Jordan Brandman’s Revenge Story Hits

US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) with Anaheim council member Jordan Brandman in Costa Mesa
US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) with Anaheim council member Jordan Brandman in Costa Mesa; heads up OJ blog. I own the copyright on this photo

 

“If You Seek Revenge, You Should Dig Two Graves; one for Yourself”

 Insiders have been bracing for the LA Times “Jordan Brandman’s revenge story”for the last month.  It was supposed to come out over the July 4th Holiday weekend and didn’t, leaving some to wonder if the LA Times fact checkers would kill it.

If you haven’t seen it yet, read it here and then read this story about Anaheim Police looking into a credible threat made by Brandman that somehow eludes public records disclosure.  The Daily Beast had an interesting take as well.

Brandman resigned in August of 2021; he really had no choice in the matter.  His behavior was erratic and his friends were concerned about his mental health.  It would not have surprised me to wake up one morning then to learn he had taken his own life.  And to be honest, it would not surprise me if it still happens.

COVID19 isolation, serious mistakes over the content of horrible text messages he sent in confidence, and comments made to staff and friends collided to the point where the only real way for him to save himself was to resign.   In both stories in the LA Times, Brandman takes little to no responsibility for his own actions or well-being. No remorse or accountability which is shocking.

From the LA Times story:

Leaders of the cabal and other city lobbyists were Brandman’s political allies and advisors, the shoulders he cried on. He told them he loved them in text messages reviewed by The Times, and they wrote that they loved him too.

His tenure on the council ended in scandal after violent and misogynistic texts he sent became public. Even then, it wasn’t the electorate or government officials who forced his hand but a group of his onetime friends and allies who met behind closed doors with Brandman to push him to quit.

Brandman blamed his erratic behavior on circulatory issues affecting oxygen flow to his brain, but desperately sought to retain his council position when it was clear he was unable to.  A pair of support hose would have helped his circulation.

In reading the story, I’m not convinced Brandman is in a good place mentally.  The story, which I’m sure Brandman hoped would hurt those who tried to help him, actually makes him the bad guy.

There was a reason why these two stories were published separately that is really reprehensible and beneath the venerable LA Times. Together, there is a clear narrative that an elected official was having a severe mental health crisis and all of his colleagues, associates, staff AND Anaheim’s CM and PD responded with an understandable, and confidential, welfare check. Separated out, it has been made to look like he made threats that were investigated and were covered it up. That is completely unfair to all the people who tried to help Brandman.

I’m not surprised at all by the inner workings of Anaheim, developers, Disney and other business interests. What I am surprised about is why the FBI hasn’t charged Harry Sidhu or Jeff Flint.  Why hasn’t Todd Ament been sentenced yet?

Where the story doesn’t go are how Brandman’s behavior has cost him lifelong friends.  If he’s truly seeking atonement, he has many calls to make. And I’ll guess he never will because those bridges are already burned.

I called him a few times after he resigned and he seemed to be in a better place but still had some ground to cover.

My last communication with him was in May 2022 when the news broke about the FBI investigation in Anaheim.  He texted me the Voice of OC story on his former consultant Melahat Rafiei resigning from the CDP and DNC.  I texted back to say “I hope you’re well.”  He replied “I’m alive and grateful to be. Thanks for saying you’re sorry by the way.”  I didn’t apologize but sent back a thumbs up to acknowledge the first part of his text.  I’m not sure what he expected me to apologize for.

The story, I believe, effectively ends Brandman’s possibility of holding public office again.  When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging, especially if it’s the second of two graves you’re digging for revenge.  If his job with BIA is based on political relationships. good luck with that.

