The Times finally published Jennifer Delson’s story recapping the story that broke last week, that apparently three of the Orange Juice bloggers, including myself, were coming under pressure by members of the Santa Ana City Council to either quit blogging or quit our respective City Commissions.
I am reproducing the article below. But first one observation – why is Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido taking advice from a convicted felon – Tim Rush? You will see that towards the end of Delson’s article.
I think she was very fair as to how she wrote the article and what is in it. Read on…
Santa Ana council trying to quiet bloggers
Three city board members and commissioners who write for orangejuiceblog.com have been asked to be less critical of city officials.
By Jennifer Delson
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
October 1, 2007
Some Santa Ana council members have told three bloggers who sit on city boards and commissions to tone down their criticisms of city officials.
The bloggers, who write for www.orangejuiceblog.com, often use inflammatory language and innuendo. They have attacked the motives of city officials, questioned whether favoritism influenced the awarding of city contracts, and criticized officials who don’t live in the city. The comments have led some readers to chime in with even greater rancor, including a woman who claimed to be the former wife of a city official.
“If there are board members that are attacking other board members or commissioners . . . that is a concern,” said Councilman David Benavides. “It’s no secret that these people were indirectly asked to tone it down. We don’t have any right to tell anyone what they can and cannot say, but we can say what we think is reasonable.”
Councilwoman Michele Martinez has asked the blog’s founder, Art Pedroza, to stop his writing or resign from the Housing and Redevelopment Commission. Martinez appointed him to the commission.
The council, Martinez said, had asked her and Councilman Sal Tinajero “to tell our commissioners to shape up.” Tinajero appointed the two other bloggers, Planning Commissioner Sean Mill and Thomas Gordon, who sits on the Early Prevention and Intervention Commission, which was established to combat gang violence.
Martinez fears that if Pedroza does not resign, the council could boot him from his position. City commissioners and board members serve at the council’s pleasure.
Pedroza said he would not resign.
“They will have to dismiss me,” he said. “Their complaints, for the most part, don’t reflect my performance as a commissioner but their disagreement with my writings. They knew we were bloggers when they appointed us, and they knew Santa Ana was the focus on the blog.”
Councilman Carlos Bustamante said Pedroza and the others were warned that as commissioners they should not make personal attacks on city officials in the blog.
Mill said Tinajero called him after a Sept. 21 council meeting and warned him “not to post anything that is a lie,” but “I haven’t done that,” Mill said. “I haven’t done anything wrong. Everything I’ve written is based on hard facts, and I don’t intend to stop.”
Gordon said that although Tinajero talked to him about his blogging, the councilman was more concerned about Gordon’s behavior at the Early Prevention and Intervention Commission. Gordon said the councilman told him that “I should stop acting out. I shouldn’t make a stupid face when I’m at public meetings. I need to conduct myself in a more professional manner.”
Gordon said city officials and former and current city employees, whom he wouldn’t name, told him that “the word is that if I don’t stop writing certain things, they will take away my position. They want to shut us up.”
Tinajero said he was concerned that the bloggers demonstrated no “sense of decorum that people should have when they represent the city,” but at the same time, he didn’t feel their free speech rights should be limited.
The attempt to quiet the bloggers demonstrates the increasingly vocal opposition to the traditional power structure in Santa Ana, where critics usually have stayed in the background.
“We’ve been the first ones to come along and talk, and speak about things that people call taboo, about things people prefer to bury,” Pedroza said. “That’s why what we are doing seems so outrageous.”
Viktor Mayer-Schoenberger, associate professor of public policy at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, said members of boards and commissions retain their 1st Amendment rights, which include blogging.
Blogging is “the democratization of the media, but it means more noise. It’s a whole new game, and it’s a game that is much more messy,” he said. “Compare this to a previous time when there were a known number of media outlets where [politicians] could call and even ask not to have certain stories run.” Bustamante said he thinks bloggers have free speech rights but, like anyone else, must maintain professionalism if they sit on a city commission.
