With much fanfare last February, Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait spelled out his vision for the city of Anaheim in front of a sold out Chamber of Commerce function. The year 2013 was to be “a Year of Kindness.” It has been anything but. Disneyland is in Anaheim and may be the Happiest Place on Earth, but the city remains bitterly divided. If this is a “Year of Kindness,” Mayor Tait has failed to lead.
One merely has to read the Twitter feed from the Voice of OC at Tait’s appearance at the December 18 Los Amigos meeting to see some disconnects.
Mayor Tait: You don’t want government to limit speech at public meetings, but I can also call out hate speech when it occurs. #LosAmigos
Terrific; except for sort of telling William Fitzgerald “I wish you weren’t such a jerk,” Tait doesn’t call out hate speech. Not from the dias and his strongest statement was via his Facebook page four days after Fitzgerald launched an anti-Semitic and homophobic rant against council member Jordan Brandman. And lost in the furor over the AnaheimBlog post by Matt Cunningham, was Fitzgerald suggesting the three women on the dias derive sexual pleasure from the Homeless ordinance that the council passed on a 5-0 vote.
Then there’s these two:
Mayor Tait: @AnaheimChamber is funded by city. One group that shouldn’t be funded by city gov’t is business community.
Mayor Tait: When a business group is funded by city. it becomes an “arm” of the council majority.
Tell that one to Beth Krom, Larry Agran and Suhkee Kang in Irvine. The Irvine Chamber is funded by a combination of member dues and a hotel bed tax collected by the city yet this Chamber never lifted a finger to help that council majority. Case in point: Chuck DeVore and John Campbell were named “Legislators of the Year” by the Irvine Chamber for basically voting “no” on everything. Tait is mistaken about the Chamber’s role. But that all said, the Chamber of Commerce’s core tasks are economic development and job creation, and for some, the context has to be “Is Tait actually against any sort of city investment in economic development?” Because that’s what it sure sounds like.
Matt Cunningham wrote a post that offended a lot of people. He has since apologized. There were calls by union leaders to have Todd Spitzer fire Cunningham from his county commission seat. Cunningham resigns. There are calls to have OCTA and the Anaheim Chamber sever their ties with Cunningham’s firm by some of the loudest critics. The OCTA placed one contract on hold and won’t renew another. Now there’s a candlelight vigil lead by Julio Perez for Monday night. Is it really a vigil or is he gathering 10 people to light torches and march on Cunningham’s residence? I’m waiting for calls for an angry mob drag him from his home and hang him from the nearest tree.
I’d be very interested to see how many people actually come out for this vigil. What I’d be more interested in seeing is a single Latino candidate emerge for City Council or Mayor. Gail Eastman is running. Tom Tait is running. Lucille Kring is running. Lorrie Galloway is running. Kris Murray is running. Everyone save Galloway has held a fundraiser. Council districting is an eventuality in Anaheim. Where are the Latino candidates emerging to give voice to 54 percent of the population? So who’s going to challenge Eastman? Who’s challenging Murray? Step up to the plate and take your swings please. Redistricting means nothing if candidates don’t step forward?
You have to love that no matter how many times representatives of the Anaheim Chamber and Cunningham state the chamber has nothing to do with the blog nor is Cunningham “paid to blog,” critics refuse to believe it and demand proof. This blog is pro-union, with the exception of ill-timed statements on primary night over one too many Coronas by one union official now gone and our publisher is a union representative on the county’s retirement board. The OCEA, the OC Labor Feb and the Trade Unions do not financially support us (I wish they did). But I can’t prove that to anyone because I don’t have access to our bank accounts and if I did, I wouldn’t share any contractual information with anyone. Care to guess where most of this blog’s financial support comes from?
Jason Young asked me in comments to another post to ask Cunningham directly if he’s paid to blog. I have. Cunningham told me he isn’t. Cuningham and I will never agree, but I have never known him to lie to me. I then asked Young who pays him to blog. Crickets…..
We’re all human and we all make mistakes. I am reminded time and again via phone calls not to mention certain facts least they hurt someone’s feelings.
Perez, a candidate for assembly, was derailed when details emerged about lawsuits filed against him for non payment of credit card bills. it was debt incurred for paying for a relative’s medical expenses. Probably the most expensive debt one can take on. I don’t know if he ever sat down with a banker to discuss a personal loan that carries a lower interest rate. And after assuming the debt, didn’t pay. He now leads OC’s Labor Fed and is undergoing a candlelight vigil as part of Labor’s social justice efforts.
Jason Young of “Save Anaheim” tracks Facebook likes, provides the contact information of various members of the Anaheim Chamber as a public service; wonder if he tells his new clients about his 2004 arrest for second degree burglary, identity theft, and fraudulent use of an access card, for which he’s since paid his debt to society. Would you hand your credit card over to him for payment of a service?
Vern Nelson of OJ, one of OC’s most talented pianists, has been a guest of the county too; but humming a few bars, drinking in bars, and spending time behind bars didn’t stop him from playing piano for Mayor Tait’s Monday fundraiser. An in-kind contribution by Nelson to the Mayor or a paid gig? I don’t know. But what I do know is mentioning this is going to get me several phone calls asking me not to bring this up. How many of these calls are going to be asking Nelson if he’s getting help for his problem.
Gustavo Arellano of OC Weekly missed a promised speaking engagement at a college commencement and continues to apologize for it. That’s good. He also continues to appear on an Internet radio show hosted by a batterer who regular maligns women. He’s the editor-in-chief of a publication that derives income from advertisements for strip clubs, massage parlors, phone sex and escort services. So degradation of women is A-OK. I can’t wait until he’s a father of a daughter. It changes how you think. I sure hope it changes him.
William Fitzgerald uses his three minutes of free speech for anti-Semitism, homophobia and outrageous anti-feminist commentary; he’s part of Team Tait’s email chain to promote blog post talking points. It appears his organization has no members, no board of directors, and that all hate speech uttered is directly from him.
