Orange Juice blogger Greg Diamond spent considerable time on a reply to an OC Weekly story about the OCYD #MeToo panel to suggest journalist Matt Coker do some journalism and consider several alterative facts in regards to a sexual harassment investigation against OC Labor Fed chief Julio Perez.
It’s kind of hard for Coker to follow up since Perez isn’t returning calls and no one is really talking. Diamond start’s his comment by doxing OCYD president Danielle Serbin’s employer making a subtle suggestion that her #metoo bombshell press release was issued in response to “anti-union” legal work her employer allegedly does. Classy of Greg, but not true as Serbin acted in her capacity as OCYD president with the approval of her board of directors.
I’ve blocked Diamond on social media but it doesn’t stop friends from forwarding me his crazy commentary and posts on a regular basis. Here’s what he wrote in response to Coker’s story without addressing the additional women who have come forward to accuse Perez of inappropriate actions or comments.
Here’s what Diamond wrote as the sole comment on the story (I had to retype and tried to type exactly including his typos). I’m impressed by his knowledge of porn and sexual practices, but his logic fails on so many levels:
If Danielle Serbin now devotes her efforts to uncovering sexual misconduct going back as many years at NAME OF EMPLOYER DELETED – the conservative Republican union-busting law firm at which she is an associate – I’ll be far more impressed and her bravery. Getting the whole real history on OCYD’s past would also be admirable. Otherwise we’re picking and choosing.
As for Julio, it’s hard to know what to make of the all the alleged newly uncovered allegations. I do vaguely recall him talking about discipline (of the non sexual variety) in the union movement, *the union* being one’s “master” whose interests one must serve faithfully. This would have been in the context of my critiquing (or, in his eyes, quibbling over?) some union stance with which I disagreed. In other words, they term conveyed the message that, even when he was not the one calling the shots, he was an operative who must stand in solidarity with those who do. That’s *completely consistent* with the text of the reported comment.
Coker here repeats a notion implying that he was informing the intern that she had now unwittingly entered into a “master/slave: relationship with him *personally*. This is *compatible* with the reported words as well – but that construction of them seems far-fetched. I saw Julio in lots of social and work situations with women, and I *never* recall seeing the sort of shows of dominance towards them that this would suggest. I can’t rule out that this was *intended* in a malicious way – or more likely that the intern could have taken a comment about fealty to the movement as one regarding sexual submissiveness, it’s just so extraordinarily weird that I’d expect such a kink to have been visible often and elsewhere.
As for “this is porn,” Coker doesn’t consider the obvious question: *what WAS on the CDs*? I get that Julio hasn’t returned his calls (perhaps on a lawyer’s – not me! – advice) but isn’t there eventually SOME journalistic responsibility to note was even the ALLEGED higher-order hearsay evidence SHOWS?
One possible scenario: Julio kept pornographic videos in his office and either coming on to this intern, along the lines of “go home and watch these tonight and contact me when you’re sexually aroused, or keep these in mind when tomorrow morning I take you into my broom closet.” I don’t want to pre-judge anything, but this seems like a REALLY bad pick-up line, especially for an intern he just met. If he really was inclined to try it once, presumably he had tried it multiple times on various women; that should have likely to come out by now. (That or he’d just be clonked hard on the head that day and was out of his mind.)
A second: he was just an idiot bully trying to torment her with, say, some old AOL disks as props. Possible, but I’d want some corroboration. He GOT that award because women liked and respected him.
A final possibility is that – maybe site down before reading on, Coker — *the word “Porn” is sometimes used in a metaphorical rather than literal sense*. Certain cooking shows or movies are sometimes described as “food porn”; some money flaunting/investment shows are “wealth porn.” What IS this metaphorical usage? It means roughly “something designed to appeal to the watcher’s animalistic instincts for gratification.”
What CDs might Julio have had in his office that he might call “porn”? How about anti-union videos produced by union-busting firms (at least some of which are in OC) to convince workers to reject unionization efforts by presenting them “enhanced” facts designed to appeal to their greed and (who knows, I don’t watch that stuff) perhaps an enjoyable angry sense of superiority. In other words, “porn” would be a *negatively* coded term there , for “this is something bad produced by bad people, so I may want you to watch it to see what we’re fighting against, but I’m warning you about it so you don’t get ‘turned on’ by it.”
Julio hasn’t been in contact with me directly or indirectly since this story broke, and I had no idea it was coming up, but – knowing Julio’s politics and his dry sense of humor, I’d certainly want to know from those around him *what CDs he kept in his office*, and from his interns what if any role they had n training. If they came in covers reading “How to Bust a Union in 3 Easy Lessons,” he might have presumed that the joke would be obvious. Regardless, he’d have been negligent there by not recognizing that a young intern might have essentially have gone into a blind panic at his words and not NOTICED that the CDs were NOT actually porn. That mistake would warrant employee counseling, but it would be the sort of thing that such counseling would likely fix – unlike the salacious inferences we’re here invited to make.