“We appoint our representatives to represent us,” Bustamante said. “If they don’t agree with us and they don’t want to be part of the solution, they shouldn’t be on these commissions.”
Tim Rush, co-chairman of the Wilshire Square Neighborhood Assn., said he warned Mayor Miguel Pulido about appointing bloggers to city posts. Rush felt they were too critical of the city. Pulido did not return calls for comment.
Rush said Pulido told him, “Maybe this gives [the bloggers] the chance to catch some rocks instead of throwing them.”
UPDATE:
Gustavo Arellano, over at the OC Weekly’s Navel Gazing Blog, has commented on this story. Thank you Gustavo for your continued support of the Orange Juice! The OC Weekly’s R. Scott Moxley also covered the story at this link. Here are Gustavo’s comments for your consideration:
A couple of weeks ago, this paper named the SanTana-leaning Orange Juice the county’s best blog because it represents the best qualities of the blogosphere: scoops, jocularity, personality, with a bit of libel and bad graphics thrown in. And some paranoid arrogance, we thought, after bloggers Sean Mill and Art Pedroza began insinuating that SanTana City Hall forces were conspiring to throw them off the Planning and Housing and Redevelopment Commissions, respectively, because of their hell-raising. We knew that the Juicers weren’t liked by Mayor Miguel Pulido and his pals, but we thought Pedroza and Mill were reading too much into it, as is the wont of anyone who becomes a burr to the powerful (ask Moxley how Sheriff Mike Carona and his goons treat our star reporter).
But it turns out that the Orange Juice conspiracy is true. Today (as noted by Moxley in his news roundup), Los Angeles Times reporter Jennifer Delson writes that Pedroza, Mill and fellow blogger Thomas Gordon have been asked to shut up by councilmembers lest the coun
cil throw them off their appointed city commission seats (Gordon belongs to the Early Prevention and Intervention Commission). Seems some folks (namely pendejo councilmembers David Benavides and Carlos “Forrest Gump” Bustamante) in SanTana government don’t like what they write. Delson unfortunately gives the readers no clue as to what the Juicers post, so we invite ustedes to find out for yourself. Good job, Juicers, and my apologies for not having drunk your Kool-Aid earlier. And gracias for making our choice to call you the county’s best blog look visionary.
The mayor taking advice from a convicted felon should make an excellent campaign mailer. Oh yeah, didn’t convicted felon Rush lambast Tinajero in a campaign mailer alleging corruption?
Nonetheless, the mayor allowed a convicted felon to carry his message to the public without returning the reporter’s phone calls.
By all appearances it stacks up like Rush is a close advisor to the mayor. Hmmm… I smell a blog titled Who is Tim Rush? Since he has thrust himself into the public arena, Rush, the convicted felon, is fair game.
I am glad to see Mr. Rush chiming in on the issue. As we all know he has quite a resume to fall back on when giving his opinion about others.
I am also glad to see that the Mayor would seek advice from someone like Mr. Rush. How did that mailer slamming Sal Tinajero go…”Birds of a feather”.
Mayor Pulido and Tim Rush to reputable folks if I have ever seen it. NOT!!!!
I look forward to Sean Mill’s post “Who is Tim Rush?”. Hurry up and write it Sean.
I found the article to be confusing to read. What exactly did any of you say that offended them enough to take away your right of free speech? Jenny seemed afraid to state the exact quotes from your blogs. She should have sited specific quotes but instead mentions only general statements refering to the blog. Perhaps Jenny is afraid as well! Also, I couldn’t tell from the article whether or not Martinez and Tinajero really support you all keeping your posts or not. Perhaps the “Who is Al Amezcua” article got Michele in agua caliente with her Padrino Amezqua. I guess tonights votes and comments will clear some of this up.
Congrats on the article, Juicers! I’ll post something at length at our blog. Just one complaint, Art: your new design off the orangejuiceblog.com layout is annoying! I understand you want to make some money by selling ads, but your previous layout was clean and great! But that doesn’t distract from the writing of ustedes, thank Dios!
