who may have had an ax to grind with her.  I was not the only person who felt that way following the event and when I wrote about it Daigle took extreme exception to my characterization.  I wrote about that, too.

CHARLIE MUNGER'S MONEY
Daigle has managed to win very significant financial support from the Chairman of the Santa Clara County Republican Party, Charles Munger.  His group has plowed somewhere in the neighborhood of $500,000 into her campaign.  My mailbox has been flooded with literature supporting her and bad-mouthing Mansoor - and vice versa.  I've saved them all.  I'm not so naive to think that tons of cash wouldn't be thrown into this race - there's a lot to lose.

A NO-SHOW - WHY?
Despite my plea - which went unanswered, by the way - Daigle decided to NOT participate in what is likely the last chance for the three candidates in this race to meet face-to-face and discuss issues.  Last Friday night only Mansoor and Rush showed up at the Laguna Beach City Hall for the debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters and other community groups.  A chair on the dais with her name on it remained reserved for her the entire evening.  I suspect, considering her poor performance at the Feet To The Fire Forum earlier, she and her advisers may have decided tactically to just blow off this event for fear of doing more damage.  Well, it didn't work.  I heard not a single comment in support of her absence from that event that evening.

AFRAID OF CONFRONTATION?
Despite her otherwise attractive - to me - more moderate positions on issues, if she is unwilling to discuss important issues with her opposition during a campaign, how in the world can we expect her to handle the interests important to the voters of the 74th Assembly District in Sacramento?  If she is afraid of confrontation she has NO chance of being effective up there.  Much to my disappointment - because I feel the Republican Party is letting this state slip away, and I feel we need strong, competent elected Republicans in both houses of the Legislature to improve things - I cannot support Leslie Daigle in this race.

ROBERT RUSH
Which brings us to Robert Rush - the political neophyte and freshly-minted Democrat.  I must tell you right off the bat, I wish Rush had chosen to register as a Republican for this race - he could have, after all.  His views on most issues are moderate, although he differs with the GOP party line on abortion and same sex marriage.  So, he switched from "Decline to State" to Democrat to run in this race.  I guess I understand why.

THE RIGHT SKILL SET
Rush, while never a candidate for any office before, has become an avid community activist.  He launched and led the battle against the proliferation of rehabilitation facilities in Newport Beach, a baptism by fire in anyone's book.  That activism didn't make him popular among many of the entrenched politicians in that city, but he plowed ahead.  And, he's a CPA and a very successful businessman, both of which are extremely desirable attributes for someone charged with trying to sort out California's abysmal fiscal situation.  He knows how to negotiate deals.

SELF-ASSURED MATURITY
He was, in the view of many people, the "winner" at the Feet To The Fire Forum, demonstrating an ability to think on his feet and speak off the cuff and knowing when to just quietly sit there and let those around him implode.  At the Laguna Beach forum he also did well, handling himself with self-assured maturity and never hesitating to answer tough questions.  He just seemed confident.   At the time I felt he and Mansoor had a draw for the evening.  My opinion was based purely on how they each did that night.  Their differences were clear, as were the many areas in which they shared a common vision for change.  The question, of course, which of them can get that change accomplished.

"HIS" PARTY IS SLOW TO EMBRACE HIM
The Orange County Democratic Party apparatus has been slow to embrace him.   I suppose that's understandable, since he's an unknown to them, too.  I'm OK with that.  It actually makes him a more attractive candidate to me.  However, he's done a good job of reaching out to Democrat enclaves over the past couple months and has generally avoided the mud-slinging that Mansoor and Daigle have employed in their campaigns.

MAYBE NOT SUCH A TOUGH DECISION AFTER ALL
And so, as this new, scary Open Primary permits - and although I'm a life-long Republican who has NEVER voted for a Democrat in a partisan race before - I'm going to lean over and mark my ballot for Bob Rush for the 74th Assembly District seat.  I've decided that it is unacceptable to place an incompetent ideologue - Mansoor -  who has no chance at all of accomplishing anything in Sacramento, in that chair.  And Daigle - who might have been my choice except for her unwillingness to engage her opponents - leaves me no alternative.  Although I disagree on some issues with Rush, his centrist leanings lead me to feel he has a much better chance of influencing issues that cry out for change than either of the other candidates.  If he manages to be one of the two candidates left standing on June 6th, the November election will be even more fun.

NEXT...
Now, back to the rest of the ballot.  Heck, since Diane Feinstein will probably have this thing wrapped up again, I might just vote for Orly Taitz for Senate, just for fun.