Andrew Davey, over at the Liberal OC, has been doing a great job of keeping track of the developing Recall Campaign against Dana Point Councilwoman Diane Harkey. He tells me that Red County/OC Blog editor Matt Cunningham recently deleted an ENTIRE THREAD about the Harkey recall. That figures.
If there is one thing the Reeps at Red County do well, it is covering up for their OC GOP machine buddies.
As it turns out, my old friend Jim Lacy, who is in fact a very conservative Republican, is leading the charge against Harkey. So there must be more to the story. And of course there is.
Here is what Davey has to say about Lacy’s involvement in the recall effort:
He actually served with her on the city council from 2005 to 2006, and he has had a front-row seat to Harkey
I stopped taking OC Blog seriously months ago, when it became apparent the blog would no longer be a group of citizens but just political hacks posting ad nauseum about their clients. Jubal worked for Harkey, and Adam Probolsky admits he’s a pollster for her as well. And, although Jubal does good job exposing Disneyland, he’s doing it only because he’s getting paid by SunCal. You do the same too, Art, with Janet, but not as much.
Poster 1,
Trust me. If Supevisor Nguyen goes off the deep end, I will write about it. But I don’t think that will happen.
I too can’t take a blog full of consultants very seriously…
Can someone reprogram Harkey so she goes back to buying shoes instead of political offices? Red County bloggers provide a service by identifying their clients for public information. I would never support, donate to or vote for any of these people.
Boy, do I agree with Pedroza and “anonymous”! I also think that what was perpetrated on the Republican Party with the bogus fundraiser announcement speaks volumes.
There are several things which strike me about it all:
(a) There is an amazing comfort level that some people seem to have about the lack of integrity and honesty in their elected, or would-be elected officials. One has to question why anyone would vote for a person who would just as soon sell them out next.
(b) Diane Harkey has once again put on display the very lack of trustworthiness and ethics, which are the subject of the recall, and continues to reveal her unwillingness to face her constituents.
(c) To have a lead article written by someone who freely admits that Harkey is one of his clients should automatically negate his credibility completely. And the term ‘clent’ again reveals all about what we have here: a ‘hired gun’, employed to manipulate voters. The fact that he knew exactly where to locate the protesters in order to take the video clip shown on the OC Blog reveals everything.
(d) And since when does a recall effort, just before signature gathering commences, become already a “failed” effort?
The Red County OC Blog should know better than granting such blatant political operatives the respectability and visibility of presenting lead articles. And they might consider just how bad they have made their own party look by using it to put out bogus information. The credibility of their own party and site has been ruined.
Art:
You really are obsessed with Red County, aren’t you?
Yep, I deleted a thread that had degenerated into a back-and-forth of personal attacks and largely unsubstantiated accusations.
And I did close the thread for a day.
And after some e-mailing with a couple of Harkey recall folks, I opened it up again.
You allow commenters to make absolutely any personal attack or level any accusation against anyone, as long it is not accompanied by the f-word. Your blog, your rules.
I hate to intrude reality onto you, but the Harkey recall folks are not being prevented from posting comments on Red County.
Andrew has chosen up a side in that fight. In my opinion, he unquestioningly accepts everything the Harkey recall folks say as gospel truth, and unquestioningly rejects anything Harkey and her supporters have to say as being false. He’s free to do that.
I haven’t written much about this matter yet because I haven’t had time to sift truth from half-truth or spin from the mountain of e-mails, comments and back-and-forth accusations. I have said as much to Harkey recall people, and they’ve expressed understanding of my position.
I did look into the accusation that the city seal was unethically used in Dana Point Today newsletter.
There are three similarities between the two seals:
1) They are both round.
2) The words “Dana Point” appear in them.
3) They both have a rope design as the border (although DPT is blue and the city seal’s is gold).
Otherwise, they are nothing alike. You might actually take a minute look for yourself.
Yes, it’s true that the OC Blog is open again to everyone. I think Jubal (Matt Cunningham) is in a difficult position of being clearly a Republican devotee, but has to appear unbiased to maintain his credibility.
However, to accuse Andrew Davey of choosing sides – no secret, Davey is a Democrat – while giving a paid Harkey consultant the respectability of writing a pro-Harkey article on his own blog strikes me as being somewhat like the pot calling the kettle black.