Greg Diamond, a DPOC officer and Tait cheerleader, makes Republicans cringe with every endorsement of Tait’s “Democratic Values” which include signing on a ballot measure to hurt public employee union pensions and failing to call out those who commit acts of downright unkindness. Greg’s last couple of OJ posts which use cheesecake photos of “Canadian” models and a presented defense of what to say if you’re busted by police while engaging in an act of prostitution make me wonder if he needs to spend more time at home with his wife. And Diamond expresses no shame for his puppet show in front of the council (which still makes a number of Democratic Party members cringe when referencing it) because everyone knows the way to get a council to listen to and consider your position strongly is to belittle them. While I was pleased Diamond called for the appointment of Jordan Brandman to serve as Mayor Pro Tem, I don’t believe there was an ounce of sincerity in that motion other than to satisfy those in the DPOC critical of Diamond’s devotion to Tait.
Now Cynthia Ward is part of this crew. I have enormous respect for Cynthia. I consider her a friend. My gripes with anything Cynthia has to say are done via a phone call. It’s civil. We hear the tone and inflection of our words. We agree on a number of things and disagree on others. But I’m not airing those here. If I want to complain about something Cynthia said, I call her and we talk it out. Cynthia is the closest one to adhering to Tait’s call for kindness.
Then, there are frequent commenters Dave Zenger, a fired Shawn Nelson aide suing the county for a six figure job or a million dollar payday. Paul Lucas, a failed candidate for Garden Grove city council and state assembly, who laments against “people like Cunningham” while having issues of his own. Art Pedroza just chimed in to criticize the Voice of OC for adding Cunningham to their editorial board. A fascinating collection of folks to say the least.
This is Team Tait.
Does he encourage their actions? Does he encourage their tactics? Does he approve of how they have conducted themselves? We don’t know because he doesn’t say anything. He seems to lack the ability to speak off he cuff. The “I wish you weren’t such a jerk,” comment to Fitzgerald is as close as Tait has come.
And I’m told the person who sits next to Diamond at the council meetings is Tait’s wife which again lends credence to my position that when it comes to leading by example on the “Year of Kindess,” Tait’s failed miserably. Since that February 2013 address, Tait has said precious little about kindness in Anaheim. So Voters will have a change to elect someone in the Kindness Business with Eli Home’s Lorri Galloway. The kindness her team at the Eli Home shows to abused children every day is part of her DNA.
The AnaheimBlog teddy bear post and reaction is the punctuation on the year of unkindness in Anaheim. A new year awaits everyone and with in a new chance.
There are no angels here. No one. We all have flaws. We all make mistakes. We learn from them. They humble us. The only Angels you’re going to find in Anaheim past the age of 5 play baseball in a stadium near the 57 Freeway.
Thanks Dan, you just reinforced my suspicion that OCEA is working in lock-step with Pringle and the Chamber. You and Cunningham… Road maps through the kleptocracy. I wonder how the constituents of AD-65 will feel about that…. Didn’t the sitting incumbent ride into office on Disney money?
God bless and Merry Christmas! Keep it up in 2014!
Daniel,
OCEA works for the employees it represents, Period. I also cannot see where the actions taken by OCEA on behalf of public employees, and social justice issues, could be interpreted as working for the Chamber or Pringle.
Daniel, as you now blog for Mr. Pedroza, I’m sure you are getting all sorts of lessons in how to be unkind. Merry Christmas to you.
Where does the funding for this blog come from? And you end with saying there are no angels here but leave out your own quirks? Care to share any?
With your affinity for Matt Cunningham, and your throwing a jacket on Vern and others for their affinity for Tait, it would appear that you are trying to compare Tokyo Rose to Axis Sally. That’s just weird.
Tait’s elected; Matt isn’t.
To the best of my recollection, I have sat next to Tom Tait’s wife Julie at an Anaheim City Council meeting either once or never — and certainly not consistently. (I may have done so briefly months ago without recalling it now, because I tend to move around a lot during meetings.) That’s a weird charge to make –I wonder who fed that to Dan and whether they did so just to see how gullible he is. I sometimes spend some of a meeting next to Brian Chuchua; for Dan’s benefit, he’s considerably heavier than Julie Tate, among other differences.
Insinuating that I likely have of a history of patronizing prostitutes (which I think is a fair reading of Dan’s statement) because I am happy that our northern sibling has adopted a “harm reduction” approach to prostitution is weird, tasteless, and smacks of desperately defensive projection. I am quite happy to have made common cause with prostitutes’ rights groups at times in political forums, such as favoring their right to collect from the Victim’s Compensation fund upon being raped, but that is not itself a sexual act.
I suppose that I’m prepared to discuss intimate aspects of my past, if Dan’s really THAT interested in them, but I’m not going to do so unilaterally. I can make a list of people who would need to join me in making such gratuitous and pointless disclosure — but Dan’s really not gonna like it!
Not my information Greg. Brian Chuchua, that Lincoln Club backed candidate for council who lost. Glad to see a party official engaging with our friends at the Lincoln Club.
I am not insinuating you have a history of patronizing prostitutes at all; you must be projecting. I fail to see what changes in the law regarding prostitution have to do with political blogging in Orange County.
And you’re right. I’m not really interested in your past or your list.
I had a 4X t-shirt sent to Sean Mill once as a gag. That’s it. Would you like a list of my speeding tickets over the last 35 years?
In an odd way, I admire your reality-bending determination to deny that there’s any sort of insinuation there, but if that’s your story, that’s fine with me.
You also apparently fail to see that my (and others’) writing at Orange Juice Blog covers ground going well beyond merely “political blogging in Orange County.” And yet, because we publish more, we probably cover more on that topic than you do here.
I really like this exchange, though:
I suppose that “intimacy” means different things to different people. Happy holidays, Dan.
