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For – jeez, decades actually – Larry Agran ruled the world of Irvine Democrats with an iron fist, brooking no dissent. During that time, as Mayor and Councilman, he did a lot of good things (from the point of view of liberals and environmentalists), but the good of his record is dwarfed by the quarter billion dollars of waste on his never-realized Great Park, and the antidemocratic culture of conformity and obedience he fostered in his local Party.
Against this backdrop, like a salmon swimming upstream, arose an independent progressive Councilwoman name of Melissa Fox. Generally allied with Larry’s “Agranistas,” but not obedient to Larry and owing him nothing, she developed her own group of volunteers, her own “machine,” and won election last year one cycle after Larry was finally voted out.
Agran
During Larry’s final term, seeing his dreams of a Great Park collapse, he instead embraced the idea of an OC Veterans Cemetery, as a way to salvage at least something constructive out of his tenure, and by all accounts his work on the project was as important as anyone’s. But when his longtime bitter enemies, the greedy developers of FivePoint who were incommoded by the original planned site, offered to swap land for a different site known popularly as the “Strawberry Fields,” Larry and his allies instead of considering the pros and cons of the offer insisted stubbornly on sticking it to FivePoint with the original site.
Melissa, however, coming at the issue with a fresh set of eyes and finding herself the swing vote on the Council, saw that the land swap idea could be advantageous for both Irvine taxpayers and the veterans themselves, and that the fact that it would also be advantageous for the greedy developer Agran hated so much was somewhat inconsequential. When it became clear that she was considering favoring the swap, Larry referred to that possibility as “incomprehensible.” It was actually far from incomprehensible to any objective observer. What was really incomprehensible to Larry was any Irvine Democrat daring to not show complete obedience and loyalty to Larry.
Fox
As it shook out, Melissa DID cast the deciding vote for the land swap, saving many millions of dollars for Irvine taxpayers, and winning an award for the same. The cemetery is now on a fast track to being built on the Strawberry Fields and Melissa is considered a traitor by Larry and his clique.
All of the above is old news to any local blog readers. What’s new is that on Monday the Democratic Party of OC (DPOC) passed a resolution condemning the thuggish behavior of the Agran crowd in the leadup to her Cemetery vote, a resolution reading something about like thus:
DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF ORANGE COUNTY CONDEMNS THREATENED RECALL OF IRVINE CITY COUNCILMEMBER MELISSA FOX
Whereas, Irvine City Councilmember Melissa Fox, an endorsed Democrat, was recently elected on November 8, 2016, to a four-year term on the Irvine City Council; and as the sole Democratic member of the Irvine City Council, has faithfully and with integrity carried out her duties by fighting for the values of the Democratic Party and by making decisions based on the best interests of Irvine residents; and
Whereas, Irvine City Councilmember Melissa Fox, in carrying out these duties, and while working closely with Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva, Senator Josh Newman, Governor Jerry Brown, and Congressman Lou Correa, has fulfilled her campaign promise to ensure that an Orange County Veterans Memorial and Cemetery is established on the grounds of the former El Toro Marine Air Base in Irvine; and
Whereas, Irvine City Councilmember Melissa Fox has been threatened with a recall based on a single vote on the Veterans Cemetery;
Therefore, be it resolved that the Democratic Party of Orange County condemns the attacks on Irvine City Councilmember Melissa Fox’s integrity and character.
Be it further resolved that the Democratic Party of Orange County strongly supports Irvine City Councilmember Melissa Fox against this threatened pernicious recall.
Some of my young progressive friends in the Party needed to know all that background; ustedes should identify with Melissa and celebrate her bold rise against an entrenched Party dictator. Some of them think it’s petty to pass a resolution against a recall that’ll probably never materialize, and sure enough Larry’s crowd is now saying “Recall? What recall?” The thing is, the recall was a serious threat against her to get her to vote Agran’s way, and THAT is what needed to be condemned by the Party. And here is the meat of this story, documentation of those threats, mostly from Agran’s fake-newsletter “Irvine Community News and Views” (ICNV), and from his drunken lapdog Dan Chmielewski of the ironically named blog “Liberal OC.” (Note that Agran often uses the passive voice, or attributes to unnamed others what he himself wants said or is planning…)
Chmielewski
- From the column “Agran’s City Watch” in ICNV: “”There is already widespread talk among civic activists of resort to available options: litigation, initiatives, referenda, and even recalls.”