 

15 Comments

  1. Weak sauce! Jordan claims he is doing this for atonement? Gossiping about former friends is NOT atonement. Atonement is making things right with those you wronged. Jordan was not some innocent bystander who just found himself caught up in the cabal, he regularly went along with them and admitted in the article he knew his actions were harmful to the community. Certain cabal stunts he didn’t just go along to get along, he was the ring leader, case in point, what he tried to pull during the stick to district elections. His idea, his plan, his execution. While he claimed to be for district elections, we have seen more excitement from a dog about to be neutered than Jordan pushing district elections. He constantly committed actions harmful to the Latino community, where is his atonement, his apology, his attempt to make things right? Instead he gaslit the community and did everything he could to barricade the door shut for young Latin@s wanting to get involved. Thanks for the gossip and confirming some of our theories about the cabal’s actions but how about some real atonement if you really found God. Until we see some real action, this is weak sauce.

  2. I have limited capacity for sympathy. Mine continues going to the folks Jordan screwed over on his climb. No acts of atonement so far. Just words. Payback is a bitch sometimes.

  3. It is hilarious to watch many of these cabalists trip all over each other trying to save face. All of them need my servicest if you ask me.

  4. Only popping in to say how amusing it is to see folks chat about the supposed publication date of our story only to get it so wrong.

    I guess the Anacrime gossip mill ain’t the most reliable, after all.

    • GSR —
      Two things:
      1. My sources on possible publication date of your piece proactively reached out to tell me it was coming July 4 weekend. When it didn’t, my response was “story is going through a fact-check.”
      2. I’m surprised at what you didn’t report. And I’m actually curious why it came out online days before the print edition. Nice job all the same. I think what Brandman tried to do backfired on him.

      • They can do Twitter and Facebook as long as they don’t compromise their beats. Blog commenting is not approved but it’s a different ownership group now so maybe that’s changed

  5. One of my friends tells me Greg Diamond doesn’t think I took this picture. I was indeed invited to this luncheon. I did take this photo of Brandman with the Senator (she’s from Upstate NY like me); I had someone snap a shot of me with the Senator on my phone. And when the lunch was over, Jordan and I sat down so we could discuss the post about him coming out. All in the same afternoon. But I live rent free in Greg’s head.

  6. Diamond is tripping all over himself trying to defend CATER.

    THE FACT REMAINS THAT THERE WERE ONLY TWO MEMBERS OF THIS SHADOWY ORGANIZATION KNOWN PUBLICLY

    Why after all this time is he so worrie
    We’re Tom and Julie Tait members?
    What about Dr. Jose Moreno? David Zenger? Paul Kott? What about the Aitkens?

    Either he is lying about its member rolls or is covering up denying any type of TRANSPARENCY to the democratic process, just the same as Verns charges against his perceived enemies (victims).

    Why the secrecy Greg, what does CATER have to hide?

    Again either LYING, STEALING OR A PHONY organization
    Perhaps all three

    • Talk about pot calling the kettle black. Clearly you are a cabal apologist and yet you try to gaslight everyone with some non-profit that hasn’t operated in years and much of the bad stuff about CATER was rumors spread by Jordan Brandman, who is hardly one to talk. Vern and Greg and their clique are a bunch of schmucks but that doesn’t change the fact you all are corrupt criminals who engaged in pay for play, sold Anaheim to the highest bidder while the community suffered. YOU DID THIS, NOT THEM. Who is Cater? Who are you, clearly a criminal or criminal sympathizer. There is a reason the FBI came after you all and not after them.

      • And yet, nobody wants to admit being part of this “righteous” group.

        I wonder if Vern and Donna were members along with Wes Jones at Cynthia Wards Christmas party and what the Wards and Jones family think about Vern and Donna’s X RATED lifestyle? Maybe Cynthia enjoys a lil’ taste like Donna?

        • The Twitter handle for OJBlog is still @rimlikker; not sure if Cynthia knows what that means #TheDevilsChocolate

  7. CATER died after the city refused to pay legal fees of about $200,000 to their lawyer; I don’t think they ever paid their taxes or filed appropriate non-profit status paperwork, But $200K is nothing compared to the funds the city used in the just released corruption report.

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