Greg, the latter part of that conversation was directed at Henry, not you.
“You also apparently fail to see that my (and others’) writing at Orange Juice Blog covers ground going well beyond merely “political blogging in Orange County.” And yet, because we publish more, we probably cover more on that topic than you do here.”
Chris and I both have full time jobs; you appear to be part-time at best and is Vern full-time? Knock yourself out and cover bellybutton lint. This blog does just fine with the time we can devote to it.
Im sorry was that your response to my questions and comments about Tokyo rose and axis sally?
Henry — sorry to disappoint but I don’t believe either of those examples apply
Ok so how is your Conservative Republican better or less bad than Verns Conservative Republican. You are very light handed with Matt Cunningham over the teddy bear flap, basically giving him a pass with a tepid apology. Where as you malign Tait as a very c9onservative Republican with examples of the usual Republican traits like unions and spending etc. But Tait is taking stances on issues that are in line with keeping the publics interest paramount. Mainly the Angels Stadium deal. Ive read your posts about that and I can clearly see that Anaheim residents are being robbed blind. And a faux Dem in Brandman is helping that robbery along.
So even though Matt Cuningham is not elected, ceteris peribus, Tait appears to be more of a Democratic leader than any Republican in this County on a City Council. Where as Matt from what I read on Voice of OC is busy feeding at the trough with make work projects for a kings ransom. Multiple times for multiple agencies and city councils. He is able to do this by his influence on those elected officials.
So even though Matt Cuningham is not an elected official, it is obvious he has more input influence and sway over what happens in a number of cities in OC not just Anaheim. Its like hes a super-elected.
So I don’t see the fact that hes not elected as a valid excuse.
The post is about Tom Tait’s inability to have his actions follow his words on the Year of Kindness. It’s not about Matt.
I do hope that Anaheim’s Latino community will use this outrage to produce some candidates for city council. So far, none have stepped forward.
While certainly out of touch, childish and downright STUPID as Cunningham’s actions were. I find the enterance of Julio Perez to be “Spitzer” like in it’s sincerity.
Julio, has proved to be little more than a immature follower of what his handlers say. Since he came home with a college diploma or two, the LABOR Democrats think this makes him viable. NOT TRUE.
He appears to be irresponsible, dishonest and most of all opportunistic at the expense of who he is supposed to be representing.
This proves Matt Cunningham’s point brilliantly. This is political theatre. Nothing more.
After seeing many posts receive the dismissive metaphor of “apples and oranges”, all I find here is a basket of lemons, LARGE basket, SMALL fruit. I hope that after a safe, enjoyable holiday, you enter 2014 with a better view of life and those around you than you are leaving 2013 with.
Wow, Dan: you have gone into Bloviator territory for good. Bitching about Anaheim’s Latino electorate? Claiming a vigil is actually a lynch mob? Way to get more Latinos to vote Democrat—I’m sure your words will do wonders for Lorri Galloway’s campaign. And, by the way, you can trash Leykis and the Weekly all you want, but none of us outed the names of sex-abuse victims or supported a pedophile protector—that’s your pal, who’ve you’ve decided to stick by, thereby condemning you to perpetual risibility.
I fail to see any “bitching” about Anaheim’s Latino electorate. I await great candidates to emerge for council.
Ask your wife beating friend if he prefers to strike with an open hand or a closed fist and how many punches or slaps until he’s finished. I’ll also remind you that you thought Pedroza’s linking to NAMBLA was a joke. You have an interesting sense of humor.
Dan, To clarify, I am an elected member of the Orange County Employee’s Retirement System Board of Trustees representing active employee members of the pension plans that are part of our system. I am not a “union” representative to the system.
Noted
I just want to make sure there is no confusion here. I do NOT associate myself with Dan’s commentary in his post above. While he is entitled to his opinions, he is also entitled to be wrong. In my opinion, that is the case with much of his commentary today.
That’s your opinion
Chris: Despite my problems with your posts over the years, you have at least been relatively measured in your writings, especially more so in the past year. Dan, on the other hand, is going the opposite way, becoming as petulant a blowhard as the Bloviator. Something to think about…
So, all of the members of “Team Tait” are racists, drunks, thieves, idiots, and cowards? If this is how a member of “Team Lorri” thinks, I’m having a hard time seeing how she’s going to be The Holy One who brings unity and cooperation to Anaheim.
It’s odd how those who claim to be most concerned about the sanctity of Anaheim’s “Year of Kindness” — Dan and Matt — consistently manage to produce some of the most vitriolic single-serve blog posts out there. Are you nostalgic for the days of your ‘blog war’ with Art Pedroza, Dan, and hoping that someone will take you on in a rematch?
This is about Taits inability to be kind? Surely you jest?! It looks a lot more like a trail of red herrings to run cover for Matt Cunningham. and his huge boner of a move with the Teddy Bear by casting some doubt in Taits inability to be kind by pointing out perceived gaffs by Cunningham Critics.
Nothing like reading a white liberal from Irvine openly muse about a candlelight vigil called by Mexicans offended by Mexi mocking turning into a pitchfork lynch mob with a little ‘why aren’t you Latinos running for office’ added on as a paternalistic bonus.
No wonder you and Matty get along so swell.
Matt and I rarely see each other and don’t talk nearly as often as you think. But enlighten me; what’s the best way to prevent young men from joining gangs? What is your solution to gang violence?
Hear hear. Or is it here here? Either way this post is an obvious attempt to run interference and provide comfort and aide to Matt Cunningham. The weird thing is why would a self professed Liberal from Irvine do such a thing for a super-elected (appointed) conservative in the form of Matt Cunningham. Are you an a member of the Democratic Party Dan? If so, why isn’t the Party coming down on you? Is this how the Democratic Part views this incident? If so what is the point of having a Democratic Party in orange County of this is the Liberal view of events in Anaheim?
