

Hot off the press, a note from Team Galloway.
Dear Friends and Family:
My campaign for Anaheim Mayor 2014 has been in the news lately. After a PBS story aired last night, I am heartsick because I have allowed negativity to be the focus, which is something that I abhor, and I have often been on the receiving end of it Truthfully, I am honored to be in a country where someone like me has the opportunity and freedom to run for such an office. My faith in God tells me that the blessing will be in the journey, not in the victory or defeat. I just sent this apology to the Mayor of Anaheim, Tom Tait.
Dear Tom:
With all of my heart, I sincerely apologize. This has spiraled into something that is negative and was never my intent. What has been said by me is hurtful and not the message I wanted to get across.
The worst thing about any of this is that I know I’ve lost your friendship and my heart is broken over that. The truth is that I do believe you have made courageous moves in standing up for what is right and you are a good and wonderful and kind man. I’ve said that in all my interviews but that is not the message that writers and TV people want to hear from me; they want drama and they focus on the negative. They didn’t want to hear about my wanting people to have a different choice. Regardless, my team and I will step back and get on the track that I set from the beginning which has no place in attacking you. Again, I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me for allowing this to happen. From my camp, it will not happen again.
You and I have spoken many times about believing that this is much bigger than you or I. I still believe that.
Sincerely,
Lorri
With due respect to Galloway, that’s nothing negative about reporting Tait’s ineffectiveness on the dais. The Mayor is not overwhelmingly popular as his minions would have you believe. In many ways, Tait suffers from Jerry Amante Syndrome; someone who wants strong mayor authority within a weak mayor system.
With a pending entry into the Mayor’s race by Council member Lucille Kring, Tait will be lucky to hold on to traditional OC GOP support. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he finishes third in a four horse race.
While a classy move by Galloway to apologize, there’s really nothing for her to apologize for. If anything, Tait should be apologizing to her for his supporters suggesting her only reason for running is to grease the skids of the Eli Home with more financial contributions. Public service to the citizens of Anaheim and work done on behalf of abused children are being politicized and that’s what’s shameful, not Tait’s “hurt” feelings.
He can always drown his sorrows with his drinking buddy from the OJ.
Dan – Lorri certainly owed Tom an apology for her attacks. Especially considering she personally promised him she wouldn’t go on the attack. When a mutual agreement is broken the offender should apologize.
Do you really believe Lorri could have brokered a consensus of compromised on the issues Tom has faced? It seems to me that they have both opposed all of the same deals. Speaking of compromise, Tom has come out again and again offering a 50/50 split on revenue generated from the Angel Stadium parking lot deal point.
Tom hasn’t been ineffective but rather handcuffed by a council majority hell bent on wasting taxpayer dollars at every turn and greasing the pockets of their wealthy contributors.
I just looked at it and not sure what you are considering an attack. I have viewed the report and have created a transcript of it. It’s pretty long so if you, or anyone doesn’t mind me posting it, I can go ahead and do that. I think when you actually listen to what is said, and how it is put together, that “attacks” may not be the best description of what was presented.
Jason – you owe Lorri an apology for suggesting her campaign for office is somehow tied to the financing of The Eli Home.
Tait is ineffective because he’s handcuffed or is he handcuffed because he is ineffective. Politics requires compromise and Tait refuses to budge; good thing he has a company with lots of business in nearby Garden Grove to console him when he’s swept from office next November.
Follow the money Dan. Lorri’s Eli Home does a lot better financially when she is in office. Afterall without The Eli Home she would be unemployed along with the rest of her family. If she really had the interests of the people of Anaheim at heart she would be running for council. We need to create a majority not another 4-1 voting block. Mayor Tait can’t compromise when it comes to his ideals and he should be applauded for that not torn down by Galloway. You show me where Galloway compromised on the GardenWalk deal?
Dan, you have run out of arguments so you are down to the very personal attacks that you once claimed to detest. You have no idea how popular Tom Tait may or not not be. How much time do you spend in the community, talking to residents? I live here, I am involved in my community, I volunteer here, and I can tell you that when I encounter the Tait family in public, they get rock star status. Not the “oh it’s the Mayor, get my picture with him” thing, but GENUINE affection from people not content to shake his hand, they want to hug him, they thank him for taking a stand on behalf of taxpayers. During the Memorial Day ceremony at Anaheim Cemetery, other leaders were in attendance, nobody was lined up to speak to them, they were in their own little huddle. The line to talk to Tom was LONG and at one point a service member home on leave to see his parents specifically came to the event because Tait was speaking, and while Tom and Julie were trying to thank the young man for his service, he said no THANK YOU because his parents kept him in the loop about Anaheim issues and he was glad they had Mayor Tait looking after the city. That stuff is not a manufactured press event, it is real, and not once have I seen a reaction to Tait other than that genuine response. I don’t care if it is midnight at Denny’s trying to detox after a Council meeting, or noon Saturday stopping to thank a bunch of volunteers, the reaction is always the same. And do not get me started on his awesome wife who remembers your name, your kids names, where they go to school, you cannot buy that kind of outreach.
The inside baseball crowd doesn’t like Tom, he is not slick, he is not forceful, they want Clint Eastwood, we got Mr. Rogers. But Mr. Rogers is a good guy, and there are an awful lot of people who will show up in November 2014 to make sure the sweater with patches on the elbow remains at City Hall for another 4 years.
