He Went to Boston But Couldn’t Make a Local Phone Call; Original Hall of Fame Founder Calls BS on Daly/Barbre
It’s looking like County Clerk Tom Daly figures he can peddle any old bullshit to a Register reporter and get away with it. And he probably figures on an easy re-election this spring. That’s the arrogance of a career politician for you.
When questioned by the Reg’s Jennifer Muir about his sports hall of fame fiasco in which he paid “consultant” and campaign contributor Brett Barbre $48,000 to “study” the notion, Daly said he paid Barbre for “ideas, not long reports.” Not quite right, Mr. Daly. See, we read your contract with Barbre even if you didn’t. He was supposed to be doing research on the feasiblity of the scheme – a scheme, by the way, that falls way outside the County Clerk’s job description. That specifically included contacting similar entities.
And here’s the kicker: we already had a hall of fame in the County – which apparently was located in Angel’s Stadium in the 80s and subsequently mothballed. And we got an e-mail from a gent who says he was one of the founders: Pete Donovan. Mr. Donovan asserts that nobody ever contacted him or fellow founders about this idea. Here’s Donovan’s e-mail:
Subject: Orange County Sports Hall of Fame
I am a founder of the Orange County Sports Hall of Fame. We began in 1980 with a huge banquet at the Anaheim Convention Center. Over the years, we inducted more than 70 athletes, coaches and contributors from Walter Johnson and Mickey Flynn to Jack Youngblood and Jim Fregosi. We eventually had a museum at Anaheim Stadium that has since been replaced by Angel offices (our artifacts are in storage). Nobody contacted me or other founders (including Cal State Fullerton Sports Information Director Mel Franks and long-time OC business and political leader Buck Johns) regarding research into a Hall of Fame — that existed 30 years ago. If someone was paid nearly $50,000 to do research they did an amazingly poor job. Sincerely, Pete Donovan
Gee. Barbre had time to go to Boston to “study” the issue at Fenway Park, but not not enough time to make a couple of local calls to people who had already given it a go. Come to think of it, maybe those were exactly the people Barbre and Daly didn’t want to talk to!
Well, that pretty well sums up the incompetence and/or corruption of the whole stinking pile.
Want your $48,000 back?
“Want your $48,000 back?”
Yep. Sure do.
The sad thing is that this is only one of two issues you have raised. But think about all the hundreds of thousand or even millions this tool has wasted in eight years with no oversight.
Like most people I have never even cared about the job of County Clerk before. I do now.
Man that dude looks awful.
Lewis-Daly-Barbre.
What a corrupt pile of manure.
The Grand Jury should probably take a look at this.
Lewis and Barbe are “honorary host committee” members for Sidhu. What’s that tell ya? So is the crook Chriss Street.
But they all have “honorable” in front of their names. Sort of like calling someone “reverend” no matter how a big a low-life he is.
I remember that OC Hall of Fame at Anaheim Stadium. Kudos to Pete Donovan for writing the email.
Tom Daly is an IDIOT and a waste of taxpayers money. Get a life DUDE.
Did this actually get published in the print edition or on the WEBSITE?
The Old Gaurd in Yorba Linda, don’t read websites.
I can see Jerbal and CO. manipulating the story to die on the WEB.