- Recall threatened in “comments” in ICNV: “…The next step in this black comedy is to start a recall petition against these traitors of the public trust…”
- More recall threats in ICNV “comments: “…I would like to know how we, the citizens of Irvine, can remove elected officials [who make this decision.]”
- Chmielewski in Liberal OC: “Meanwhile, in Irvine, there’s discussion that if Council member Melissa Fox votes in favor of the FivePoint plan there will be a recall effort made to remove her from office. Organizers have asked for anonymity awaiting a vote from Fox. They are well-funded and organized.”
- Anonymous “comments” on Liberal OC: “I supported Fox for her election and now she’s going to vote for a billionaire developer to get more money from Irvine? I will never vote for her ever again and if there’s a recall I will make sure to vote against her.”
- Corruption accusations in ICNV, for example that Melissa was being texted on how to vote by FivePoint while on the dais.
So, yeah, I’m glad my Party condemned all that, and that we now have independent Democrats in Irvine who can think for themselves and won’t bow to intimidation by their shelf-life-long-past bosses. Patience, my young friends, there is time next month for much bigger resolutions about much bigger issues in the bigger world.
I know that you like using the term “bitch-slap” as much as I dislike using it — but I have to point out that you’ve missed the opportunity here to use the term “botch-slap.”
Normally, Florice Hoffman would be here to witch-slap you for using that term, but as Melissa’s clise friend she may feel conflicted.
I did read that Chumley quote to the Assembled before the vote. I think that we may be sharing a source there.
Our “shared source (no doubt)” gave me that bullet list. But I did read and remember that Chemical Lewinsky paragraph when he first churned it out.
Our shared source is obviously a veritable Sourcerer.
Vern, it takes a musician to get the Irvine notes right. Thank you.
I was recently reminded of the origins of “bitch-slap” while using it myself not long ago, and have had to remind myself not to use it. We no longer use many words that were once part of our everyday vocabulary, now that we claim ourselves to be more evolved and civilized and such. This is one of those phrases that needs to go away, although I certainly share the sentiment behind it.
My favorite;
“Organizers have asked for anonymity awaiting a vote from Fox. They are well-funded and organized.” Really? Folks have raised funding and an organizational structure all while remaining anonymous? I am pretty sure I have seen that “organization” before, and it is called, “one man writing a check.”
I am glad your party decided standing up for someone doing the right thing was worth doing. Finally. I gotta wonder if they would have the same spine if Agran was NOT already politically neutered. He got away with bullying people for so long because his/your party allowed it.
At least we seem to have mostly gotten rid of “bitch slap’s” companion: “pimp” as a verb where “tout” or “promote” would do — or, worse, “spruce up” or “adorn” as in “my ride.”
Yeah, I’m old. So what?
Larry Argan had his day in the Sun,He can sit down and shut up…or do a Curt Pringe and call in plays from the pressbox (football metaphor) it worked in Westminster for years with ex-Supervisior/Mayor Philip Anthony 80’s & 90’s…as for Melissa Fox she has guts I would go to bat (okay baseball metaphor) for Melissa Fox Rocks!!..
(Historical Note) the City of Irvine,then Irvine Ranch, was the Big Battle Field Scene in “All Quite on the Western Front”Best Picture 1930.
Your memory goes so far back … I only know Phil Anthony as one of the few good dependable anti-Poseidon votes on OCWD .. and I’m glad he won re-election to that board last year.