It’s not. It’s about the Mayor failing to lead on a promise of making this the year of kindness. Unlike Greg Diamond, I am not an officer in the DPOC. I hold no elective office nor appointed position. I am simply a Democrat. And not every Democrat agrees on everything.
I think the saddest part of the Cunningham Affair is the total disproportionate outrage compared to the crime.
Cynthia Ward says horrible, and sometimes inaccurate, things in her comments and blogs all the time. I don’t see Sup Nelson calling her an attack blogger and demanding she be removed from her County appointed graveyard seat.
Jason Young is an outright liar and slanderer and Tait still affiliates with him as well.
Diamond speaks out again and again about an elected Dem and no one removes him from DPOC leadership.
Cunningham made a mistake, and apologized nearly immediately and yet, the vitirol is going far beyond anything I’ve ever seen. Going after a man’s livelihood and working to get him thrown off contracts? Beyond the Pale.
Not one of the above ever apologizes for their rantings or behavior. At least the Council majority, with the exception of Kring maybe, have tried to rebuild bridges and be respectful. Even when they disagree. And the last 2-3 meetings Tait has tried too – although his ouster of Eastman from OCTA destroyed much of what had been gained for its sheer pettiness.
The Year of Kindness was a charade of epic proportions. It allowed Tait to wear the veneer of sainthood while all the time fanning the flames of hatred through his cabal of bloggers, union-funded journalists and sadly misguided acoloytes.
I wish Lou Correa would run for Mayor.
Dan,
You are obviously joking. This is tantamount to a twinkie defense. Why don’t we hear about that old canard of compassionate conservatism, trickle down economics, tax breaks for the wealthy actually benefitting the public and poor alike (Angels Stadium?). I think the democratic party should probably look into clearly articulating that you and your blog “Liberal OC” do not in any way reflect the thoughts and views of the Democratic Party or even Democrats at all.
I realize you try to cover yourself by saying youre not a party official or what ever the heck, but are we to assume that the average casual observer will not immediately associate a blog called “The Liberal OC” is not somehow connected to the Democratic Party? As equally as any casual observer would obviously see Matt Cunningham as being associated with the Chamber of Commerce or the Republican Part and their thought processes and patterns?
Im not a politically connected person at all. And even I can see that you are deeply involved in the party (by asking Diamond to remove himself time and again) and your association with multiple Democratic Elected officials and candidates.
You are obviously involved in the party, and campaigns no matter how little you are actually connected by way of position or what not. Just as equally as Matt Cunningham is involved in the party and candidates etc.
Should we be looking to have the Democratic Party publicly distance themselves from you and your blog?
Do you have Greg Diamonds phone number so I can call him and ask this question directly? I don’t know anyone in the local democratic party. I get email updates from The Governor but I don’t think that gives me enough latitude to call him up and ask this question.
GREG DIAMOND of you see this can you get in touch with me here.
Its not easy to take seriously someone who tries to twist criticism away from a blatant insensitive racist in Cunningham’s mocking of a cultural tradition to honor the dead by someone who uses a fake name.
Of course you want Lou Correa to run for Mayor. Lou Correa is the GOPs favorite Tio Tomas.
Seriously Mr Cunningham try to cover your alter egos a little better. Or maybe try using Jubal again. Most people have forgotten about that one.
Awesome: Now Matty’s peanut gallery is coming here to find solace under Dan’s blatherings. Nice to see your anonymous ass carry water for someone who ruined the lives of sex-abuse by outing their names—and yet you have the temerity to whine that Matty’s an undeserved victim? Pathetic…but what else do we expect from Matty’s friends?
Don’t you cheerlead “anonymous ass” commenters who agree with you?
Spare us your crocodile tears, Dan. You can give a flying flip about gang violence, and your question is just a red herring to keep people away from continuing to pummel your defense of your self-professed friend. And if you knew anything about Anaheim (which you don’t other than what Matty tells you), you’d know Gabriel has long worked with young folks toward a better life, both in Anacrime and SanTana. You? Trying to get coverage for Millionaire Matchmaker.
Actually, I do care about preventing gang violence. I believe the best prevention comes in the form of good education, access to recreation and creative arts, team sports, and active and involved participation in a kid’s life by parents, teachers, coaches and community volunteers. It really does take a village. Delighted GSR is so involved.
a project PR account from 2009; I’m touched you remember.
Dan – compare the IP address of Matt C. and Anaheim Avenger. I have a suspicion they might be one in the same.
To answer your previous question, I do not get paid to write for Save Anaheim and nobody put me up to it. I started it out of frustrations with the council majority.
Witch hunting Jason? The IP addresses don’t match. Can I get the IP addresses of commenters on your site now too?
Matt’s writing style doesn’t match that of Anaheim Avenger’s.
Jason — I’m going to give you a taste of your own medicine here and say, I don’t believe you. Someone must paying you to shill for Tait. Of course I have no proof but that it has to be the only explanation. After all, no proof of a contract with Cunningham and the Chamber for the operation of Anaheim Blog doesn’t stop you from insisting this isn’t true. Greg Diamond recently accused my business of benefitting from a pro-business Democratic position so of I course I must be getting paid. Pringle’s not writing me checks but I’m accused of getting them. So thanks for answering the question Jason, but I don’t believe you. Someone is paying you. Someone is funding CATER. Because I can’t prove it doesn’t make it so. How do you like them apples?
Merry Christmas to you, Dan and Chris, (Chris not being involved in this rebuttal, only in the greeting and well wishes)
While Dan is generally better than most of us scatterbrained bloggers in at least grouping arguments together into a basic outline form that makes sense, I am sorry to say you missed it (badly) here.
By your logic, Matt Cunningham may accept payment to promote the policies of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce and its members, but any connection to a blog that promotes the views generally held by the Chamber is purely coincidental.
