Who's Behind the Hit Pieces?

Via Councilwoman Teresa Barth's Newsletter today:

As predicted, the smear campaign rolled into high gear this past week. 

First there was a mailer in support of Stocks & Muir and 

blasting Shaffer and Kranz 

Return Address: 

North County Taxpayers for Responsible Government 

330 Encinitas Blvd #101 

Encinitas, CA 

Treasurer: Nancy Haley 

She is also the treasurer for Stocks & Muir 

Then there was the 

"Don't let Shaffer and Kranz Occupy Encinitas" 

Sent out by the San Diego County Republican Party 

who endorsed Forrester, Muir and Stocks 

Followed by a vicious character assignation against Tony Kranz. 

 Sent out by San Diego County Voters for Progress and Reform 

 7185 Navajo Rd, Suite P San Diego, CA

Treasure: C. April Boling 

She is also the Treasurer of the Lincoln Club 

 Muir, Forrester and Stocks were endorsed by the Club. 

 Who's the Lincoln Club? 

 Who supports Prop K - Elected Mayor? 

Bond, Muir & Stocks

Editor: Thank you Councilwoman Barth for a thorough summary that is well documented.  We appreciate this as we appreciate the kind of thoroughness you devote to your service on the city council.  My wish is this. You will be joined on the dais with two equally competent council members like Shaffer and Kranz to get real work done - rather than special interest empire building. And I would also wish that paid journalists would present vital summaries like this to the public, rather than waiting for information from elected officials to be handed to them. 

Counting Down - 9 days to the Election

Finally single digits in the countdown.

9 candidates and it is obvious that many haven't lifted a finger - speaking of digits - in taking their campaigns to the people.

It becomes obvious to the unprepared non-incumbents that you can't cram for social organization.  Muir is trying to cram a political life of accomplishment outside of the crony network that has sustained his whole career. It's a very expensive task.

Shaffer and Kranz have logged the hours and done the homework for more than a year.  And, they are still at it. Yesterday they both were at the Green Surf event in Cardiff-by-the-Sea.  Today there is a meet-up and both are open to scheduling with other neighborhoods where there is curiosity and interest.  Click Shaffer's website or Kranz's website.

That video makes as much sense to me as so many presentations at city council where you can watch, follow along and think you hear good sense. Then a question is asked, a public speaker brings up overlooked points and then . . .  wait, what?

Public office is not supposed to be a winner take all game - a continuous campaign of control or racking up points as Mayor Stocks treats his role. We want our governance to make sense and to serve our best interests over the long term.

Lincoln Club of San Diego

"For conservative political group, money speaks volumes." 
"If money equals power, the Lincoln Club wields it like no other local political organization. Its 400 members, whose annual dues provide a guaranteed source of money for the group’s political action committee, are a who’s-who of lobbyists, developers, Republican-backed elected officials (and their staff members) and high-profile business owners—the people behind Mossy Nissan, Jerome’s Furniture and Coles Carpets sit on the club chairman’s special advisory committee.

Though the Lincoln Club describes itself as nonpartisan and focused on “pro-prosperity” candidates and issues, what and whom it chooses to support is almost always partisan. “In many ways, the Lincoln Club is the Republican Party in San Diego County. [ . . .] “In many ways, they’ve followed the model of most conservative organizations, in which you don’t plan for the next battle, you plan for the next war.”

This an excerpt from San Diego City Beat on Land of Lincoln Club posted this spring. Great article, and a real course in the big business of slate mailers and the deception intregral to the Lincoln Club's strategy. Thumb through and look at who is being endorsed in 2012.  Then tell us it is bipartisan.

Why is this relevant to our Encinitas Election 2012?  Thank you for asking.

The Lincoln Club endorses Kevin Forrester, Mark Muir and Jerome Stocks.

For the Lincoln Club's Party it is about money and it is a winner take all war.

Banksy Rat

J'Accuse! Mayor Stocks and Mark Muir

Since the filming of the Mayor and ex-Fire Chief getting caught doing wrong, the community is disgusted and outraged. Some protests are mild and others seething. There are informed activists, local hot heads, low information stupid* voters, attention seekers and sincerely disgusted residents.  That's what government of the people and by the people allows - lots of voices and choices.

At the Oct. 10 council meeting the last speaker, who had to wait until the very last two minutes of the evenings meeting because Mayor Stocks holds the 15 minute oral communication speaker time limit as a rule which cannot be broken.  He of course fails to see the irony.  I digress, the clip shows no hot head, no campaign team member, no activist, no council regular.  This woman, Terry, speaks simple truths of humanity and responsibility as citizens.

