April 24, 2012April 24, 2012A Step in the Right Direction

We Get Mail: Fence Sitting Cardboard Candidate?

I found this communication in our in-box yesterday:

An Open Letter to Doug Chaffee

April 23, 2012

Dear Mr. Chaffee:

I support the recall effort and will vote in favor of removing all three councilmen on June 5th. I support the statements made on the Notice of Intent to Recall, and I believe any candidate running to replace a recalled councilman should believe the same.

I saw this on Euclid today. The homeowner seems to be on both sides of the fence. It begs the question: Are you?

The rumor mill is spinning around town. It claims that you’re proud to receive Pat McKinley’s endorsement of your candidacy should the recall succeed; and worse publicly stated as much during a fundraising event at the Pint House several weeks ago. If this is true, this is not compatible with the Notice of Intent to Recall. You have to pick a side and you have to do so definitively.

In fact, I demand you take one of four positions immediately.

1) If you have stated that you’re proud to receive McKinley’s backing, you must withdraw your candidacy from the special election on June 5th. This statement does not meet with the spirit of the recall and is insulting to the electorate. Candidates not supporting the spirit of the recall should not be on the ballot. Just because you had some extra campaign signs sitting around from 2010 doesn’t mean you’re entitled to run.

2) If you find it morally acceptable to be proud of McKinley’s endorsement of your candidacy, state so in bold letters on all your campaign literature, website, Facebook account, and during any public appearances you make. Failure to be transparent on this issue is dishonest.

3) If you’re not proud of McKinley’s endorsement, state loudly and often that you’ve signed the recall petition and outline why Pat McKinley needs to go. Demand that those posting propaganda against the recall remove your name from their lawns. Take a stance and make it clear that no supporter of Pat McKinley is a supporter of yours.

4) Do nothing. If you ignore this open letter and succeed in your candidacy, count on being recalled.

Sincerely,

Ryan Cantor

P.S. Dear Friends, just to show what a small world it is, after all, the property above is the residence of one Beatriz Gregg, mater familias of the Gregg clan that includes our old pal Aaron, whose 2010 campaign was, um, something of a personal embarrassment.

April 21, 2012April 21, 2012Education Uber Alles

Beechwood Teacher Beats Rap. So Far.

by The Fullerton Harpoon118 Comments

Remember that strange episode up at Beechwood School a couple of months ago when parents were called in for a really scary meeting and not really told anything? Some teacher did something. Somewhere. Somehow. FSD Superintendent Mitch Hovey was just double-talking hard.

Now the OC Register is reporting that the still unnamed teacher’s offense – having “inappropriate” materials on his computer at school – does not rise to the level of a crime. At least that’s what Acting Chief Dan Hughes reported after an FPD investigation was submitted to our hard-working DA (okay, no snickering). Says Hughes:

“The investigation discovered potentially inappropriate photographs and videos on a school computer assigned to the teacher. But I am pleased to report that in this case, there is no evidence to suggest any Beechwood students were victims of a crime.”

Well, that’s good news, although what the guy had on his computer that caused all the hubbub remains shrouded in secrecy.

But according to the article Mr. Teacher isn’t out of the Beechwoods yet, and remains on “administrative” (presumably paid) leave while the Fullerton School District pursues its own investigation.

Jeez, Fullerton must be the public employee investigation capital of the Western World.

April 18, 2012April 18, 2012A Step in the Right Direction

Matt Rowe Spells Out Platform For Fullerton

by The Fullerton Harpoon146 Comments

Here’s a youtube clip made by Recall Election replacement candidate Matt Rowe. It contains a very useful reminder of why ex-police chief and the creator of the FPD Culture of Corruption, Pat McKinley, is incapable and unwilling to fix the mess he made.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd9BMYzScdw

April 11, 2012Behind Closed Doors

Ad Hoc Citizens Committee to Council: Quit Ripping Us Off!!

by The Fullerton Harpoon33 Comments

Lou Ponsi of The OC Register authored this article on how the Fullerton Ad Hoc Water Rate Committee has unanimously decided to tell our esteemed City Council that the illegal 10% tax on our water bills should be stopped. Brave? Well, yes – for Fullerton.

To his credit, Ponsi omits the usual obligatory counter-argument floated by the Fullerton Establishment to defend the indefensible – whatever it may be. This could be because he even can’t find anyone to defend the unsupportable tax on a utility that goes to pay for the very pensions and perks of the City Councilmembers and staff themselves.

But of course Lou does not delve into the blatant stalling tactics of City Manager Joe Felz who has temporized, stalled, and delayed doing the right thing in order to wring yet another year’s $2,500,000 ill-gotten gain out of the Water Fund and the water rate payers.

March 30, 2012March 30, 2012"Dick" Ackerman

More Mayhem In Doc Heehaw’s Crazy Wild West Show!!

by The Fullerton Harpoon168 Comments

Last fall anti-recallers wanted folks to believe that everything in Fullerton’s great and it was just a wholesome family town. Of course the facts are that City Councilmembers Bankhead, Jones and McKinley have turned downtown Fullerton into an all night free for all of drugged-up, boozing, fighting, defecating thugs from who knows where. And of course an out-of-control gang of badged thugs was deployed to try to keep the other thugs in line.

