Editor’s Note: Farrah Khan had a competing event Monday when the DPOC met yet her case was still debated. Imagine if a union member represented by Ada Briceno was being held to account for an action they took without being present, the union would likely go balastic.
Farrah’s alternate, respective former Irvine Mayor Beth Krom, tried to read a statement from Khan, but the clock ran out. I gave Krom another minute of time to finish the interrupted statement. Others for removing Farrah were given all the time they needed, against Party rules.
I present this statement from Farrah Khan:
Greetings,
Unfortunately, due to a previous commitment I had to participate in an Iftar with LA Mayor Garcetti and the LA Human Relations Commission, I could not attend last night’s Central Committee meeting. I was made aware that my alternate, Beth Krom, was unable to read my statement and thought I would send it to you. Whatever I do or say, I do so in the public without hesitation for all to see and hear. However, there are a few folks who would rather not even put their name on a letter against me that was distributed last night. I can see clearly why I’m being held to a different standard than others and by whom, I hope you can see through this as well. I thank you in advance, for taking the time to review my statement.
I know there are people in this room who believe I have committed an offense and wish to punish me. My loyalty is being questioned. There is a desire to make me an example and to remind others of the price that will be paid if certain individuals choose to direct their power and authority toward retribution rather than understanding or, better yet, reconciliation.
Yes, I voted for Mike Carroll in the final round. I had a difficult choice to make. I was in office all of two months when Don Wagner was elected to the Board of Supervisors despite losing among Irvine voters thanks to all our efforts to get Loretta Sanchez elected. The City Council has not functioned well in the interim. I was clear throughout the process that my preference was to appoint given that a special election would cost over $900,000 and a special election does not guarantee a Democrat winning. That is a lot of money and a naive approach to special elections. I obviously wanted one of the three Democrats who applied to be selected, which is why I took every opportunity to support them before making the difficult choice to appoint Mike Carroll in the final round.
There was not an easy choice. There were two possible outcomes. Neither option came with a guarantee. But this I will tell you, at no time did I act against the Democratic Party and at no time during this agonizing process to fill the vacancy on the Irvine City Council has my interest been anything other than service to my community consistent with the values and interests I have always held, which I discussed during my campaign and which I have honored during my short tenure as a City Council member. I spoke up against the special election resolution, but as usual, my voice and input was not of interest.
When I learned that there were people seeking to have my affiliation with DGI stripped and my elected seat as a DPOC Central Committee member — a seat I earned through a vote on the ballot — taken from me, I asked myself, “what is to be gained by this?” You have two Democrats on the Irvine City Council, one of whom intends to leave in 18 months to seek higher office. While I am not here to speak for Mike Carroll, we have a potential swing vote. Taking this action against me will send two messages. First, you will be telling me that you prefer I not engage productively with our local Democratic community, that I not leverage my position or my networks to garner support for DGI or the DPOC and that you would rather condemn me than collaborate with me. Let me remind you that this is a non-partisan office I hold. Few beyond this room will see such an aggressive action as being in the public interest.
Second, you will be conveying to Mike Carroll that, regardless of his decision to re-register as an NPP prior to the appointment and what he has indicated he is prepared to support or consider supporting, you would prefer he not be a swing vote on issues impacting the environment, affordable housing, labor, homelessness, education, the Veterans Cemetery or any number of issues we do not now have the ability to move forward. We have elected members of Congress from Orange County who were once registered Republicans. They will not win re-election without cross-over support from moderate Republicans and NPPs. How will drawing such sharp lines in the sand help them?
As a woman, and a woman of color, a woman of faith, a mother and a foster mother who has always tried to do the right thing, live my values and teach them to my children, I do not want to have to explain to my family and my community that the Democratic Party, be it DGI or DPOC, is intolerant and punitive and has chosen to use their power to condemn me when there are so many important issues we should be working together on to move Irvine, Orange County and our country forward.
Oh come on, Dan. I was there too. People on all sides were given time at the DPOC Central Committee meeting. It was a vigorous discussion. I look forward to the June DPOC meeting.
Beth read the statement and was interrupted. Classy three page unsigned letter by some coward left behind. Do you know who passed the letter out?
Beth ran out of time. I don’t know what letter you mean, I have not seen it nor know who passed it out. Was not me, I don’t do three page letters, and certainly not anonymously.
It’s a sad day when we become the party that eats its own, especially by self-serving individuals looking for any and every foothold they can find to advance their own personal agendas.
Sounds like no one is leading the party at the moment that understand the Election Code or how to curry bipartisan support to keep your elected in office. Junior move on Ada’s part.
Smells like John Horner to me., when that IP chain is released, and DEM’S lose THREE seats, what will Jeff, Mike and Ada say.
WE ALL KNOW WHO WROTE THE LETTER, WE ALL KNOW WHO FAKED BEING A VETERAN.
Josh Newman and Gil Ciscerno’s are going to be REQUIRED to pick sides. This is shaping up as a COLLOSSAL DISASTER FOR BLUE.
Will Khan support the crazy athletic field fees?
Although IUSD School Board members take their “non-partisan” status more seriously than many Councilmembers, I do feel lessons can be learned from Board history. In 2013, as reported on Liberal OC, two Democrat members of the Board joined Republicans to appoint a pro-education Republican to an open Board seat.
A group of Democrats subsequently launched a petition drive, and forced the District to hold an expensive special election. The appointee won anyhow. Having been on the District’s Finance Committee at the time, it wasn’t clear to me that the exercise helped the image of the local Democrat Party.
Reasonable minds might differ, but I do feel Councilmember Khan’s vote may benefit the Party’s reputation in Irvine in the long run.