Isn’t Delson the same writer who exposed Rush for his excessive telephone calls to code enforcement jefe Bruce Dunams on his personal cell phone? For being a convicted felon Rush certainly is *connected* to the city’s inner circle of alleged shakers and movers.
All that’s missing from this latest drama are hookers.
“All that’s missing from this latest drama are hookers.”
They were told to leave Carlos’ personal life alone.
Tyrants usually do have trouble with the truth. Keep exposing them !!
Jack Still
The following was posted over at Red County. I agree with everything said below.
Jonathan,
You have no knowledge of what you’re posting about here. With all due respect, I don’t even know who you are. Obviously, you are young and new to this blog. That being said, the Santa Ana City Council has received dozens of complaints regarding two specific Orange Juice bloggers; Art Pedroza and Sean Mill, for their shrill personal attacks on those with whom they disagree. Truth is subjective to them. This is not to say they can’t posting something decent once in awhile, but especially Pedroza, goes out of his way to lie, malign, start rumors, fan rumors and invent “facts” to support whatever/whoever he is for or against.
Pedroza and Mill are appointed Commissioners. That does not mean they give up their right to free speech, but that does not give them a license to false speech. Commissioners represent our city and are expected to comport themselves in a manner worthy of that appointment. These two men don’t know how to take issue with something in a professional, respectful, reasoned manner; they name call, bad-mouth, and berate everyone on the council except for their two La Raza (The Race) heros, Michelle Martinez and Sal Tijanero. Unlike, Red County Blog, they screen all comments and deny or edit any hard-hitting postings re either Martinez or Tijanero. Everybody else is fair game.
Pedroza has been accuratley tagged a “Bully with a blog” for good reason. He is also known to have an Al Gore-like complex painting himself as the behind the scenes guy who makes everything happen, when in fact once two people compare notes, they discover the man is a compulsive liar. Jubal has accurately stated re Pedroza, one would “Have more success trying to argue with a cat.”
Additionally, these two don’t just go after the Mayor and some of the Council Members, they rip apart private citizens in our city who don’t drink their kool aid suscribe to their way of thinking. If you don’t kiss Pedroza’s ring you can best bet he’ll blog about you using all kinds of crass, low-class attacks. It’s because a good number of citizens have complained to city leaders that these two face removal from their appointments.
Pedroza and Mill are embarrassments to our city and the political process. We have enough problems to fix without these two making the whole city look like a bunch of idiots to the rest of OC by the unethical way they blog. The Santa Ana City Council has a responsibility to all its residents to ensure they are appointing the brightest and best to commissions. Pedroza and Mill are neither. They need to take their self-serving egos and vile manners elsewhere.
Pedroza and Mill should be removed ASAP and Jonathan, you should talk to Jubal before you give any more props or creedence to Pedroza’s tabloid blog here at Red County.
Jenny reports …
“We appoint our representatives to represent us,” Bustamante said. “If they don’t agree with us and they don’t want to be part of the solution, they shouldn’t be on these commissions.”
Is that why Julie Stroud is passed from commission post to commission post? If a council members tenure is subjected to term limits so should all city commissioners. Recycling commissioners like Julie Stroud and Don Cribb must be stopped.
One of the driving forces behind the ousting of Pedroza, Mill and Gordon is Julie Stroud. She’s been seething since the Mill appointment. It’s no surprise that she’d joined forces with the convicted felon in her tireless crusade to discredit the OJ blog team. This latest drama has Julie Stroud fingerprints all over it!
#8 writes …
… the Santa Ana City Council has received dozens of complaints regarding two specific Orange Juice bloggers;
And the complaints have been lodged by Julie Stroud, convicted felon Tim Rush, Dave Hoen, Debbie McEwen and Glen Stroud. These malcontents petitioned Rob Richardson and Mike Metzler to intervene and speak with Pulido about ousting the OJ3.
Who the hell do you think you’re kidding?
