It needs to be said periodically, on this blog, that no matter how many complaints we have about the DPOC (OC Democratic Party), the OC GOP (OC Republican Party) is always WORSE.
You might not get that picture here, since Greg and I (two Democrats who dominate this blog) share the philosophy no, personality no, CHARACTER, of “clean your own house first.” But as much as we find the DPOC compromised and sometimes corrupt (due mostly to the influence of some short-sighted greedy unions as well as the Manichean maneuvers of a few ambitious insiders) … the OC GOP is always WORSE. Especially under the leadership of valueless, money-chasing Fred Whitaker (below.)
EXHIBIT ONE, today’s exhibit: The OC GOP’s decision on which Republican to endorse in next year’s race for Lisa Bartlett’s termed-out south-county (district 5) Supervisor seat. Faced with a choice last month between the following candidates, whom do you think they chose?
- Dana Point’s DIANE HARKEY, former Assemblywoman and Board of Equalization member, and female half of a divorced couple that made MILLIONS OF DOLLARS over a decade seducing Seniors into a Ponzi Scheme and bankrupting them…
OR…
- GREG RATHS, a Marine colonel, Mission Viejo councilman and former Mayor, who’s been one of the more respectable and well-liked of Orange County’s Republicans in recent years?
Why, you already know, they picked Harkey, choosing the unethical, predictable insider over the ethical, independent conservative, Colonel Raths – reportedly for two main reasons: they thought she’d do better fundraising, and they’ve been pissed at Greg ever since he primaried the equally dishonest Republican insider Mimi Walters in 2014 and 16.
Well, that second reason should be a badge of honor, and the first one doesn’t hold water either. Sure, the OC GOP was dazzled when Diane quickly loaned her own campaign $200 grand (and isn’t bothered by the way she originally acquired all her money) but Greg says he fundraises circles around Diane – he easily raised $1.4 million in 2020, without bilking a single Senior citizen! But also:
Why endorse so freaking early, before district lines are drawn?
It’ll only be a few weeks before we know what the new Supervisorial Districts will look like, and they’ll be different from what they are now… so why not wait a little longer to endorse? (Yeah, I know that the DPOC united behind their Fireman Guy even earlier, but that’s on them.) Some of the possible maps would not even put Greg’s Mission Viejo into the same district as Diane’s Dana Point. One possibility is a long south-County coastal district which would include Diane Dixon’s Newport, for a Battle of Two Dianes – this premature endorsement is unfair to her and others!
And one more thing, attempting to take the point of view of an imaginary sensible OC GOP:
The Biggest Loser
Both candidates will call each other electoral losers with some reason, as they have both suffered defeats as our county turns bluer. But I propose that Diane is the bigger loser. Consider: Greg lost to national rockstar Democrat Katie Porter last year, but that was after beating out four other – no, Greg corrects me, SIX other – south county Republicans in June for the privilege of facing Porter. And that’s the electorate (minus Irvine) that’ll probably be voting for south-county Supe.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad (as a progressive) that Katie won, but one reason was that she was nearly ten times better funded – the national GOP decided to focus more on the useless Michelle Steel and Young Kim. And still Greg came closer to beating Katie in 2020 than Diane did against unknown Democrat Mike Levin in 2018. (And THAT race was ANOTHER time that the OCGOP chose to endorse Harkey over another decent military veteran Republican, Rocky Chavez – ANY woman is better than ANY veteran?)
Meanwhile Greg has won resoundingly in Mission Viejo, TWICE, in 2014 & 2018, while the last time Diane won a race was Board of Equalization in 2014 – a six-figure position where she did nothing anyone can tell you about, and abandoned ship in 2018 to run and lose for Congress, leaving the BoE seat to a nominal Democrat, another loss you’d think the OC GOP would care about.
Connected to not having run for, won, or held any local office in a decade, Diane Harkey is OUT OF TOUCH. Living off her husband’s ill-gotten gains in Dana Point’s Ritz Cove (right) she couldn’t be expected to be familiar with the everyday problems and concerns of south county residents, but does still rub elbows with lobbyists and politicos. Still, maybe that’s all good, with the OC GOP.