As a friend, I can’t pursue this credibly. But COKER could send a reporter – a woman, maybe? – to OCLF and its former employees to ask such questions. It’s WAY past time to do so. I DO take this VERY seriously Editor – now, YOUR turn!
So let’s accept all of Diamond’s explanations about Perez and assume each choice is true. What we have is the universal theme of “victim shaming” or “victim blaming.” Additionally, if any option is true, it demonstrates that Perez is a lousy communicator and a poor manager of people.
I’m somewhat heartened by Jennifer Muir Beuthin’s social media comments regarding the ongoing investigation. Muir Beuthin wrote:
“OCLF takes all matters involving sexual harassment very seriously. That’s why earlier this year we adopted a policy to handle allegations of discrimination and harassment. And it’s why the Board hired an independent attorney to investigate these allegations. As you know….it is critical that this process be conducted fairly and thoroughly, and that’s what we are doing. Please give everyone the space and time necessary to do this thoroughly and appropriately. We will let you know when we have more information to report.”
There are many that doubt OCLF will conduct a fair investigation; Perez is on leave and there are a number of concerns these accusations will be swept under the rug.
if the women accusing Perez or former DPOC Executive Director Erik Taylor really want the #metoo campaign to succeed, they need to come forward and share their stories with investigators. A social media post making an accusation only raises questions that need to be answered, and the answers are not likely found in the wild imagination of Greg Diamond, but the answers are needed for action to happen.
I love to watch OC dems shoot themsleves in the foot over…..and over…Tarvin? all in.
https://hbsledgehammer.com/2017/11/15/a-new-low-in-hb-politics-gina-clayton-tarvin-accuses-battered-wife-of-lying-from-the-dais/
It’s a circular firing squad Chuck.
Chuck, in your reporting, any truth to the rumors that Paul Lucas was with wifebeater Victor Valladares at the Seattle gay strip club the other night? Hard to tell from the video. I don’t think Katheryn Clark was there because I guess she was sort of his “beard.” Good thing she left her husband and kids for an alcoholic wifebeater, huh? Who also loves gay strip bars LMAO
Let me thank Ricardo Toro for the nice trip down memory lane with my client roster from about six years ago. A few of those clients have been long acquired and I’m working with some of them on their next start up. And I’m still working with most of them.
Nice attempt at Doxing Ricardo, but I’ll credit you with sloppy research and inaccurate reporting in a second. This is illegal. Have you ever seen your personal information on a public forum? Have you even seen your personal information “grayed out”? If you have, know that it is not only cowardly, but also illegal. There is a name for it: doxing. Doxing (spelling variant Doxxing) is an abbreviation of document tracing, the Internet-based practice of researching and publishing personally identifiable information about an individual. The methods employed in pursuit of this information range from searching publicly available databases and social media websites like Facebook to hacking and social engineering. It is closely related to cyber-vigilantism, hacktivism, and cyber-bullying. But again, thanks for giving me a reason to reach out to old clients to wish them a Happy Thanksgiving.
To the matter at hand on CleanTechOC, my agency did *pro bono* work for this trade association seeking to make Orange County a prime destination for clean/green tech companies — good jobs at good wages. The association was very successful as is the entire industry in California: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/news/2015/02/californias-clean-tech-industry-best-in-us-for-jobs-and-investment.html http://www.locationoc.com/business-climate/industry-clusters/green-economy/ and http://www.ocregister.com/2016/04/25/hottest-job-in-town-clean-tech-innovation-builds-44000-jobs-in-oc-508000-in-state/
CleanTechOC is now SustainOC and I haven’t worked with them since 2014 largely because there isn’t much of an OC Technology reporting crew at the OC Register and the Orange County Business Journal has one reporter; SustainOC focuses on program development, content creation and marketing efforts that benefit its members. While I’m not active with them, I am on call if they need help. And I’m welcome at their events. But again, this was pro bono work. No money ever changed hands and I made some amazing contacts. I’ve also done pro bono work for the OC Tech Alliance which has since been acquired and the ISSA-OC Chapter. Mike has never sent me a new business lead, and I have contributed to his campaign because CleanTechOC clearly demonstrates Mike’s ability to see where tomorrow’s jobs will come from and do something to give the local economy an advantage. And those efforts delivered over the years.
Since you’re asking for disclosures, back when we all talked to each other, I’m the person that referred Cynthia Ward to Greg Diamond for legal advice…her effort eventually became CATER. I referred her to Greg because he had a solo practice and didn’t charge very much. I have the emails somewhere.
