O.C. Register reporter Martin Wisckol’s vendetta for O.C. Supervisor Janet Nguyen has become quite tiresome. He has been pestering her for over 50 days, due to a late financial report. She filed it on Thursday, and even Wisckol had to admit that the story “ended with an apparent fizzle.” You know why Martin? Because it never mattered in the first place!
So why did Nguyen file the report late? “An accompanying letter from her attorney, Phil Greer, questioned whether the “reporting obligations are applicable to the situation.” That is what her campaign said from the start – but Wisckol wasn’t happy with that answer. Now he is thoroughly embarrassed to have wasted so much time on a non-story. At least he ought to be.
Wisckol also reported that “Shirley Grindle, author of the county’s campaign finance ordinance, has said that Nguyen was in violation of the law and urged her to comply.” So what? Grindle is not elected to anything. Her opinion is just that – her opinion.
So after all of this ridiculous brouhaha, who gave money to this fund – which was set up to help Nguyen pay for her legal fees after Van Tran’s henchman, Trung Nguyen, sued her?
“…two of the contributors
I agree, increase the limits or get rid of Tin Cup.
We can all agree that it’s becoming increasingly more expensive to run for office. I’m sure Matt will even agree to that.
I’d actually much rather see an ordinance that bans unions and corporations from donating, however allow unlimited personal contributions. Eh, my thoughts… do what ya want with them.
Outstanding white-wash, Art — not to mention a spectacular exercise in inconsistency,self-contradiction an deliberate blindness, even for you.
You’ve really outdone yourself.
Jubal,
Have you seen the movie “300?” I finally saw it tonight.
It was quite moving to see King Leonidas and his brave men die for liberty, for freedom and for their families.
That freedom is the very same thing that our forefathers in this great country embraced when they too gave up their lives, their land and their possessions in order to defeat British tyranny.
Hundreds of years later most of the bloggers and media in the O.C. get their panties in a bunch over a late report. Leonidas would be ill at the sight of the lot of you.
Freedom is not about bureaucracy. It is not about artificial limits on campaign fundraising. It has nothing to do with hack politicians like Van Tran and Miguel Pulido.
Freedom is about doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do. It is why I cannot abide most politicians. Their entire existence is devoted to accruing money and power. They live not to serve the good of the public but rather to line their pockets.
So far Janet Nguyen has impressed me because she does not bend knee to the greedy machine types that expect her obeisance.
So she was late on an inconsequential report. She had legitimate reasons, in the opinion of her advisers.
When I see her go the way of Tran and his ilk I will walk away and have nothing more to do with her.
Like Leonidas, I don’t do what I do for personal advancement. I understand freedom. Do you?
Art — what is it about you that you can’t simply disagree with someone, but you have to smear them instead?
But, you are what you are.
As for your post:
You can try to minimize it all you like, but the fact is Janet was deliberately violating a county ordinance, and you have been excusing it.
“An accompanying letter from her attorney, Phil Greer, questioned whether the “reporting obligations are applicable to the situation.” That is what her campaign said from the start – but Wisckol wasn’t happy with that answer.
No thinking person would be satisfied with that answer, Art — because it is wrong. If you spent two minutes reading the pertinent section of TIN CUP, you’d see as much.
So what? Grindle is not elected to anything. Her opinion is just that – her opinion.
A year ago you were gushing about Grindle and how wonderful, insightful and knowledgeable she was — because she shared your dislike of Carona. Now that the target is someone you like (Janet), you minimize and dismiss Grindle. You can’t have it both ways.
Maybe now Wisckol can start digging into a real news story – the emerging scandal in Garden Grove, where residents are facing a 65% increase in their water rates, due to deferred maintenance decisions made by Republicans like Van Tran, Ken Maddox and Mark Leyes, when they were members of the Garden Grove City Council, which has oversight over their water agency.
Ad maybe you can start acknowledging that Janet Nguyen was also on the Garden Grove Council at the time and also bears responsibility. Your “she was only on for two years and didn’t know enough” excuse is a strange one, since this lack of experience you now conveniently cite didn’t deter you from enthusiastically supporting her for higher office. Janet can’t be too inexperienced to have no responsibility for the water rate situation, yet simultaneously experienced enough to be elected supervisor.
Wisckol used to be a very fair reporter. But he has become nothing more than a flack for Van Tran. Maybe he ought to just go work for Tran. Reporters don’t make much…
You owe Martin an apology for such a reckless, unhinged remark. He is a fair reporter, and to vilify him that way is cowardly and ignorant.
Wisckol wasn’t the only one who swallowed the Tran Kool Aid on this story. Red County/OC Blog editor Jubal/Matt Cunnigham continued to question Nguyen after she filed the report.