By the way, Matt’s appalling lack of judgment would likely have been forgiven, had a heartfelt apology been offered, AND if this was an isolated incident out of character for the website and clearly not representative of the body of work there. This is not the case, as you know, many of us have been offended and angry about the personal nature of attacks posted there since the website went live over a year ago. Dan you say Tait is elected, Matt is not, but the mothers of those dead young men did not send in an application to participate in any of this, and would much prefer to not be in the limelight that speaking on behalf of their sons has left them in. Vicious things are said on that blog, and the comments left in place by the moderator who approves them, while objections to those comments get deleted, indicating unspoken yet implied approval of the racist, mean-spirited emotional knifings. The teddy bear incident was just icing on the cake, showing Matt Cunningham not only permits the attacks on grieving families, he will mock them as the basis for some sick excuse for humor. It is the longstanding environment of hate, and the Chamber of Commerce’s failure to corral their public affairs consultant, leading to this final insult, that has become too much damage for one semi-apology. That Matt has followed the non-apology with a rebuttal that he ONLY offended “two women” as though the emotions of those two women (already bearing more pain than any mother should ever endure) is somehow negligible, or mere collateral damage to be factored into the war against lefties who are working to change the environment leading to the shootings to begin with. Actually Dan, that post should have offended YOU! Are you not a self-described Liberal committed to the causes of your left-leaning brethren, which include what Liberals themselves have characterized as “racially motivated shootings?” For that matter where is Galloway on this? She has never been shy about jumping n front of a TV camera before….
If one takes out the emotion out of the discussion and simply looks at Matt’s “digging the hole deeper” reaction to the storm he created, you could easily make the case for pulling his public affairs contracts based on his work product revealing him to be the WORST CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST EVER in the history of public communication professionals, and thus not worthy of a taxpayer funded paycheck.
No discussion of AnaheimBlog is complete without including the extreme racism of James Robert Reade, who is offered a venue for his hatred just as Matt’s mentor (and current co-worker on two projects they are doing together right now) Curt Pringle, said NOT A WORD against Reade’s racist City Council meanderings during the previous Mayoral administration. Indeed, as you criticize Mayor Tait for not doing enough, can we address those leaders who have done NOTHING? Your pal Lorri sat stoically for years, while Reade went off on Latinos, including the now-infamous Great Bonono Monkey speech, which did not elicit a single rebuttal from Galloway.
Thus your conclusion that Mayor Tait fails to lead because as the only leader in the last decade to speak out in any form against this type of speech, he failed to say ENOUGH? Are you really dropping that logic bomb on your readers, Dan?
On the flip side of this odd mathematical equation, you claim that because people you do not like nor agree with support Mayor Tom Tait, then Tait is therefore tarred with the same brush. Of course you have failed to offer a single instance of Tait actually directing bloggers/friends in any manner or even feeding us information. So where is the smoking gun that proves the premise that Tait has failed to lead because you do not like his friends? And how can Tait be held responsible for those he has not paid, but who have found someone to cheer on in our common goal of extracting the jackboot of Curt Pringle’s brand of crony capitalism from off the defeated carcass of Anaheim, while excusing the paid connections between Matt Cunningham and his employers as irrelevant to the discussion?
The post is about Tom Tait’s inability to have his actions follow his words on the Year of Kindness. It’s not about Matt.
I do hope that Anaheim’s Latino community will use this outrage to produce some candidates for city council. So far, none have stepped forward.
Dan, Tom Tait is not responsible for providing you with a list of candidates to cheer on from your home in Irvine. I would be surprised if he was not out there offering encouragement to any viable, truly conservative potential candidate regardless of background, simply because he is passionate about getting citizens involved in our community, even if at times it means helping someone with opposite political views find their way into leadership, (like the many years he supported Lorri Galloway despite extreme pressure, only to be knifed by her) his goal is to get them involved in OUR common government. Ironically you spend a geat deal of time lately propping up those whose stranglehold on leadership is theirs to do with as they please, and anyone climbing the ladder must be kicked down, as hard as possible using tools like Cunnigham to make it clear that Hellfire awaits anyone brazen enough to challenge their God given authority in this town. Yet you wonder why nobody is stepping up to volunteer for that abuse just yet.
As sad as it is right now, Mat Cunningham is receiving the results his work is due, he needs to be held accountable, as does the Chamber’s Todd Ament, who has looked the other way for over a year while the public affairs consultant he hired has abused the constituents he was hired to communicate with. Holding others accountable is not the same as being unkind, any more than we concern ourselves with being unkind to a mugger we are trying to pry off a grandmother in the park, if he gets hurt so be it, our concern is for the victim, not the assailant.
I am sorry that you are choosing this path of covering for Cunningham, while attacking the decent moral compass of a Mayor I happen to admire. But as Chris Prevatt has offered, Dan is entitled to his opinion, and he is entitled to be wrong.
“By your logic, Matt Cunningham may accept payment to promote the policies of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce and its members, but any connection to a blog that promotes the views generally held by the Chamber is purely coincidental.”
Yes.
“This is not the case, as you know, many of us have been offended and angry about the personal nature of attacks posted there since the website went live over a year ago.”
Glass houses Cynthia. Do you read the anonymous comments, hate messages and attacks on OJ?
“Actually Dan, that post should have offended YOU! Are you not a self-described Liberal committed to the causes of your left-leaning brethren, which include what Liberals themselves have characterized as “racially motivated shootings?” For that matter where is Galloway on this? She has never been shy about jumping n front of a TV camera before….”
I didn’t see the full post and have read it in fits and starts. I have read one of the police reports on the case and it looks like one of the young men killed shot at police after coming out of a stolen car, so I doubt the cops considered race in returning fire. I haven’t found the other report yet. As far as Galloway goes, I wouldn’t be surprised if she attends the vigil tonight. But she’s very busy taking care of the Christmas needs of the abused children the Eli Home supports.
“Dan, Tom Tait is not responsible for providing you with a list of candidates to cheer on from your home in Irvine”
I haven’t asked Tait for a list. I would love to see some Latino candidates emerge.