And it always seems that pro Harkey folks are allowed to say just about anything mean spirited or derogatory about recall folks without consequence, but not the other way around.
Just my two cents worth in this turf war.
JUBAL LOOK on page 3 of the Dana Point Today flyer, there you will clearly see the “official seal of Dana Point”. No changes whatsoever.
However, to accuse Andrew Davey of choosing sides – no secret, Davey is a Democrat – while giving a paid Harkey consultant the respectability of writing a pro-Harkey article on his own blog strikes me as being somewhat like the pot calling the kettle black.
No it is not. Adam has been a member of our blogpen forever. I don’t tell him what to write and what not to write. I just wish he’d post more often. 😉
Adam fully disclosed his relationship with Harkey’s campaign. It’s there for all readers to see and judge accordingly.
So there’s no pot calling the kettle black, here. There’s nothing wrong with choosing sides. But in my opinion, Andrew is totally uncritical in his acceptance of everything coming gout of the Harkey recall camp.
And as for that thread in question, Antony, every comment — pro-Harkey and anti-Harkey — got nuked, so don’t give me the “Harkey people do whatever they want” businesses.
Jubal, regarding your comments:
“Adam fully disclosed his relationship with Harkey’s campaign. It’s there for all readers to see and judge accordingly.”
Be that as it may, but I don’t see too many recall proponents being asked to write articles on your blog site.
“But in my opinion, Andrew is totally uncritical in his acceptance of everything coming out of the Harkey recall camp.”
Oh my…..Do you think that Adam is not uncritical in his acceptance of everything from the Harkey line?
“And as for that thread in question, Antony, every comment — pro-Harkey and anti-Harkey — got nuked, so don’t give me the “Harkey people do whatever they want” businesses.”
Well…..!
Jubal, I wasn’t referring to that deleted thread – but it just seems that way in general! Maybe you haven’t noticed the cheap shots at recall folks’ expense which seem to go by without reaction from you. I’m sure you don’t see it that way, but take another look.
Jubal,
I am offering the Diane Harkey recall campaign the opportunity to place one of their activists on my blog team.
We will give them the chance to blog about Harkey 24/7 on one of the state’s top political blogs.
THAT should counter the pro-Harkey spin coming out of Red County…
Be that as it may, but I don’t see too many recall proponents being asked to write articles on your blog site.
Antony:
Maybe I’m not being clear: I don’t ask people to write articles for the blog. Blogpen members post when they want to — which in the case of most of them, is not very often 🙂
Jubal, I wasn’t referring to that deleted thread – but it just seems that way in general! Maybe you haven’t noticed the cheap shots at recall folks’ expense which seem to go by without reaction from you. I’m sure you don’t see it that way, but take another look.
It may seem that way, and I’m sure the pro-Harkey folks feel the same way. There are plenty of cheap shots coming from both sides and it is tough to let that debate unfold within the context of the comments section rules.
I am offering the Diane Harkey recall campaign the opportunity to place one of their activists on my blog team.
We will give them the chance to blog about Harkey 24/7 on one of the state’s top political blogs.
THAT should counter the pro-Harkey spin coming out of Red County…
To use one of your favorite lines, Art: Who cares?
Oh my…..Do you think that Adam is not uncritical in his acceptance of everything from the Harkey line?
Besides not being a response to my point about Andrew’s coverage, you should note that Adam makes readers aware of his relationship with the Harkey campaign, and they can take that into account.
I really don’t want to continue this tit-for-tat, but I don’t think it’s fair to try to appear subjective, when apparently both you and Probolsky have direct ties to Harkey now or in the past. This changes your perspective forever, even though you may be trying to be fair.
It’s worse, though, when you continue to criticize other blog operators because they’re not buying your line or way of seeing things. They have their own reasons for thinking and believing what they do. How do you know what information or research they have? It might just be better than yours.
So it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re guilty of uncritical thinking or worse. The fact that these people are your competitors is not lost on us, so leave them alone and let your readers decide. They will anyway.
…when apparently both you and Probolsky have direct ties to Harkey now or in the past.
I do? And what would those direct ties be?
Someone had previously indicated that you had such ties, but if that is not so then I certainly retract my words. I am glad to know this, too!
Sorry, Jubal.
Hi again Jubal –
That “someone” I referred to was by the writer of the first comment for this thread: “Anonymous”!
Oh well, nothing like a well recognized source!