I forgive Tim Rush, and former councilmen Ted Moreno, and Tony Espinosa for their Felony Crimes. They have all served their time in jail and paid back society and now deserve to be forgiven and allowed to become productive members of their communities in Santa Ana ( or Tustin in the case of Mr. Espinoza). Let us all forgive and forget.
I was never asked directly or indirectly to tone it down by any councilmember. I hope Councilmember Benaz=vides calls me to clarify his remarks.
Further,
Councilmember Bustamante’s quote
“If they don’t agree with us and they don’t want to be part of the solution, they shouldn’t be on these commissions.” is rather harsh.
I was not aware that I had to agree with anyone to be on EPIC,
and was never “warned” by anyone about what I could or could not write.
As a member of EPIC I am responsible to the kids in this city who are getting killed while Councilmember’s sit in retreats doing straw polls to see if they have the votes to remove us. Was it on the agenda. Has anyone called me and asked me to quit?
No on both counts.
Hey Art, I do not know Mr. Rush but it strikes me that you are not consistent in you view about lawbreakers – you think this guy’s advice should not be sought because he is a convicted felon, yet you argured that admitted former drug dealer Michelle Martinez – who was apparently not caught and prosecuted but admits to this crime – should be given respect today as she has changed her ways. Am I the only one who sees an inconsistency here?
WHAT IS THIS GUY TALKING ABOUT . ” We appoint our representatives to represent us,” Bustamante said. “If they don’t agree with us and they don’t want to be part of the solution, they shouldn’t be on these commissions.”!!! INDIVIDUALS APPOINTEND TO THE CITY COMMISSIONS ARE NOT THERE TO DO WHAT THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS WANT OR SUPPORT/AGREE WITH THEIR EVERY MOVE OR DECISIONS….THIS CAN TOTALLY BE TURNED AROUND AGAINST COUNCILMEMBER IF THEY DONT REPRESENT THE PEOPLE THEN LETS BOOT THEM ALL OUT…..WHAT HAPPENED TO FREE SPEECH AND MAKING REPRESENTATIVES ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE THINGS THEY DO ..APPOINTED COMMISSIONERS SHOULD NOT BE EXPECTED TO COVER UP THE WRONG DOINGS OF COUNCIL MEMBERS OR KEEP THEIR MOUTH SHUTS ABOUT ONGOINGS AT CITY HALL …JUST BECAUSE THEY WERE APPOINTED..jESUS CHRIST WITH ALL THAT IS WRONG IN SANTA ANA THE FAILING SCHOOOLS, INCREASE IN CRIME RATE, GANG PROBLEM..ETC ETC …THE ATTITUDE OF THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS REALLY MAKES ME MAD !
Poster 13,
Tim Rush can say what he wants to. But every time he sticks his nose into local politics he is going to get ripped.
Look at the way Ted Moreno has behaved since he got out of jail. He has focused on his family 100%. He is contrite and he did learn his lesson.
I don’t know that Tim ever did. His comments about Sal Tinajero last year, during the council campaign season, were awful.
And now we come to find out that Tim is advising our Mayor. So is Stanley Fiala, but neither Tim nor Stanley are guys any of us would want to acknowledge, much less hang out with. Can’t Miguel find someone credible to tell him what to do?
Interestingly, Fiala got booked too, for beating on his esposa. I guess Pulido likes to get his tips from people with criminal records.
As for Michele, as you indicated, she was never tried nor convicted of anything. She had an awful childhood and it is nothing short of a milagro that she turned out to be such a caring and dedicated Council member. She is in fact a role model for our young people…can you say that about Tim Rush and Stanley Fiala? Creo que no…
Poster 8,
With all due respect, we DO know who Jonathan is because he uses his full name when he blogs. You however are hiding behind an anonymous ID. So please don’t rip Jonathan when in fact you are the one who is lacking in bravery.
Also, the Council creates its own problems – we just point that out on a regular basis.