My clients are aware of my blogging. Anytime you want to ask me a question, please reach out. Otherwise, keep demonstrating your crappy research and poor analytical skills.
And since Paul Lucas chimed in, I was happy to see him behave himself at the recent Wonkette Party in Orange where I bought a round of drinks for the table. Paul likes to insist I supported Curt Pringle’s poll guard stunt that happened years before I even moved to Orange County and knew who he was. Paul says I support everything Curt Pringle does. I told Paul he smokes too much weed and if affects his imagination.
Ricardo should comment here otherwise he is a grande Chavala
BY all means prospective clients, don’t call the law office of Gregory Diamond ESQ. because he rarely wins cases and has a stroke recently that makes writing and thing difficult. And he’ll internet basic questions into sexual themes. Stay away. Stay away
” I want to make it very clear that I have not and never will lay hands on any woman regardless of any situation or circumstance.” – Victor Valladares
His ex-wife begs to differ.
“About two days after last Halloween, he was drunk again and got mad at me and in front of his two sisters, now 21 and 17 years old. He said to me he would cut my throat and watch me bleed out quicker than the cops could come to save me. He has thrown my kitten off a two- story balcony and his sister also witnessed that.”
“He got naked and was begging me to sleep with him. I told him no, over and over again, he started to get mad, I had my car keys in my hand with my finger in the loop. He grabbed my wrist and twisted it and started ripping the keys out of my hand. I started hitting him to let go of me but he just got stronger. After he got the keys he said that I wasn’t going to leave and demanded me to get his clothes for him. I told him to get them himself and that’s when he made a fist and made a gesture that he was going to hit me. I jumped up and ran for the door and he jumped up and grab my arm and pulled me back.”
“He has abused me verbally for over four years. Has called me a fat whore, a nasty bitch that is nothing but a nasty slut, a whore, cunt, bitch and many more things. He has threatened to kill my father in front of people.”
“He put his forearm on my neck and told me I better tell him everything as he was pushing down with his forearm on my throat.”
“He has made many threats to me all while he is under the influence of beer. He has said he will never stop drinking and has been drinking for six years plus. He has a bad drinking problem. I get scared when he is intoxicated because he is mentally unstable and I don’t know what he’s capable of.”
“I’m asking him to move out and immediately check into a sober living program for his drinking. And not to harass stalk or follow me at home or my parents house.”
“I called the police. They came out and Victor wouldn’t open the door. I ended up driving to my dad’s house. In the morning he didn’t remember much because he was drunk the night before. He drinks every day and heavily and gets mad if I don’t have sex with him.”
Sad/Shocking the number of local “progressive) women that continue to support wifebeater Victor Valladares, some of them even going so low as to attack/shame the victim. The top 10 (or bottom if you prefer, given how disgusting their stances are):
1. Janice Unger-Ugland
2. Katheryn Clark
3. Lorena Ortega
4. Gina Clayton-Tarvin
5. Barbie Iman
6. Paula Lazicki (aka “Paula Jean”)
7. Naomi Anderson
8. Mary Urashima
9. Nancy Duremdes
10. Traci Moore
Then there are the spineless “men” being included that defend Victor the wifebeater:
1. Oscar Rodriguez
2. Louis Rice
3. Greg Diamond
4. Vern Nelson
5. Jose Moreno
6. John Briscoe
7. Jeff Letourneau
8. Hector Valdez
9. Derrick Ugland
10. Mark Bixby
Fellow OC Dems, we now have someone saying that Victor Valladares was seen staying at the Great Wolf Lodge with Ms. Gina Clayton-Tarvin and that allegedly, she was using resort comps that were meant for the school district. Oops! We need to pull these corrupt weeds up and out of the party now before they can do anymore damage. Katheryn Clark, you are the one that ditched your family to be with this wifebeater, maybe can you talk some sense into him? Or will the voters learn more at her upcoming divorce trial, which is now under the tightest seal possible. Hm what is she hiding and why is her husband hellbent on getting full custody? What could she have possibly done?
That could be criminal. Someone should call Voice Of OC. Oh wait. Nevermind.
I am in agreement. This needs attention and if Greg Diamond ever gets up off his knees in front of Victor, maybe he could convince him to step down. It will happen sooner or later. He is a wife beater and he pays no child support. He is also apparently a violent alcoholic with no education or work skills. Katheryn Clark? You left your family for him. Oscar Rodriguez? You hang out in gay strip clubs with him. With friends like you fools who needs enemies.
What exactly is Valladares level of education? I seem to remember hom bragging went to CSULB at a comittee meeting.
What’s with the vadalism and controlled substance convictions as a young adult too?
How old is Victor? Is he another Vern in the making?
He was on the ballot as a community college student once but I don’t remember the year