“Meanwhile, in Irvine, there’s discussion that if Council member Melissa Fox votes in favor of the FivePoint plan there will be a recall effort made to remove her from office. Organizers have asked for anonymity awaiting a vote from Fox. They are well-funded and organized.”
Yeah, the “organizers” consist of five Irvine residents including Agran that meet at the Starbucks in Northpark taking advantage of the free wi-fi. Councilmember Fox has more support in Irvine than the Agranistas want you to believe. In my years of living in Irvine, she is the most approachable councilmember I know. She genuinely cares about Irvine and
The question the Agranistas have to ask themselves is why their Dear Leader is not testifying in front of a county grand jury on his financial mismanagement of the Great Park. Or why he isn’t wearing an orange prison jumpsuit. But let’s not talk about that elephant in the room and instead attack Fox for not marching in lock step with Boss Agran’s wishes. As if working together with other people is a bad thing.
The source of the attacks and recall talk points to one person. Dan Chmielewski. “Information passed on to him”. Right! I have a better chance of seeing the Clippers win the NBA title than believing the garbage that spews from Chmielewski’s mouth.
Clippers have Jerry West now and may be signing LeBron. May I interest you in a gently used Rams metaphor?
Ok, when the Rams win the Super Bowl.
That’s cruel. Cruel but fair.
Just FIVE? Hey, there are WAY more than five different anonymous commenter names backing up Chumley on Liberal OC!
As for Agran wearing prison orange: sorry, I still don’t see it, and the tendentious audit and counter-audit by both sides don’t end up shedding much light on it.
I’m still looking for a clear chart, enough so to be agreed upon by both sides, accounting for where that $250 million (or whatever it was) went. Money going to design a park, even if you don’t like the chosen architect, is for example not in ANY way criminal.
Oh, I don’t think it’s about architecture.
I’d say 10 but that’s assuming people like Chumley
There’s two definite assholes who have their own loathsome personalities and spelling tics – “David Vasquez” and OC Dem. There are other characters who you can tell switch their names around day to day. There’s not that many.
You seriously have to read the comments from Chumly on Melissa Fox’s Facebook post from the DPOC.
“You would never believe the secrets I keep for folks all over OC!”
I can’t..I just can’t take it anymore
Just port them over here for us all to enjoy.
From the mouth of the Irvine Chum Bucket:
“Melissa Fox — Larry Agran is not the source of the recall tip; two others were who gave me the information on condition on anonymity which I granted. Should I violate that promise, I jeapordize the ability of ANY source to ever speak to me in confidence. You would never believe the secrets I keep for folks all over OC. I have reached out to those sources since the vote and believe they are more focused on alternatives to a recall–litigation for example. But you should know better to ask me to reveal information shared in confidence; something I learned in Journalism 101. Your vote isn’t about your character or integrity; but perhaps you ought to hold FivePoints accountable as you do Agran for their gutter tactics against SQS, the bull robocall that registered every vote for the Strawberry field site, and crticisms of Agran on the land swap. Wait until the ARDA site is reassessed to accomodate the development FivePoint will do. Then we’ll know how much $$ was surrendered to a billionaire. I remain disappointed in the decision you arrived at. ARDA is ready to go. Now that land swap is in place, the city has no leverage to compel FivePoint to do anything. Phase I is not defined and $10 million isn’t much.”
I admire his willingness to go to jail to protect his sources. (That IS what he means, right?)
And he is absolutely right about one thing, so far as I am concerned: I *don’t* “believe the secrets [he] keep for folks all over OC.”
Cruel. So was watching the Rams play last season.
And the “bitch slap” heard around OC. (Sorry, could not resist using the term) Way to go Melissa Fox!
“Dan Chmielewski Dan, there is no point in continuing this endless debate, especially when you just ignore the facts you don’t like and continue to publish vile and asinine anonymous attacks on me. You don’t trust FivePoint. Fine. I don’t trust them either. There is no trust involved here. I have been a lawyer for 25 years. I trust contracts and binding agreements, and even then I monitor them closely. I intend to do just that regarding my dealings on behalf of the City with FivePoint, other developers, or anyone else.”