Just look at what they have been up to this year: banning massage parlors, banning human signs, trying to ban delivery of handbills, and increasing our already too high water rates. While the city’s roads are a mess and we don’t have enough parks or libraries. Not to mention the huge increase in gang violence this year.
The Santa Ana City Council used to be able to do whatever they wanted to. Now they can’t – as we are them to hold them accountable. Of course they don’t like it. As I see it, their only hope is to start representing the people of this city instead of the special interests that pad their campaign accounts. I won’t hold my breath waiting for that to happen!
Rush is a convicted felon; he served time and was stripped of his real estate license. His wife divorced him and he’s been paying restitution. This is all a matter of court record.
If you’re going to hurl accusations about Council member Martinez and allegations about being a drug dealer then produce court records supporting your claim.
Perhaps the OJ should post Rush’s public records as they pertain to his conviction. I’m sure they’d welcome your court documents supporting your allegations about Martinez.
Art—
I’ve commented over at OC Blog that this blog burning effort by the council is pretty stupid and they should gracefully withdraw from the quicksand of Bloggate. battle.
While I don’t always see eye to eye with usted I do think your blog serves an important public purpose of shining the light on city activities.
Are you and your compadres staying away from blogging on your commission work? I think the councilmember who appoints you has the right to expect you to support their vision and philosophy on the commission you sit on. If your blogging goes against that grain then you serve at their pleasure and I would have no problem with the removal.
If, on the other hand, your blogging is about other city acts and ommissions then the removal would be an attempt to control your first amendment rights, a pretty chilling attempt I might add, and would be inappropriate.
Bladerunner,
We have been very careful about comments re our commissions. I did put up a post inviting the public to file for section 8 vouchers. I am sure you will agree that posts of that nature are innocuous attempts to inform the public, and nothing more.
Thanks for the support!
Art,
Actually, Sean recently wrote a post with regard to The Crosby’s liquor license, a license he cast a vote on while sitting on the Planning Commission. He goes on to criticize Don Cribb, a former member of the Planning Commission. In his post, he doesn’t disclose that he sits on the Planning Commission (although some people already know that and he did go on to mention his vote in the comment thread).
As I’ve suggested before, this whole episode seems like a smackdown between political insiders vying for influence. When you play hardball, sometimes you get dinged.
I’m confused Art. I thought you were appointed at the Ward 4 Rep to the library board many years ago by Bustamonte. When did you two have your falling out and over what issue? Seems like you served him well on the library board!
No. 17, this is No. 13. The drug dealing situation was discussed fairly thoroughly on this blog several months ago. It started with an interview of Ms. Martinez that was published in OC Metro magazine where she was quoted as stating that she dealt drugs when she was 17, making $2,000 a week. In the discussion on this blog then, as I remember it, no one disputed that is what she said. The debate was whether or not forgiveness for engaging in such activity should be forthcoming. As I remember it, the majority of people who commented on this blog at that time said it should not be held against her, she was a kid then from a troubled home, today she has turned her life around, etc. This is the history of this topic on this blog as I remember it. Perhaps others will want to help clarify. My chiding of Art today was to suggest he is being selective in what unlawful activites he chooses to overlook and what ones he is not. Judging by his response as No. 15 it looks like I got his attention, if not his agreement. I think that kind of exchange is what helps make this blog interesting – hope a few others agree.
#22
Posters, like the tide, come and go and not all are aware of what previously transpired. Thanks for
the recap. I appreciate your spirit of an open discussion.
Since you eloquently elaborated on Martinez’s alleged drug dealing days, I think it’s only fair, and appropriate, to elaborate on the circumstances that led to the conviction of Tim Rush. I’m sure you and I would agree that equal disclosure would be beneficial to outsiders. After all, Mr. Rush was tossed in the pokey and had his real estate license revoked by the state. What prompted such action?
Again, thanks for bringing a sense of fair play to this worthy discussion.
Benavides stated “but we can say what we think is reasonable”, but thinks it’s not appropriate for American Citizens to have the same rights.Resign now Mr.Benavides or this will haunt you on your reelection run.What kind of arrogant,pompous idiot is this guy?