Did Van Tran make Janet set up the illegal legal defense fund? Did Van Tran make Janet deliberately violate a county ordinance for nearly a month? Janet did those things herself. You’re the only one drinking any Kool-Aid around here, Art.
But I don’t recall Cunningham ever going after some of the biggest Tin Cup violators in the O.C. – O.C. GOP machine favorites Tony Rackauckas and Mike Carona – not to mention Chris Norby.
What Rackauckas TIN CUP violations? And I did criticize Carona for the lame, sloppy reporting of expenses on his reports. Unlike Janet, his campaign’s response was to fix them, not shine it on after the violations had been pointed out.
And what Chris Norby TIN CUP violation are you talking about?
Nguyen was the apparent violator. Isn’t that interesting?
“Apparent”? Art, READ THE ORDINANCE. It is crystal clear. There’s nothing apparent about it. What’s interesting is your refusal to admit this.
Cunningham even admitted, in a post on May 6 of this year, that “I have no love for TIN CUP. I’d like to see it abolished and replaced with something rational.”
What I DIDN’T say is “I think it is OK for a supervisor to continue violating TIN CUP even after the violation is pointed out to them, and then only decide to comply after relentless pressure from the media and the blogs.”
Here’s a thought Cunningham – instead of wasting your time, and ours, going after Janet, why don’t you put the considerable muscle of Red County/OC Blog behind an effort to either change or get rid of Tin Cup altogether?
That’s hypocritical even for you, Art. You quoted a post of mine from last February. Apparently you’ve forgotten that you disagreed with me back then. You defended TIN CUP, defended contribution limits, lauded Shirley Grindle and expressed skepticism about increasing contribution limits.
The only OC bloggers who have regularly, consistently written about the necessity to abolishing or drastically reforming TIN CUP are myself and Steve Greenhut. You have said nothing. Nada. Zip.
So to try to criticize me on those grounds while suddenly deciding yourself TIN CUP needs fixing is dishonest, transparent and completely hypocritical.
Freedom is about doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do.
Given the dishonesty and rank hypocrisy oozing from your post, it’s astonishing to see you posturing this way.
I understand freedom. Do you?
I understand them very well, Art. I also understand honesty. Do you?
Jubal,
Yes, and a year ago I was also a Republican. Let’s face it – I have changed a lot of my views over the last year. There is no shame in that. There is only shame in hanging on to wrong views because you are afraid to go in a different direction.
BTW, Grindle herself told me that Carona, T-Rack and Norby have all violated Tin Cup. Ask her yourself.
I have changed my mind re Tin Cup. A lot of your writings helped in that regard. You were right. Tin Cup is crap. We should all work to change or get rid of it.
As for this late report, yes it was late, so what? There are a lot of things that we all do that are illegal. We speed too much. Some of us drive motorcycles without appropriate licenses (Schwarzenegger). Some of us drive around without seat belts (Corzine). Some of us crash repeatedly with no remorse (Migden).
There are laws and then there are laws. In the grand scale of things this report was inconsequential, except that Janet was involved and all of you Janet-haters had to get your digs in.
Now it turns out there was no story there. Congrats on wasting your time.
As for Wisckol, I am very disappointed in him. Go back and read his work over the last year. He is clearly infatuated with Van Tran. When he attacks Janet, as he does very often, he is carrying Tran’s water. I thought he was a better reporter than that.
Who cares, really. Newspapers are dying. I wonder why?
Jubal,
What dishonesty? I am being straight with you. I really don’t think this late report was all that important. I am still not sure why you got all hung up over it. It was a bureaucratic issue, period.
You know how I feel. I blog what I think every day. I don’t spin and I don’t engage in subterfuge. I really truly do think that Van Tran and his associates are bad news. You don’t. I guess we will just have to disagree.
As for Janet, give her a chance. She deserves that much. If she turns out to be another greedy, selfish hack I will be the first to say so. Deal?
BTW, Grindle herself told me that Carona, T-Rack and Norby have all violated Tin Cup. Ask her yourself.
I’ll do so. But it’s one thing to commit a reporting violation and then fix it when it’s pointed out. It’s completely different to refuse for nearly two months to comply with the law even after it is pointed out to you. And the latter is what Janet was doing — consciously shining on a county ordinance.
I have changed my mind re Tin Cup. A lot of your writings helped in that regard. You were right. Tin Cup is crap. We should all work to change or get rid of it.
I’m glad to hear it, but it’s mighty convenient timing on your part.
In the grand scale of things this report was inconsequential, except that Janet was involved and all of you Janet-haters had to get your digs in.
Art, it’s the ordinance that governs how supervisors raise, spend and report campaign contributions. That’s not inconsequential, and pointing that out doesn’t make one a “Janet-hater.” That accusation is lame ad hominem argumentation.