Oooh now that is PIMPED OUT!
How many secrets does Chum Bucket really know around OC? I’m sure the secret sources he referenced originated from “Suite C” of his gated Northpark community. Him and his sock puppet creations that he takes with him to Comic Con every year.
For one I’m sure he knows who his gallery of poison commenters really are.
But can he explain why none of them can spell?
That information is secret.
I see what you did there.
Oooh! That’s gotta *smart*, even if it won’t smarten!
As predicted: if they try to mess with the city, she will switch sides and join with Lalloway and Schott to spank them.
We already have: the better site for a memorial + $10MM + $38MM if needed + probably $30MM if needed + possibly federal money if that’s to be its final destination — *and* they still have responsibilities to build out the Great Park + Irvine still controls zoning for the ARDA site. That’s really not a bad position from which to play. And if FivePoint really DOES stand to make so much money off of ARDA — which I think is exaggerated, and of course it first need to be scraped — then they can afford to deal.
This whole article reflects the personal dislike of an individual(s) rather than reflecting on actual facts. The Strawberry Fields site will not be built right away but will have to go through the same process as did the Original site. I am sorry that some people’s hatred of a progressive leader (Larry Agran) cloud their judgement, understanding of the issues. This article does not include the facts that because of Melissa’s votes and broken promises on many issues relating to traffic as well as development that have many people newly engaged in the political process. People are also upset with lack of transparency in regards IE’s during election time and council members taking trips on the premise of gathering information but not disclosing any information to their constituents. It is high time that all of these people that are currently on the city council and that have railed against previous administrations be held to the same level of accountability.
Thank you, Sharon, for joining our discussion here. You’ll be happy to know that unlike *some* local political blogs we don’t sneer at people for posting in the wee hours of the morning, when creative people are often up and about.
I think that the (unfortunate) title plays into your impression of this piece deriving from hostility. You may (or may not, but I hope that you will) be interested in looking at the piece that I posted on the subject three weeks ago: http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2017/06/vets-cemetery-the-counter-argument-that-the-vets-said-was-manure-was-manure-indeed/ in which I took this on directly.
Like others associated with OCVMP, I’m not happy with what Agran is doing right now, but I also expect that at some point he will stop, and that in the long term he should and will be recognized as one of the heroes of the movement to get the cemetery built in (surely we can agree on this much) the vicinity of the Great Park and ON the former MCAS – El Toro. I think that he’s done enough that part of the Great Park — probably the cultural center just north of the cemetery, but perhaps the West Park area — should be named in his honor, if he ever decides to accept it. Without him, this would be an airport.
The Bake Parkway location (which I hope will at some point be formally incorporated into the Great Park, as would have had to happen with the ARDA site as well, after it was *removed* from the Great Park) has already sailed through the legislature and been signed into the government’s budget. I do not see any serious obstacles to Phase 1 of the plan being approved — and once that happens where will be a collective interest in approving the best possible plans for the remaining phases.
Incidentally, the ARDA property that is now going to Five Point would have to have whatever development proposed for it approved by the Irvine City Council — and there is little reason to think that they plan on doing anything outrageous or oppressive with it. They could have had this land pretty cheaply when they bought the rest, had they wanted it — this was land that no one much wanted, due to the expenses of cleaning up the Superfund site in its southeast corner — but they didn’t.
Why not — and what does that tell us about their motivation? It seems to me that their motivation with respect to ARDA was quite similar to the City’s motivation with regards to MCAS – El Toro itself a couple of decades ago! It was not so much a matter of what Irvine WANTED on the former military base that motivated the city, but what it DID NOT WANT — a big international airport. The Great Park itself was a great (or at least a grand) rationale for opposing the airport, but its main usefulness was that it was NOT AN AIRPORT.