So you say what you please about the campaign, I know the lay of the land better than you do in this case, and you are dead wrong. We have a popular Mayor who has given even low information voters no reason to dislike him, and the only choice for his opponents is a negative campaign…against Mr. Rogers. Good luck.
Meanwhile, Dan, your personal insults that link your dislike of Tait’s supporters as somehow a shortcoming of Tait the leader come across as…well as MEAN, Dan. You sound mean, and I do not know you to be a mean person, but you sure sound like one. Now if you will excuse me, it’s a wonderful day in the neighborhood and I am going to go enjoy it.
mean 2 (m n)
adj. mean•er, mean•est
1.
a. Selfish in a petty way; unkind.
b. Cruel, spiteful, or malicious.
2. Ignoble; base: a mean motive.
I spoke to a lot of people about this apology today and the perception was unanimous: Galloway is unstable and embarrassing herself.
However, Galloway did succeed in taking attention away from the PBS interview, found here: http://video.pbssocal.org/video/2365116122/
In that interview the truth behind Galloway’s candidacy was fished out. She is running because she will be less kind and ethical than Mayor Tait, and she will give the public sector employee unions whatever they want.
The need for structural reform in Anaheim is paramount; the well-being of thousands are hanging in the balance. With respect to the interests of labor, the implicated unions have every right to fight on the pension issue. Their self-interest, however, must have its limits. If they succeeded in spoiling this race and setting Anaheim back years, their cause will ultimately suffer because the people will not forget.
“Meanwhile, Dan, your personal insults that link your dislike of Tait’s supporters as somehow a shortcoming of Tait the leader come across as…well as MEAN, Dan. You sound mean, and I do not know you to be a mean person, but you sure sound like one. ”
I suggest you go back to things you have previously written about Lorri Galloway or Jordan Brandman; replace their names with Tom Tait and tell me if you get the same vibe. Remember that line about people in glass houses throwing bricks?
As for the balding barrister and the unemployed blackmailer consultant, I’m sure calling me a lummox fits in with Tait’s “Year of Kindness” just fine. I haven’t had much time to address them as one of my employees got married this weekend and I’ve been busy doing billing so I can sign the front of paychecks instead of the back of ones like they are used to.
I’m sure Mr. Zenger misses the days of anon commenting on FFFF. Are you OK, Cynthia, with his million dollar blackmail of county taxpayers? Just asking?
You (Dan C.) are not even going to think up a pejorative reference for me? Are you scared to engage? I’m offended!
Seriously though, with every stroke of your keyboard you breath life into the honest. You are a bully. Moreover, you represent the hateful environment we could expect during a Galloway tenure. Shame on team Galloway; they don’t have facts so they resort to hate speech. Irony?
I’m not on Team Galloway son; as for being a bully, I don’t think so. But if the pro-Tait sides want to use names, I can return fire just fine. I have never seen the inside of a jail cell, my business does better than $2500 a year, and I’m not suing the county into blackmail for getting fired from an at-will job. If you think the mayor was so influential and well liked, the voters in Anaheim would have backed his slate last November right? They didn’t…
I’ll back Lorri as being the best candidate for a number of reasons. The biggest being she got stuff done despite being outnumbered four to one. TTait is tainted; can’t get out of his own way. Lacks the ability to compromise. Brandman works with the other side and gets things done and gets criticized for it. Tait could learn a thing or two from Brandman,
Why don’t you give the local MADD chapter a call and see if they are OK with the mayor having a few beers with someone who did jail time for drinking and driving?
More and more personal attacks Dan. You are a bully.
Do you read your own writing? What you’ve said about Lorri or Jordan might also qualify? Glass house Jason? One with bars on it perhaps.
Uh…. What did Galloway get done? (when she was not a Pringle puppet.) Answer: nothing.
Lorri’s extensive background and over 20 years of helping families in crisis carries over to her position as an elected official. Her passion and dedication clearly works to improve the lives of the under-served. Lorri helped develop and promote the formation of the Anaheim Family Justice Center. The Family Justice Center, which opened October 2006, creates a “one stop shop” for social service needs. The Center, the first of its kind in the nation to deal with all types of family crimes, changes the way police and social service agencies respond to domestic, child, elder, and sexual assault /abuse cases. The new approach is a collaborative effort between the Anaheim Police Department, Social Services, judicial system, legal assistance, shelters and the National Crime Database.
Lorri served as a member of the Fire Training Joint Powers Authority, CSUF Non-Profit Professionals Alumni Association, California Bar Association-Probation Department, Canyon Hills Community Council, and Los Amigos. Lorri was also an elected member of the Sesquicentennial Commission before her City Council position. She served on the TCA for two years and was on the Anaheim Transportation Liaison Committee actively working on Anaheim transportation issues as they relate to county, state and federal transportation funding.
The FJC was a significant achievement and will stand as a testimate to her years of public service. But it predates the rift with Pringle. The fact is: Galloway has not shown herself able to work with her opponents. Galloway, herself, set this standard for her candidacy when she said she would be able to work with the majority as Mayor. While there was positive elements to her Council tenure, bridge building was just not one of them. Her candidacy seems to prove my point that she is a crusader not a team player.
Dan – I didn’t realize pointing out Brandman’s record was considered bullying.
I don’t consider pointing out Tait’s weakness or failures of leadership as bullying either.