” I would be surprised if he was not out there offering encouragement to any viable, truly conservative potential candidate regardless of background, simply because he is passionate about getting citizens involved in our community, even if at times it means helping someone with opposite political views find their way into leadership, (like the many years he supported Lorri Galloway despite extreme pressure, only to be knifed by her) his goal is to get them involved in OUR common government.”
Actually Cynthia, this isn’t true. Tom wants people who agree with him only. He refused to compromise on anything and its his way or the highway which is why he is the only Republican mayor with a Republican majority in Orange County who won’t follow his lead. Take off your Tait-colored glasses and realize he does not match rhetoric with action.
Cynthia, I forgot to add you offer no defense for the inclusion of William Fitzgerald in the group of Tait supporters. Since the Homeless Ordinance passed on a 5-0 vote and we take Fitzgerald’s comments directed at the women on the council, can we also assume that Mayor Tait and Jordan Brandman achieved a measure of sexual pleasure from the ordinance? That’s a pretty offensive thought and yet the things that come from Fitzgerald’s mouth are virtually excused by the team of Pro-Tait supporters as “yeah, he’s a little nutty sometimes….”
wow, lots to cover. This blog is nearly 8 years old and everyone knows it is not officially affiliated with the DPOC. I’m proud of my friendships with those in the DPOC.
I see no reason for them to distance themselves from anything I write.
I am only a member of the party and I write checks to candidates I like and support. As a member of the party, I can express displeasure in the actions of party leadership. That is my right as a member.
Yes I have Greg Diamond’s phone number and no, I won’t give it to you. He is easy enough to reach.
Chuchua informs me that the Lincoln Club did not endorse him in 2012. It endorsed Lucille Kring.
Nice job of trolling, by the way. You go to war with the troops you have….
what about 2010 and 2008?
Stop already with the crush on me, Gustavo. People are starting to talk.
Henry Lipton, if you go to the Orange Juice Blog and look at the ads on the right sidebar, you’ll find a black and white ad that lists a number for me.
Thank you. Dope.
Straight from the king of measured writing, never perceived as a blowhard. Something to think about…
“Virtually excused”? Seems like someone didn’t listen to my speech to the Council during public comments.
Provided as a public service: Gentlemen in question has a particular theory as to refer to public awareness, which is often criticized on the merits by the same people you are attacking here – more than can be said for most of the criticism kierunkuexecrable named Mr. Reade.
You know, I just have such a hard time finding a way to speak Dan’s language.
Provided as a public service: I fail to see the point of the author’s message. The concept of kindness is almost universal to that of the human race. Using it as a blunt instrument to inflict pain on one’s political enemies is not only a breech of kindness in itself, but also an attack against the season of Christmas. One would expect that the author of this piece takes appropriate period of reflection to consider their actions. Perhaps a firm lump of coal inhis his stocking on Christmas should be the appropriate prompt for his conscience to begin work.
Provided as a public service: This video news source. Those who sympathize with our human, almost to the concept. It’s a pain the hurt of not only the interests of the State as an instrument of true to his mercy from himself, but from the time of an attack on the nativity. One would hope the author of this is the consideration of an appropriate time to consider the relation to action. If a firm rock for a stocking upon the coals thereof in the day of Christmas Eve, as is fitting, to get started with prompt, for his conscience is.
Provided as a public service: A friend of mine has a rational trees from the city, colleges such as this. I really scores is allowed to be in an intelligible manner useless, so the extremes of more time to proceed, if from this passage, that we might be free to grow strong from the interpretation of silicon. The traditions of that mourning is the right of someone else should also let any man ‘- more, and our city of angels, the angels of the angels, the most beautiful city in the city – the other manner than as an offense against the laws of religion. In fact, is it counted against a stranger, there is but one rascal to do with them is, I confess, that even so there may be, the few, for the had commanded.
Anaheim Avenger, you can try drumming up support for Lou Correa’s run for Mayor of Anaheim, but you will have to start with convincing his wife to leave the home they bought in Flora;l Park, and the kitchen I understand they are or just finished renovating. Hard to part a woman with her dream house and the cabinets she just waited 8 weeks for delivery on.
As far as my blog posts, I go after elected leaders, and I go after them because at my most generous I believe they have been so badly misled that they are unable to govern effectively, and are bankrupting our city. On my less charitable days I think we have some flat-out crooks and liars in office who are robbing the people of Anaheim blind and funneling the money to their special friends, so no i do not feel any moral obligation to worry about hurting their feelings., But Avenger, I am always open to learning new things and when I have been proven wrong I am the first to apologize, so you go ahead and give examples of posts I have written in error, and provide the correct information (with source materials) and I will gladly correct anything I have ever written.
“….so no i do not feel any moral obligation to worry about hurting their feelings.”
But Cynthia, it’s the Year of Kindness. WWTTD (what would Tom Tait do?)
I’d like to thank most everyone for the signed confession that the Year of Kindness was anything but kind; I also understand only 20 people showed up for the vigil tonight which is competing with a toy giveaway
That manipulation of my posts “as a public service” certainly does not reflect what I wrote. Ryan, does the “revision” of your two posts render, in English, what you wrote? How sad to see editorial violence done to one’s comments.
I was 20 minutes late; than 60 people were already there. (I have video of it.) More kept arriving; all told about 75 people. That Included Lorri Galloway and Joanne Sosa (and Joanne spoke eloquently at a couple of points), who apparently had a less negative opinion of the event than was expressed here.
“A” for effort. “F” for torturing my artistic flair. “C” average. Perhaps I should have gone with Slovac, but mine is a little rusty.
Larger point being, what a shame to use an individual’s mistake and lack of kindness as an excuse to dish out more unkindness to point out someone else’s flaws, all the while accusing another of being unkind. Wrapping it up with a bit of kumbaya “we’re all human” sorta takes the cake on the whole rant. Toss in some accusatory generalizations and over simplifications of an already stereotyped ethnic community and *poof*, blog soup.
