We’ve been calling Supervisor Janet Nguyen’s office pretty regularly since the candidate’s filing deadlines were done about a month ago. We wanted to know, who is she endorsing in the Santa Ana City Council Ward 3 race. Janet’s people keep retreating behind the same “we haven’t spoken about this” and “I don’t know what her plans are in that race.”
Janet came to a decision over the weekend. We can’t blame Janet for not coming to a decision sooner. All of the choices are bad to awful. Republican Carlos Bustamante, who endorsed Janet for re-election, is running for re-election on a platform of “I never said that sexist remark people heard me say.” There’s Steve Rocco, worse, running on the anti-Partnership platform of I-wear-my-sunglasses-at-night. There’s Ana Rebecca “Becky” Valencia-Verdin who falls under the “huh?” category even though I’m told she’s a progressive. And then there’s Art Pedroza in a category all by himself.
The problem for Janet is between a rock and a hard place. To curry favor with the Party that she’ll need when she eventually runs for higher office, Janet should endorse the incumbent Republican. Art has publicly stated he has not and will not ask for Janet’s endorsment himself, but if she does endorse Busty whom Art despises, will this be the straw that break’s the camel’s back on the Orange Juice blog.
To date, Janet can still do no wrong on OJ. Art’s digital lips are fixated to Janet’s pixelated backside. Janet can get free Fair concert tickets and free lobster meals, and Art will criticize anyone and everyone but her. Janet will accept political contributions from Pro-Prop 8 money men, and Art will go after every other politician who does, except Janet. But would a Bustamante endorsement (over Art) send Art over the edge? And can Janet afford to incur the wrath of the one OC political blog that gives her unquestioned love?Â
Back on Saturday Janet announced her decision. Art Pedroza did mention it a few days ago, buried as an aside in a post.
“I am hearing that she has endorsed Bustamante. It was wise of her not to announce this BEFORE the parade as it might have merited her a few rotten tomatoes in her general direction… Maybe four years hence folks will forget about these dumb moves.”
Who brings rotting produce to a festival?
On Thursday, while Art was busy drafting his self-promoting post about Carlos Bustamante not getting the endorsement of the Lincoln Club (omitting of course that Art didn’t get it either), We finally reached Supervisor Nguyen to confirm who she would be endorsing. She has endorsed incumbent Councilmember Carlos Bustamante.
“I have had a good working relationship with Carlos and Art and I wish them both well,” Nguyen told us. “Ultimitely, Carlos, who has been endorsed by the Republican Party of Orange County, has my support for re-election to the Santa Ana City Council.”  Â
I sense a divorce filing may be imminent from Art.
Art,
So does this mean that you will finally denounce Janet for what she is? A backstabber?
Oh right that would take integrity.
Paul – that is a quality lacking in all of the candidates in Ward 3
Dan,
I don’t usually follow Santa Ana Politics very closely so I cannot say with certainty that ALL candidates lack integrity in the 3rd ward. Busty, made a political gaff with a bad joke with bad timing in the wrong company but then made it worse by his denial. In the end, it was just a joke. A bad joke. So in the light of that, I think the public lynching he got over it was punishment enough.
Steve Rocco, Art Pedroza, are two whacko’s of different agendas. But they are whacko’s none the less. But I think that they truly believe their own drivel and tend to stick to their guns most of the time. (Except in Arts case of endless free passes to Janet).
The Rebecca Becky candidate I have never even heard oft his person so I cannot say anything about her integrity.
Now Art Pedroza is completely without integrity when it comes to having to reverse himself or to hold his precious Janet accountable for anything. He keeps claiming that she punked herself by endorsing Busty.
But what he keeps avoiding is that he got punked by Janet in A) Not getting her endorsement, and B) by not throwing her under the bus as he said and alluded he would do if she ever endorsed Carlos Bustamante.
He is obviously too heart broken and too weak to admit that this is the case. He will not admit he has been punked by Janet. He must be crying in his room right now.
Dan,
What is your major malfunction? I agree with you and Chris on social issues. Beyond that I support open, transparent government. I want to build more libraries and parks and start more youth programs. Are you opposed to any of that? What exactly am I advocating that makes me such a bad candidate in your estimate?
I spoke to Chris about this last night, at the Memphis. I guess you two are sore because I don’t support all Democrats. That is ridiculous. I am not going to support corporatist politicians like Miguel Pulido and his City Council cabal. They have put my city in a $28 million budget deficit. They raised our water rates twice in one year – even though I proved that they spend more than ten percent on administration of our water budget than other similar sized water districts in the county. And under their “leadership” my city leads the county in violent crime – and in home foreclosures.
And I am firmly opposed to Prop. 8. Pulido and his Democratic City Council hacks have NOT taken a position on this measure. Why is that?
My values are more in tune with your party platform than Pulido’s! And yet you oppose my campaign. It just doesn’t make sense Dan.
Is this about my blog? Seriously? I started my blog in order to give folks a voice in my area. Mission accomplished! Our numbers today are astounding. And we have a real affect on city politics.
I have been endorsed by many local Democrats including numerous progressives, such as Deborah Vasquez, Gustavo Arellano, Irene Ibarra and Sean Mill. Perhaps they see something you and Chris don’t? We need change in Santa Ana. I have been pushing for that change for over 15 years. At the end of the day, folks know I will fight for the people of our city. Bustamante never has and he never will.
I urge you to reconsider.
No mention of this on Arturo’s screed, perhaps his editor is in low orbit.
Art is like an abused spouse. he keeps giving janet another chance. hes let her slide on dining on lobster atthe oc fair, endorsing busty, trying to force a bridge onto the mayor of westminster for political gain, on campaign finance irregularities, I could go on and on and on and on.
But the truth is, Art is like an abused spouse. he keeps giving janet more second chances.
Art,
Sean Mill endorsed you? That’s a shocker. You sound a lot like a guy who got thrown under the bus by you for stoking a fight between two republicans? So now you are playing the “I’m one of you guys” “so why are you picking on me” card?
Fact is Art; you gave Janet numerous free passes. You never even mentioned that she was dining on the very same lobster with Mat Cunningham at the OC Fair and enjoying the same free tickets that she passed out amongst her cronies. Not one word about that regarding Janet. But you piled on Matt Cunningham for it.
So now that Janet supports a misogynistic sexist Bustamante, you still say nary a word about it? You are exactly like an abused spouse.
Not the kind of characteristic that the people of Santa Ana deserve in a candidate or an elected city councilman.
Save your progressive “change we can believe in†soul and denounce Janet Art. You are losing face and credit by the hour with your silence.
chris,
how about a counter that shows how many days its been since Art Pedroza has aided and abbeted a mysogonstic sexist busty in getting re-elected atthe behest of his mistress janet nguyen?
Well, Art, you’ve got the endorsement of the Deomcratic Volunteer of the Year if that’s any consolation. Told you Janet was just another typical Republican. It’s almost impossible to find any decent ones these days; they’re all quitting the party!
First off Art, Chris doesn’t speak for me and I don’t speak for him. The fact that your position on issues would be generally ones I support is irrelevent.
Your personal posts on your blog reveal the content of your character, which, in my opinion make you ill-suited for public office and ineffective should you get elected.
If you feel this post was unfair to you, its nothing to the scrutiny you’ll get if elected.
well said dan.