Now it turns out there was no story there. Congrats on wasting your time.
There was and is a story there, Art. Willfully violating a county ordinance and deliberately trying to hide contributions from the public is a story, even if you don’t want it to be. Neither I, Wisckol, Christian Berthelsen, Mike Lawson or Andrew Davey wasted our time. Without our combined digging and hammering the topic, Janet would have continued concealing those donations.
As for Wisckol, I am very disappointed in him. Go back and read his work over the last year. He is clearly infatuated with Van Tran. When he attacks Janet, as he does very often, he is carrying Tran’s water. I thought he was a better reporter than that.
Art, you’re so obsessed with tran you can’t see straight. You think anyone who doesn’t worship with you at the altar of Janet is “carrying Van Tran’s water.” That’s a reckless charge to level when you have no proof or evidence whatsoever.
I really don’t think this late report was all that important.
You’re entitled to your opinion, Art. But that’s all it is — your opinion. You just present it as fact.
If she turns out to be another greedy, selfish hack I will be the first to say so. Deal?
Art, I’m not sure what Janet wil have to do to earn your criticism. Deliberately violating the law didn’t do it, so I’m not sure what will.
And why don’t you try to express your disagreement without viciously attacking the character of the people you disagree with.
Maybe Janet is too young and inexperienced.
With 4th of July coming up, someone should tell her to stay away from the firework money.
Art, I’d just report the picture of Jubal as a fairy. Maybe that’ll fix his wagons!
I don’t agree with everything you have to say but you right about the fair reporting. Martin and Jubal didn’t report on Van Tran’s Wife being on probation about her misdealings. They constantly write and let negative character posts up.
SO what is the form she is supposed to file. Since she got sued personally and the checks went to Greer what is the form she is supposed to use????
Yesterday the Times was reporting that Janet Nguyen voted on an item involving a contract with the same parking company she accepted the money from.
Both the parking vendor, who runs parking lots for county facilities, and Chris Townsend, who is a lobbyist under contract to the county, have business before the supervisors. Janet should be recused from voting on all of their items because she accepted these illegal contributions from them.
That’s called conflict of interest.
Mr. Pedroza is either off his meds or really needs to be taking some.
The mendaciousness of his postings and his maniacal rantings are indicative of a person greatly in need of professional care.
Carona’s TinCup Violation was reimbursements to himself that he did not fully allocate out on the forms, Norby’s violation was failure to report occupation and employer information for some donors….I am not aware of ANY Rackauckas violations.
The difference is Carona and Norby both reported, within the law’s timeframes. Carona failed to file what he spent his $ on to be reimbursed from his campaign and Norby failed to file some donors information. At least they were filed in the first place and were not with held from the public/voters.
8:55,
That’s the best you can do? Pathetic. Your response is etiolated and hebetudinous in the extreme.
Jubal,
“You’re so obsessed with Tran you can’t see straight.” And you and Wisckol are so obsessed with Janet that you guys can’t see how bad Tran is!
“You just present it as fact.” What does that mean? Are you upset because I take strong positions? That is lame. If you believe in something strongly enough you ought to defend that position well – or not at all.
“And why don’t you try to express your disagreement without viciously attacking the character of the people you disagree with.” When did I offend your character? I have no personal problem with you.
Art,8:55 is also epicene and biddable for donating to this blog anonymously, not unlike how well his mother knew his father prior to the consummation that created little Mr Anonymous
jubal – we know how much you hate having a Asian Young Woman in office…you just can’t stand it.
Fair? NOT!!! Anytime Janet does anything you say she isn’t ready for Prime Time – GIVE US A BREAK on your hate
It is funny how Jubal talks about Art about lets “agree to disagree.”
Maybe he should start to practice what he writes…or is it Jubal a little more special
One more thing, Art, regarding your sudden and convenient conversion to the cause abolishing TIN CUP: what Janet did had nothing to do with contribution limits. It was about disclosure — and she would have been required to make this disclosure even if there were no limits.
Art. I don’t know what you do to Jubal, but you sure get his panites all bunched up. Keep it up! You’re driving him crazy.
Finally someone calls out OCblog on it’s “journalistic” integrity. It’s easy to poke and prod Janet when the Republican machine has come at her with its full court press. Let’s see if Jubal EVER blogs about issues that negatively touch upon people who have been (or who someday might be) his clients. Case in point – Plasmagate – four elected officials buying “needed” upgrades to their offices at exoribant prices. On his post, Jubal asked us all to consider Moorlach’s point, and that maybe, just maybe, county procurement procedures were to blame. Where were the Big Government rants at OCBlog? Dust in the wind, baby.
You can’t advise political candidates and pass off journalistic integrity at the same time.
Many of these blogs should be taken for what they are – relatively low level, pee-wee league political insiders “trading” on information.