That’s about as gibirish-y as one can get. I guess I thought Esperanto was appropriate.
Greg,
I edited the incomprehensible content from your comment and Ryan’s. I honestly thought our system had been hacked. Sorry for my confusion, it looked like a hack attack from my perspective.
A poor attempt at humor
How many from Anaheim. And 75 people of 180,000 Latinos is .0004 percent.
I hear it was 30 and no more than 60. The 20 head count was accurate around 6pm for the start.
Lori Galloway was there. Does she count?
Geez you’re a dope.
Dave, since when did anything Lorrie Galloway did matter to you?
You never shared where the majority of funding for your blog comes from Dan. And you also forgot to share some of your flaws.
The blog is funded via ads and me. As fair as my flaws go, just ask Gustavo, Diamond, Nelson and Cantor. I’m sure they have much to say on the matter. Then ask me if I care.
Hey are you the actual editor publisher of this blog? As far as I can tell its pretty much Dans blog. I hardly see you posting anything and you give this guy Dan free reign o spout off as much vile material as possible? Whats wrong with you. Is this condoned by the OCEA? Arent you afraid of this blowing back on you and your union?
I am the managing editor; Chris writes what he wants and I write what I want. Sometimes we disagree
Henry,
Dan and I are co-owners of this blog. As he stated, he writes what he wants and I write what I want. We do disagree from time to time. OCEA has no relationship with this blog and has no responsibility for its content.
What did you direct at me? I missed that can you restate what you directed at me?
I disagreed with your comparison of Toyko Rose….didn’t work for me
Ok, so you just put up post about some guy named Ira Glasky. A Republican appointed to school board who is being forced into a special election by none other than Larry Agran. Yet, you continue to malign folk for supporting Tom Tait in Anaheim. Residents of Anaheim you are maligning them for this? And yet you posted an earlier post a few days ago about Glasky.
And I se now that my comments are to be moderated before you publish them? You are a confusing guy Dan. You claim to be a Democrat, but you support a Republican in Irvine for school board? Ive never seen a Republican on any school board not do their damnedest to do as much damage as possible.
I don’t know this Glasky guy so I cant comment on him. But you support this guy Jordan Brandman, clearly a DINO. And you malign folk for supporting Tom Tait clearly a moderate Republican in Anaheim. What gives? Are you a DINO too?
Larry Agran isn’t behind the special election though he does support it. I am against the special election because of the cost especially when the November election is less than a year away. I have nothing to do with moderating your comments. Glasky is a moderate Republican and as pro-education as they come. Tait is nearly a Tea Part conservative. Apples and oranges.
Ha! That’s right. Dan C trashes the peaceful vigil that Lorri Galloway herself felt it important to show up to.
How you gonna deal with that one Dan?
Good for Lorrie. Was Tait there?
Dan there were at least 60 people at the vigil tonight, ask your pal Lorri who attended. Mayor Tait was already committed to attend the Posada on Anna Drive, he and Julie met with the new Chief Raul Quezada and his wife over there, some of us followed after the vigil.
We realized something today. Anaheim is on the verge of healing the wounds of her past, if idiots like Matt can resist the urge to keep tearing the scab off the wound, and squeezing lemon juice into it for good measure just to remind us all of how painful it has been.
The new Chief has busted his butt the last year to make promises for significant and meaningful change and then kept the promises made. We now have policies requiring the use of DARs, kids who see traumatizing violence can get help now, and the PDnow shows more respect for the dead by shielding the bodies from public view during the investigation. Complaint forms can be accessed online, where before you had to go to the window and often were escorted inside the partition to file a complaint (no intimidation there) even posting the policies themselves online is huge. People are willing to try trusting the new Chief and hope for a new relationship with the Department, as long as accountability continues to develop, but then Matt comes along and pokes at the scar tissue and opens it up again, often with the excuse that he is supporting law enforcement in some issue that has come up at City Hall. The reality is that while Matt “supports” the union position, he makes the work of rank and file officers harder, because he refuses to let the past go and help Anaheim move forward. I thought that was an interesting observation that came up during a sidebar conversation just as the vigil was ending.
Merry Christmas,and thank you to all who organized tonight’s vigil, this was an eclectic group of very diverse viewpoints, but we all share a common desire to get Anaheim healthy. Apparently before we can heal we have some cancer to remove first….
Now I have a headache – thanks Dan.
Vigil + Galloway = ATTACK TAIT
Screw up + kindness = ATTACK TAIT
Angel Baseball + Lease = ATTACK TAIT
1+1 = ATTACK TAIT
Hot Dog + Ketchup = ATTACK TAIT
Freeway + No Turn Signal = ATTACK TAIT
Dan + bad night on the crapper = ????
Come on, Dan. Not everything is an excuse to issue an assault.
BOOOOO! If you didn’t at least chuckle, then your Christmas spirit is seriously lacking.
Chris– you cost me $5. I had a bet Dan would translate it.
Tait was at Anna Drive’s posada dancing with chinelos at the invitation of Yesenia Rojas…you know, taking in some Mexican culture rather than mocking it like your friend Matty.
I went to a Mexican restaurant with friends from Colombia last Saturday: we stayed for a show from two bands. Mexican culture is part of life here in So Cal. But I’m sure you’ll praise Tait for going and Mock me for doing something similar. Merry Christmas GSR
Continuing to insult A VIGIL. Congrats on relegating yourself to the dustbin of OC’s bigots.
Bigots? Hmm, all those Latino, Chinese, Persian, Black, Jewish, Korean and Indian kids I’ve coached over the years and their families would disagree with you.
You do not focus much in this post about Tait himself in regards to Kindness. In fact you only point out how several people other than Tait are violating this so called year of kindness with snide hyperbolic distraction. In fact, your comparisons of others and their violation of no civic code by being “unkind” has nothing to do with Tait.
