Friday, November 11, 2011

Behind-the-scenes dirt on the Mark Muir protest

Some interesting tidbits crossed my desk this week from a number of off-the-record sources:

  • Muir's people were boasting in advance of the swearing-in that the Union-Tribune was in the tank for them and would downplay coverage of the anti-cronyism rally (looks like they were right).
  • The Deputy Sheriffs' union was abuzz with talk of an "Occupy City Hall" unruly protest. This is why an absurd number of deputies surrounded City Hall for a gathering of mild-mannered, middle-aged professionals and retired folk who are no more a threat speaking about Mark Muir's misdeeds than they were last year speaking about Dan Dalager's misdeeds. It is not clear whether this "Occupy" panic was a result of institutional paranoia or a deliberate campaign by the Stocks-Muir gang to smear their opponents as dangerous radicals.
  • One neighborhood association that is currently fighting a high-density development upzoning asked all its members NOT to attend the rally because they feared retaliation by the council majority (this is truly chilling and a perfect example of how cronyism and concentrated power undermine democracy).
The Stocks-Muir gang played the political theater well, bringing in friends and family and city union members' friends and family, many of them not from Encinitas, to give the media the appearance that the public was evenly split on the Muir appointment. Many of the local papers (and even usually-good local online news sources) fell for this, not just the Union-Tribune. A couple that got it right were Wehtahnah Tucker of the Coast News and Alison St. John of KPBS)

Fortunately, Logan Jenkins today broke the Union-Tribune's code of downplay and hammered the council for the Muir appointment:

A brick — the Red Cape and Bull award — to the Encinitas “pro-business” (for lack of a better label) majority — Mayor Jim Bond, Jerome Stocks and Kristin Gaspar — for appointing Mark Muir, the city’s fire chief, to fill the late Maggie Houlihan’s council seat.

This decision wanted some tact, some humility, some spirit of compromise. None was displayed.

No one should have been surprised that a weird whirlwind was reaped Wednesday night as more than a hundred Encinitans gathered outside City Hall to protest the Muir appointment.

The council majority argued that they were picking the most qualified person to serve out the last year of Houlihan’s term. It wasn’t a political move. It was all about competence.

That may even be true. Muir, who retired before the surreal swearing-in ceremony, has a solid resume, including a stint on the Olivenhain water and SANDAG boards. He’s well-regarded.

But he also has a history as an unusually active political player on behalf of Stocks and Bond. The appearance of conflict looms.

Instead of choosing a neutral candidate, someone who could have capably held Houlihan’s seat until the 2012 election, the majority seemingly took pleasure in baiting the greenish Houlihan “progressives” they view with Olympian amusement.

Jenkins has a history of being close to Jerome Stocks, so this feels to me like a "scales fall from my eyes" moment for him. Jenkins started criticizing Stocks and Bond when they angrily demanded the removal of the Surfing Madonna, and he's been critical of Gaspar for breaking her campaign promises and worsening the acrimony on the council.

If there's one thing I have to criticize about Jenkins' column, it's that he continues to view this battle as "pro-business" vs. "greenish." True, Barth is, and Houlihan was, a lefty greenie, but a large number of the protesters are not. Many are just against corruption and financial mismanagement. The majority is pro-developer, not "pro-business." Encinitas businesses, like Encinitas families, will be burdened for decades by the majority's fiscal profligacy. Look at the majority's record on pensions, for example. Stocks voted (with Houlihan) to boost pensions 35%, a decision that will absolutely ruin the city's finances in the future. Stocks and Bond and Gaspar have stonewalled agendizing pension reform since. That's not a green issue; that's a mainstream issue very popular with the public at large.

10 comments:

  1. They are not prodevelopment. Many developers get screwed in this city. They are pro-crony developer.

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  2. The UT failed to address the charges that Muir was way more than a "supporter". If the charges were false then surely the UT would have wanted to call out the false charges and straighten out the record. This is why I won't susbscribe to the yellowish journalism of the UT.

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  3. Thanks for the information and all of the links to the papers. I did read the KPBS article that commented that many Muir supporters/friends were from outside of Encinitas.

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  4. If someone with the reputation of Mike Andreen can get a Grand Jury to investigate his issue with the Chamber, why can't we get them to investigate the 3-way quid pro quo??

    Mike claims that the Grand Jury sided against Encinitas in HIS case. It seems like our leaders are on the losing end of everything starting with Cummins vs. Encinitas, Dalager's admission of guilt to a crime, and many other issues that are still under cover. Remember Gaspar's involvement with Durkee and Associates slate mailers?

    Either let's go for a recall, or bring in some legal muscle to get these Council Hoodlums out!! What good is having City policies in place when they are not followed?

    When I heard about how people who attended the press conference--90% of whom were there to listen to what was being said, were HERDED into the Carnation Room, when open seats were available in the Chambers, I was shocked.

    Is Encinitas suddenly Guatamala or Syria, or some other Police State? Is another reason that Muir is so qualified is so that he can continue to order Fire Department staff to serve as Brown Shirts and intimidate citizens? Will the obstructionists among us continue to have their property rights undermined by developers? Is this who Jim Bond praised for staying away from Council meetings and letting him, Jerome, and Kristin deside the "greater good" for Encinitas, as their supporters stay at home and drink beer?

    This is not only a case of cronyism and conflict of interest, but it is a fascist goverment that is threatening the press, intimidating citizens, and identifying enemies, only so that they can hold office.

    This is not going to end well for the Council Majority.

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  5. "Is Encinitas suddenly Guatamala or Syria, or some other Police State? Is another reason that Muir is so qualified is so that he can continue to order Fire Department staff to serve as Brown Shirts and intimidate citizens?"

    Brother or Sister, I don't know what you are smoking; but where can I get some?

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  6. If Mark Muir is so qualified, then why has he been unable to follow the City's own policies which discourage conflict of interest, the theft of work time to engage in political activities, and the unauthorized use of City resources?

    Two other people who should become acquainted with the rules of ethics are Glenn Sabine and Jennifer Smith. These people are all interested in what they can get out of the system, not with what they can offer citizens.

    With Dalager and other Council members in mind, it seems that to be qualified to work at the City one must know the rules so that they can all break them as a group, so as to 'fit in.'

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  7. Jennifer Smith is now flashing a big diamond engagement ring at City Hall. Will wedding bells soon be ringing?

    There's a huge conflict of interest concerning her relationship with Glenn Sabine. One or both need to go.

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  8. And not one pot was banged. Sad.

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  9. Pots will be banged at the election booth in 2012, Mike.

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  10. Mike, the people on our side do not bang pots, but we listen to people before deciding what to say. Even the people with the skunk signs were restrained when compared to you.

    You on the other hand are a wind up cymbal monkey that is beholden to Stocks, Bond, Gaspar, Muir, and the developers.

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