When I saw the Internet version of the front page of today’s OC Register I was rather troubled. Headline: Cost of an outburst.”
What ever became of “investigative reporting.” I recognize that all of the print media is cutting back on staff which may account for some shoddy reporting. However, what about the lack of “fair and balanced” coverage that pundits argued about relating to the just concluded presidential election?
For Register reporter Erika Ritchie to devote so much ink to the “self induced” plight of Mission Viejo councilman Lance MacLean lowers the bar for me regarding news coverage and topic selection previously provided by the Register. Late last night, even before opening the hard copy on our driveway this morning, I sent out the following note to Erika and her upper managers questioning her research on this story.
“Nov 5, 2008
Erika Ritchie, OC Register
Re: Article on Lance MacLean’s “anger management.” Is this a human interest story?
Erika. Other than accepting Lance’s recall of the UCI incident did you perform any investigative reporting on the episode where it took multiple local police to restrain Lance as I believe he was choking a fellow employee?
Erika. What is this? A job placement referral? Lance has berated me in public and competing city council challenger Diane Greenwood (resulting in her calling 911) at a major intersection in the 2006 city council election where the police were called out and photos taken. If Lance wants to clear the slate he should begin with a public apology to everyone he has berated from the dais since being elected in 2002. Larry Gilbert.”
Sorry folks. But based on today’s front page story it would be irresponsible for someone who was a (2002) supporter and follower of Lance MacLean’s local conduct over the past six years not to raise questions on this one sided “puff piece.”
“According to (the) Employment Development Department, job losses in Orange County continued in August. The number of layoffs accounted for 26,600 non-farm workers last month.”
Query! Will the Register interview any of these 26,600 “victims” who surely must be unhappy with their job losses but were not required to take any “anger management” classes?
What’s “news” about MacLean having a hot temper and getting fired when the assault happened more than a year ago? Another troubling aspect of the OCR story is the failure to disclose MacLean’s acts at UCI that got him fired. He picked up a co-worker by the neck and pinned him against the wall. Now, he says he was concerned about students’ safety. Geesh! The OCR story isn’t newswriting, it’s poorly crafted fiction.
So, OCR is portraying Lance’s unemployment as news and diverting attention from his own hostility that renders him unemployable. The real story should be about the emergence of the Internet. Employers can easily perform background checks and protect themselves from time bombs like MacLean.
Come on! Its easy to be such a perfect person!
What do you do …. go home and kick the cat!
We all have breaking points , he did what he thought was right. He expressed himself for the good of the School and there were problems .
So what? He is still a very good council member!
Why don’t you all grow up!
To Colin Brake:
In a very letigious society such as ours, it would be good for Mr Lance Maclean to watch his temper, sad to say. Having said that, since when did we give leeway for people to abuse others and be violent? If I did that I would be lining up in the unemployment office the next day. A kid draws a picture of a cross and he gets suspended! I understand, he may a good worker, but he is a civil servant of the city of Mission Viejo.
Oh and where’s the overreaching ACLU on this issue?
Raquel.
Thanks for your comment. I didn’t realize that the original post that you are responding to was written just over a year ago.
Obviously our city council majority overlooked documented proof of his anger management issues and rewarded “Lance the victim” by their 3-2 vote making him mayor for 2010.
Perhaps voters should find out why Lance left his post as Associate Executive Director at UCI after 27 years. After his chocking a fellow director at UCI the school “launched an investigation into what happened.” Source: OC Weekly.
This is when Lance “retired.” Lance told that reporter that he left to form his own business yet was unemployed for almost a year while having a home and family to support including a college student who needed tuition assistance. Unless you are independently wealthy that is not being a responsible head of household.
In that interview Lance is quoted “I’ve got a kid in college; I’m trying to pay college fees. I’m having a hard time getting a job. Look at all that blog shit out there (about me). I’m not gonna get a job.”To summarize. This begs the question. How is it acceptable for UCI to investigate his conduct which led to Lance’s early retirement yet watchdogs in our city cannot promote his removal without being attacked for protecting a Mission Viejo resident or visitor in the event Lance again loses his temper and attacks another individual?
How much insurance does our pool carry by our recent rewarding rather than censuring him?