You want him to be some kind of superman with powers of mind control to stop others from chiming no with their opinions? That doesn’t sound like a Democratic value at all. And in no way can be controlled or stopped by Tait. So how is Tait supposed stop citizens of a city with 300 thousand plus residents supposed to have sway over the minds and voices of such a sizeable population?
You are reaching at the least and just demonstrating a series of red herrings to run cover for your pal Matt Cunningham.
Man you are something else Dan. If I were Lorri Galloway and or Ira Glasky I would be making public announcements distancing myself from you and your blog. I cannot see how you are being helpful to heir campaigns at all.
Gabriel, I saw when Yesenia pulled him into the group of Chinelos. THat was really cool to watch, I can tell the Mayor and his wife have a deep respect for the culture. It was great of him and Senator Lou Correa to hand out gifts to the children and interact with the neighbors of Anna Drive. By the way, I hear there was one other candidate there who seemed to have sneaked out of the event without so much as a goodbye to people, who could that have been?
Are those kids and their parents aware that you are supporting that unapologetic racist Matt Cunningham?
Matt isn’t racist and he has apologized
I was literally crying with laughter reading Dan’s mistranslations. You should have left up the originals.
Chris, sorry to have confused you. (But all of the translations were published in Dan’s big black bordered boxes, weren’t they?
Cynthia is right, so in that spirit I shall move along for now. Merry Christmas Eve.
Blame Google translate. My Polish is limited.
Matt’s later position was to claim that he had merely been making fun of what he said (and I’ll paraphrase) was the propensity of the Left to leverage tragedies in order to score political points. What do you think of that, Dan? Do you believe that that was his intent, with a Virgen de Guadalupe candle, the day after Theresa Smith’s vigil? Do you think that maybe another apology — or two — is in order?
(To honor his thesis, try to work the phrase “9/11” into your answer.)
Well, I make fun of the right all the time for using fear, uncertainty and doubt in their messages. Yes, there was a Virgen de Guadalupe candle and that was insensitive. He wasn’t aware of Theresa Smith’s vigil and I had no idea one was being held. I am going back to read over the reports of her son’s death.
There was also a Glade evergreen air freshener candle in the photo too — the green one. Should we be outraged over scented candles used as props? Heck, I’m outraged you used finger puppets to make a point.
Dan when you take aim at the Right you confine your critique to those who have put themselves out there for that kind of scrutiny. Matt has emotionally abused women whose only claim to a spotlight is the horrific distinction of choosing a casket for the sons they brought into this world, and that is not quite the same as the “fair game” of political figures. It is the height of cruelty to consider the imagery associated with grief and loss to be props for “satire” no matter what his intent. That callousness is akin to cracking jokes about child molestation or genocide, there simply isn’t a place for humor in some subjects, and society rightfully doles out consequences for those who step over that line. Matt is suffering some serious ego bruising to be certain, but nobody has threatened his life, or done physical harm to him, his pain is electronic, his pain is likely temporary, and his pain is frankly deserved. No genuine harm has been done to Matt, other than the financial consequence of having lost some lucrative employment, and honestly you cannot name one company who would allow their PR consultants to spend a year mocking, baiting and abusing their “target audience” while retaining that company. In an age when employers check Facebook pages for questionable content I would say Matt was given more leeway than would have been offered in the private sector, by far! Why should taxpayers be forced to fund his time when he uses it to abuse those taxpayers?
Dan, I won’t say anything about this again unless you bring it up anew after Christmas, I am tired of the subject, and want to move on to discussion of the good things that are changing in Anaheim, despite Matt’s best efforts to keep us mired in hostility as a diversionary tactic. I would ask you to please go back over your statements regarding this subject, remove yourself from the equation and look at it with the dispassionate view of a PR professional, then ask yourself how the private sector would handle their consultant…and ask yourself if you would defend someone so passionately if they had chosen to use imagery of the Holocaust or some other gruesome death memorial. Try to understand why I am getting calls and emails wanting to know why my friend Dan is being so offensive, by defending the indefensible, and perhaps reconsider your hurtful words please. None of those mothers deserved their pain and they do not deserve to have their grief mocked by Matt Cunningham or by you. That is the last I will share on this thread, because if you cannot understand that then there is no point in further discussion. Merry Christmas.
Dan Chmielewski – December 23, 2013 at 4:38 pm
“Provided as a public service: A friend of mine has a rational trees from the city, colleges such as this. I really scores is allowed to be in an intelligible manner useless, so the extremes of more time to proceed, if from this passage, that we might be free to grow strong from the interpretation of silicon. The traditions of that mourning is the right of someone else should also let any man ‘- more, and our city of angels, the angels of the angels, the most beautiful city in the city –”
Who can disagree with that? Well … mainly because it is unintelligible …
proof that Google translate doesn’t work well
County GOP Chairman Scott Baugh, who’s initiated Latino outreach efforts locally, also found the satire inappropriate but downplayed the significance of the controversy. Baugh noted his longtime relationship with Cunningham and his wife, Laura, who emigrated from Mexico as a child.
“Matt and Laura were instrumental in helping me understand the issues in the undocumented community,” Baugh said, noting that the consultant was one of the few outspoken Republican opponents to Prop. 187 at the time. “I don’t think at the core of Matt Cunningham there is any anti-Latino sentiment. He made a mistake, he owned it, and he apologized as soon as he could.”
Baugh’s support of Cunningham gains credibility when you consider how quick he’s been to condemn others in his party for perceived racism. That includes then-mayor of Los Alamitos Dean Grose, who in 2009 circulated an email depicting the White House lawn as a watermelon patch, and county GOP Central Committee member Marilyn Davenport, who in 2011 sent out an email portraying President Barack Obama as a chimp.
“In those situations, they were elected officials who dug in and didn’t want to admit they were wrong,” Baugh said.
From today’s OC Reg –