Similarly, I don’t know that FivePoint has any particular plan for what it wants to do with the property — especially when facing a different City Council majority of Fox, Schott, and Lalloway staring them down (with your and my support!) if they ask too much. What they wanted was: NOT A CEMETERY. And that’s what they’ve achieved — in fact, so far, it’s ALL that they’ve achieved. And, frankly, it may be all that they thought that they NEEDED to achieve. (See my separate post on that idea, coming later today, which I’ll then link here.)
We here don’t know it to be factual (as opposed to allegations) that Melissa Fox has “broken promises on many issues relating to traffic as well as development”, nor that this would be a main reason that “many people [are] newly engaged in the political process” when much the same is happening outside of Irvine.
As far as “lack of transparency in regards IE’s during election time,” “council members taking trips on the premise of gathering information but not disclosing any information to their constituents,” and holding ALL of Irvine’s politicians “to the same [high] level of accountability” — you have an ally here in this blog! And, so long as the word “ALL” is included there, I don’t think that you have a really strong ally anywhere else in the county, save perhaps for the Voice of OC. We’d like to see clean Irvine politics and governance across the board.
Wow to say that Melissa ” has faithfully and with integrity carried out her duties by fighting for the values of the Democratic Party” is such a bunch of crap. Voting to make 5 PT richer and putting more traffic on the streets of Irvine is NOT voting with integrity. Melissa has broken all of her campaign promises and no democrat should be supporting her.
Poor old Gail Lewis is apparently one of those so brainwashed by Larry Agran over so many years that she has lost all sense of perspective and right and wrong. Melissa didn’t vote to enrich anyone — voted for the best interests of both the veterans and Irvine’s taxpayers. As far as traffic is concerned, Fox voted against moving forward with the Irvine Company’s proposed 1900 unit apartment complex on Sand Canyon — which Agran’s new best friends Jeffrey Lalloway and Lynn Schott both approved. In fact, it is striking that Agran never attacks the Irvine Company — which is responsible for more than 75% of the residential growth in Irvine. Why is that? Hmmm . . . Is Agran on the Irvine Company’s secret payroll? Is that how he pays for his fake newspaper? As the article points out, Agran has been a dictator in Irvine too long, sucking up to developers like the Irvine Company when it suits his purposes and punishing anyone, especially Democrats, who dared to disagree with him. Agran just about killed the Democratic Party in Irvine. Melissa Fox is a breathe of progressive fresh air!
Gail Lewis is not poor or old. She is a very intelligent person who is fully competent to read facts, get to know individuals involved, and know her own mind.
I’m just discovering this particular conversation. I know it’s old. Larry has made mistakes. His political judgement, like most of ours, was never perfect, but it was always informed, in my opinion and the opinion of many others, by wanting to do good for the community. Without his participation in city government, we have devolved into an embarrassment, compared with what we once were, when people like Larry — and many others over the years, going back to the beginning when we first were able to elect a progressive majority backed by “Irvine Tomorrow” to the very first city council — were the Council majority.
Melissa Fox entered politics with the blessing and endorsement of Larry and Beth Krom. She has been an opportunist from the beginning. When she started out, she lived in Lake Forest, and moved to Irvine to enter Irvine politics after failing to win an Assembly seat.
Perhaps like Steven Choi, Melissa can move on to “higher ground” where she can’t do as much damage, and Irvine can start to heal.
Sharon, Agran allowed political cronies to shovel truckloads of public money to their own interests. That’s judgment well worse than simply “never perfect” or “making mistakes.” And it has led to his team being unable to elect ANYONE in recent years, this year reaching a particular low point with the hapless team of Ed Pope, Jaci Woods, and that other guy.
Melissa’s big flaw, from the Agranista perspective, is her failure to fall in line and accept his leadership. I’ve had my own problems with Melissa and Mike over the years, but I can’t criticize her for putting the public interest ahead of fealty to a self-impressed sharp dealer.
Yes, by my lights he did a substantial amount of good in city government — along with some startling negligence that ruined him with the public. And now he and his supporters are in utter denial over it all. I’m not sure how that “heals.”