Bustamante stated “If they don’t agree with us and they don’t want to be part of the solution, they shouldn’t be on these commissions.”
Don’t agree with you? You self rightous pompous moron. This is America and these folks have the right to say anything they want as long it is not a lie.Is this Bustamante clown up for reelection? Does he have any skeletons or other stupid quotes in his closet? Shame on you Bustamante.
#25
Yes, Bustamante is up for re- election next year. Julie Stroud, as well as Rob Richardson, were very instrumental in electing Carlos three years ago. It’ll be interesting to see if Julie and Rob sign up for Bustmanate’s re-election campaign.
Art,
I hope you have gotten out your “thank you” stationary. This blog just hit a receent record of over 800 visits.
whatever they were hoping to accomplish by squeching your opionins and postings have now backfired. Let them sue. that sould be good for another 2k hits per day.
Congrats and best wishes to you and your team!
Art and other council appointees: If you behave yourselves in the public arena, I don’t see why you can’t let your hair down and post what your real opinions are, on this blog.
What a stupid bunch of cowards they are for demanding submissivenes to some kind of “manners” over the truth. U go!
#22,
Placing names,identities,crimes and transgressions aside.Do you equate the transgressions of a minor that was not convicted of a crime at the same level and scrutiny of an adult convicted of a crime?This is relevant because here you are questioning an attack while attacking with ilogical comparisons.
Carlos should really learn to not speak to the press. Everytime he opens his mouth, he gives voters another reason not to vote for him.
How is it that Santa Ana attracts such bad electeds like Carlos? Great, he was rasised here and it reflects badly on the City every time he tries to formulate a thought.
Pulido, Bustamante and Benevides just handed the OJ a sweet Valentine. The AP picked up the story and I hear this story line may make tomorrow’s editorial pages.
Way to go OJ blog team.
Ok, everyone pay attention……..things got heated when Art wrote the story about Al Amezcua. Does that not say anything??? The truth always eventually comes out.. We know now to get things riled up, just write a story about Carlos or Al Amezcua.
I truly believe we will see change in the next election process. Way to go bloggers, lets get council members who are not afraid to make changes or stand up for what they believe in……
“but we can say what we think is reasonable.”
So who decided that Councilclown Benavides gets to decide what speech is allowed and waht speech is not. This bozo should shut his mouth and do the job he fooled voters into thinking he was going to do.
The mayor of your city sure has some odd bedfellows. From what I’ve seen and heard about Mr. Rush I am very aurprised that he isn’t in the employ of the California Department of Corrections. He wouldn’t happen to possibly be on probation would he?
In order to avert the heat being placed on Pulido and members of his round table seems some misinformed, money grubbing, self centered representatives of the people have formulated an attack on a young woman by the name of Michelle Martinez.
From what I have read and know of this young lady I would submit the following. How can this young lady be compared to a man such as Rush? Number #1 Rush was convicted of crimes by a court. Crimes he commited of his own volition as an adult. Ms. Martinez was convicted of nothing and she was only 17 at the time. A juvenile record if she had been arrested. A record which is sealed to public eyes. What most people don’t know about her life would fill a large book.
I must salute and tip my hat to this young lady for having the guts to step forward and tell her story. I can not imagine the fear and misapprehension she felt at the time. She made a mistake as a youngster and corrected it as an adult. She is very much for the people having come from the people. She was elected by the people and not appointed by Pulido or any one else. She is a voice for and of the people. Not afraid to speak her mind nor the minds of the people. Yes she may be young in age but she is apparently wise beyond her years. She is the future of Santa Ana, California and the United States. She is your future, my future and the future of the world. Let her lead, assist her where you can, advise her when she ask. If you can’t do these things then simply stay out of the way.
Ms. Martinez again I salute you and pray that there are more young people such as yourself in Santa Ana willing to take up the fight for all of us and the future.
The future of Santa Ana. The future of California. The future of the United States and the Future of the world as we know it.