All of this is just a long preamble to advertise the fact that another shooting took place in Downtown Fullerton early this morning, in the parking structure in the 100 block of east Wilshire Avenue.

Who benefits from this mayhem besides the liquor peddlers? Ask Bankhead or Jones or McKinley next time you see them.

March 22, 2012March 23, 2012"Dick" Ackerman

Asleep At Switch, Bankhead Waterboards Self Fighting For Illegal Tax

by The Fullerton Harpoon51 Comments

When the topic of the Fullerton’s illegal 10% water tax was brought up the other night, Councilmember Bruce Whitaker was right there to propose agendizing the immediate suspension of the tax. And Triassic, soon-to-be recalled Don Bankhead was there to stall, stall, stall.

The funny thing is that Bankhead cited his presence at the Water Rate Ad Hoc Committee meeting as some sort of evidence that he knew something the others didn’t. Bad idea, Bonehead.

See, if you’re going to brag about going to a meeting it might be an excellent idea to stay awake during it.

March 20, 2012Chronic Failure

New Lawsuit For Fullerton

by The Fullerton Harpoon99 Comments

Malvern — Image purloined from Register.

It never rains, but it pours, as some folks say. It seems that the City of Fullerton has been hit with yet another lawsuit, which likely means more payout from us and more pelf for the City’s contracted attorney, Dick Jones (no, the other meat head).

Lou Ponsi of the OC Register, writes about the lawsuit, here.

It transpires that a 58-year old Fullerton High teacher and motorcyclist named Jeff Rupp was wiped out at the intersection of Euclid and Malvern in early 2011. He died from his injuries and the family has brought a wrongful death suit against the City. The basis of the suit is that the intersection is deficient and dangerous. A $2.9 million claim by the family was denied by the City last year.

Well, the intersection is dangerous. No doubt about it. It’s got that funky flashing yellow left turn arrow which is confusing the first time you see it. Anybody turning left in either direction had better be careful; and anybody going straight through had better be careful, too.

Still, it’s pretty hard to lay the beatdown on the taxpayers of Fullerton because of bad drivers.

March 10, 2012"Dick" Ackerman

Caption This Picture!

by The Fullerton Harpoon63 Comments

March 9, 2012March 9, 2012"Dick" Ackerman

Here’s Your Line Up

by The Fullerton Harpoon145 Comments

At 5:00 PM today the filing period to run in the Fullerton Recall Election came to a close. These are your candidates:

F “Dick” Jones:

Travis Kiger
Glenn Georgieff
Roberta Reid
Dorothy Birsic
Matthew Hakim

Don Bankhead:

Greg Sebourn
Paula Williams
Jane Rands
Rick Alvarez

Pat McKinley:

Barry Levinson
Doug Chaffee
Matthew Rowe
Sean Paden

As a public service, FFFF will be providing detailed, insightful, and colorful descriptions of these candidates to help you Friends reach an informed decision on June 5th.

March 1, 2012March 1, 2012Bruce Whitaker

Bruce’s Law

by The Fullerton Harpoon34 Comments

Here is an interesting bit from Assemblyman Chris Norby’s latest newsletter documenting his effort to promote legislation to guarantee elected officials – like Fullerton’s Bruce Whitaker – access to public documents and records.

Well, Lo and Behold: it’s not necessary according to Legislative Counsel who determined that such a right already exists. Looks like somebody forgot to tell our esteemed City Attorney Dick Jones, who has publicly defended denying Whitaker access to city-owned records.

And it looks like we have another Recall issue.

So who the Hell is really in charge in Fullerton? The cops? The bureaucrats? The unelected City Attorney? The Three Triassic Fossils who have no authority to deny a duly elected official access to official records? Who?

In the words of the Bard, Bob Dylan in “Oxford Town”: somebody better investigate soon.

“Bruce’s Law” Restates Obvious

Can elected officials be denied information obtained at public expense on public property? Can unelected attorneys and administrators keep such information hidden from those who appointed them?

That’s what’s happening to Fullerton City Councilman Bruce Whitaker. His request to view the city’s video of the fatal beating of Kelly Thomas has been denied by the City Manager and City Attorney. That video was made by a city-owned camera at the city-owned Fullerton Transportation Center. Three of Bruce’s colleagues have chosen not to watch the tape, but have never voted to deny it to him.

Bruce doesn’t seek to release the tape to the public, or even have his own copy. He just wants to see it, to be in better position to understand what happened on that fateful July night. So I drafted a bill clarifying an elected official’s right to the same information as those they hire. “Bruce’s Law” would assure those we elect have access to information they need.

My bill was rejected by Legislative Counsel, however, as unnecessary. I was told that elected officials already have this right. I was told that unelected government employees cannot deny public officials information they need to represent their constituents. I was told that video camera footage taken by a public agency can be viewed by an official elected to govern that agency.

A new bill cannot be introduced which simply duplicates existing laws. But Bruce is still being denied the tape.