The very first speaker in Oral Communications was none other than the videographer Joe Corder who accuses Mayor Stocks of a great deal more than just the Oct. 5th sign mounting behavior that has so mobilized public disgust.

These are the clips from 2010 when Joe went after Teresa Barth one week and the next week goes at her again as well as lumping all kinds of opposition talking points on Maggie Houlihan too (though she wasn't even running) - right before the election. Interesting that Joe revealed last night his private conversation from 2010 with Councilwoman Barth, yet Barth has held his confession and apology in confidence. Neither she, nor the late Houlihan used Joe's story for political reasons, mudslinging or petty revenge. I believe that is called integrity.

 

Along with our local papers, Channel 10 covered this story. Feel free to direct links to these clips, this post for those uninformed or low information voters who comment, but have no idea the depth of history in Jerome Stocks' history of malfeasance. This is the chairman of Sandag so these hundreds of video clips showing his bully, crony behavior should be more widely circulated.

*community suggested edit

Worth Repeating

There is much to be said of last night's Leucadia Candidate Forums, but this is most timely.

Busted

We have aleady posted the fact that Stocks is putting up campaign signs early.

But now, a Coast News videographer filmed Mayor Jerome Stocks and Councilman Mark Muir illegally placing signs on Friday night themselves. This is what the Encinitas law regarding signs says that no signs can be put up before 30 days to the election. That would be Sunday, October 7.

Typical of Jerome Stocks in the video below, he attempts to intimidate the man filming and demand information as though the man filming is doing something wrong.  Caught red handed he completely acts like he is the victim of aggression.

How dare anyone expect Jerome Stocks to answer to any law or challenge to his (illegal) behavior?

It is difficult to stand up to power and privilege and Joe is a hero.  Thank You very much.  We are distributing this because some don't have online access.  Those who do, give them some link love and traffic at Coast News.

Stay tuned.  We haven't heard the last of this by any means.

Oh, and Mark - about your little truth problem with "I'm not running with Jerome."  Busted.

Muir's Truthiness Campaign

This is the Mark Muir Campaign Door Hanger to the left.

Follow along as we parse the various claims made from Mark Muir, the longtime member and support of the crony club's City Council Majority.

Fiscal Prudence - As was pointed out before on this blog in a post titled, Thief!, this is "borrowed" almost word for word from Councilwoman Barth's website.

Community Improvement - Remember, Muir has only been on council for 10 months. He's never voted on Hall park property designs or any issue related to the park, EXCEPT to approve the redistribution of $7m from current projects and to borrow up to $8M. He did show up for the photo op.

• Better beaches EXCEPT the main public safety component - the lifeguard tower.
• Traffic / transit - Voted against locally operated shuttle service at 5/16, council vote. 

Public Safety -

• As fire chief ok'd eliminating lifeguard tower in phase one of Moonlight Beach master plan. 
• As fire chief let response times in Leucadia, throughout Encinitas and especially in Olivenhain fall far below "Best Practice" goal. May 23 meeting . . . both Lisa Shaffer and Tony Kranz challenged Fire Chief Muir's record. 

• As Fire Chief, both fire station architectural rehabilitation projects are over budget and did not dispute  reallocating $1.6M from fire station rehab fund to pay for Hall property park at the July 11 meeting. 

The Olivenhain history is particularly puzzling from the outside looking in. It would seem Fire Chief Muir created the problem, or holds the primary accountability for response time failures, yet there is a group that views him as a hero with the opening of the new mini-fire station, another photo op. Failing upward is a good description.

It's clear that these aren't lies, there is enough truth to convey the basic idea. These are weasel words along with the previously noted "borrowed" statements used without attribution. He could have even used weasel words to rip off Barth's campaign statement by saying, "I must agree with a candidate who summed up service by saying . . . " which would still be taking someone's words, but passively praising the unnamed source.  At this stage the only ethical thing to do is admit it and make the best of it.

To return to the Muir Campaign Door Hanger . . . On the left hand side:

Current City Council Member - appointed against public sentiment to the council in November by Stocks, Bond and Gaspar to fill Maggie Houlihan's seat; Mark has never participated in council goal setting meeting or two-year budget deliberations. (He did vote on changes to the budget at the mid-year review on May 16.) He seems to like being the designated motion maker for the majority though.

Former Encinitas Fire Chief - yet on Feb. 22 this year Muir dodged the vote on the firefighters contract because he was on a cruise?  Seriously?

Encinitas Chamber Community Hero award - awarded when Gary Tucker and Mike Andreen were "in charge". This duo in action during Chamber of Council mishandled funds allegations were something to behold - as was the council majority's utter failure to address the issues.

Encinitas 25 Years Top Leaders Award - presented by New Encinitas Business Network; that is, Mike Andreen again. What was the criteria? Can you identify the voting panel, etc?

San Diego Taxpayer's Association Golden Watchdog Award:  This award in no way names or even singles out Muir personally for this award. It states:

A “throwback” award was given to the Del Mar, Encinitas and Solana Beach Fire Departments and the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District, “North County Fire Departments’ Cooperative Efforts,” for their money-saving personnel-sharing agreement. Begun in 2009 and enhanced last year, this agreement saved taxpayers in these cities $1 million in its first year.

Endorsements - misspelled Sheriff's Assoc. and it is worth noting that firefighters are among Mark Muir's harshest critics.

Aug. 25, 2012

Why the vast unknown? Just like this [Coast News] article quotes empty phrases, at council meetings Muir uses these kinds of phases and buzz words like best practices, re-examine criteria, look at different methodologies, etc. What the hell does he mean? And self describing himself as a fiscal conservative or government efficiency fighter should send the hypocrisy meter into critical zone. Yes, let's have a deep and hearty laugh over Mark protecting the public purse from overly generous pension benefits. He says, 

 “I almost kind of put myself in a position like (San Diego Mayor) Jerry Sanders, (when) you’re part of that pension thing,” Muir said. “And now you’re fighting the pension thing because you’re in a different role.” 

Mark Muir could never be accused of being articulate. But, even simple sentences could link a series of empty phrases to describe a world view, a belief system an overarching goal. With this candidate there is nothing.

With non-sensical strings of walrus words, weasel words, taking credit for others words and work, stretching credible truth, sham awards and friendly sounding equivocating responses to please everybody leaves us with too many questions.  Mark remains an affable character and polite to public and colleagues, a refreshing change.  He still remains a mystery in loyalties, goals, purpose and world view.  Let's get some answers Wed. night, Oct. 3rd.

Olivenhain Town Council Candidate Forum

Wednesday night at 6:30 pm!
(Note time change from all previously published information)

Olivenhain Meeting Hall, 423 Rancho Santa Fe Road

Audience members will be asked to write their questions on index cards. The questions will be consolidated and all the candidates will answer the same questions. People are asked not to submit questions for a specific candidate. Candidates are allowed 2-3 minutes for introductory remarks and 1-2 minutes for concluding remarks

Thief!

Councilwoman Teresa Barth states on her website:

"I believe we must strive to sustain our five communities’ unique and varied character through fair and equitable implementation of the general plan, fiscal prudence, and environmental stewardship, with respect to all members of the community."

Mark Muir submitted to following for his candidate statement:

"We can continue to protect our treasured quality of life and the unique character of our five communities through fiscal prudence, environmental stewardship, and fair and equitable application of the General Plan."

Plagiarism is what this is called in a world of accountability.  Remember when students were kicked out of college for cheating by stealing writing of others?  Remember when journalists lost their jobs because of claiming other people's work as their own?

If this doesn't make you angry you may have lost track of some essential principle of humanity.  This is stealing.

Speaking of stealing, according to a large outspoken group of active and involved citizens, Mark Muir stole the council seat vacated at Maggie Houlihan's untimely death a year ago.  Despite Maggie's own endorsement of Lisa Shaffer and despite popular belief that the next highest vote getter from the previous election, Tony Kranz, represented the people's choice; Mark Muir took the seat handed to him by the council majority.

We have also heard Mark being considered a reasonable, rational voice within the majority club on the dais.  That's his scripted role, folks.  He is pretty devoid of anything on his own.  He is reading his lines, many of them lifted from Barth's own words to sound community friendly.  It's not new.  Kristin Gaspar did it throughout her meager 2010 campaign offerings and blatantly stole Teresa Barth's wayside horns project and presented it as her own in her very first council appearance. She continues to claim Barth's words, recommendations and motions as her own.

This opposition group doesn't have vision, ideas, plans or community goals.  They are part of an army following directions from their funding sources. This doesn't mean they don't have friends and family who love them and their own love for Encinitas beauty and bounty. What they don't have is a desire to serve the public's best interests, the public good or long range goals.

Mark Muir can hardly campaign on the real purposes, extract as much as possible from this lucrative community for those in charge of his election direction.

Funny, the usual desire here at this blog to link to sources and backup for all of the above is just not there today.  Without acknowledgment of facts, realty or any kind of accountability it just seems futile.

Mark Muir's theft of Teresa Barth's statement of many years of commitment to Encinitas was spotted in a Patch article.  We missed it until now.