Raths in June!
(November up for grabs.)
Here’s my thing. As a progressive I disagree with Colonel Raths on a lot of issues, and I know he’s done and said some silly things in the past like many politicians. But I think all Republicans and independent-minded folks in south County should support him in the June primary over Diane Harkey. (After THAT we can determine who’s better, him or the Democrat.)
Not only would Diane add YET MORE corruption and cruelty to what’s already on the BoS, it would also be a very demoralizing outcome for that unrepentant financial crook and elder abuser to finish her career in such a powerful and highly compensated position.
Greg was right on the 241 toll-road extension.
In the North County, my litmus test is a politician’s position on POSEIDON, to determine if that politician is well-informed, sensible, and not paid-off. Greg doesn’t know much about Poseidon which isn’t surprising, as it wouldn’t directly affect Mission Viejo (although we suspect a big local impetus to the boondoggle is freeing up more water for further south county development.)
But something Greg should really emphasize to his south-county voters is that he always opposed the extension of the 241 toll road into the heart of San Clemente – something the TCA fought for tooth and nail but has finally given up on. Harkey backed that plan enthusiastically, which probably didn’t help her while running against Mike Levin, who has been righteous on the issue. Greg supports the compromise solution agreed to more recently, known as the South County Traffic Relief Effort (SCTRE), involving no toll-road extension and saving San Clemente.
Harkey’s backing of the 241 extension into San Clemente, against enormous public outcry, and Raths’ opposition to it, are important because they’re symptomatic – this project was a Wet Dream of the entire Orange County “Kleptocracy,” which includes the TCA (toll roads agency), the OC Business Council, the more corrupt unions, and many other agencies we regularly battle. Harkey is an unquestioning supporter of the Kleptocracy – she takes their orders – and Raths is not and does not. And the latter is what we need desperately more of on the Board of Supervisors, which has been largely in the Kleptocacy’s pocket for decades.
Something I mentioned to Raths that he hadn’t put much thought into but NEEDS TO is the way the OC SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT habitually get everything they want from the BoS, up to and including the Supes’ upcoming diversion of millions of dollars of Mental Health Care money to expand the Musick Facility in Irvine into a huge “Mental Health Jail” run by the Sheriffs.
I trust Greg much more than Diane to stand up to the Sheriffs once he sees what’s happening, and you know who else does? Sheriff Don Barnes (left) who has given Diane Harkey his full-throated endorsement!
.
Just Three More Things…
1. I asked Greg what he’s most proud of in his record as Mission Viejo Mayor and Councilman, and that was easy: he says he’s reduced crime 20%, and reduced unemployment to 2%. And he gives credit to the FOUR branches of Mercy House they have down there, one tireless female deputy who goes around looking for Mission Viejo homeless and helping them find shelter, and the beefing up of “Neighborhood Watches” across town. Also, he’s very active in the MV Chamber of Commerce, which he says prioritizes helping SMALL BUSINESSES, America’s greatest employers. (It sounds like a MUCH better Chamber than Anaheim’s or HB’s. And we could use a Supervisor who cares about SMALL businesses.)
2. I don’t want to lose a single GOP vote for Greg with this post, but when I covered the 2019 debate between Republicans hoping to take on Katie Porte in 2020, MOST of the candidates including Greg sounded a lot more moderate than President Trump on several issues – including immigration. (And this was in front of an audience that was competing for a Trump hat.) That evening, Greg said he wanted “comprehensive immigration reform,” talked about the “brave DACA Marines” he had served with, and emphasized that we “need immigrant labor – we have more jobs than we can fill.” I’m just saying, he may be a conservative but he doesn’t seem like a hater.
(Meanwhile I remember Harkey back in 2011 as one of the only FOUR Republicans to grandstand in Sacramento against immigrants in favor of bringing Arizona’s “Papers Please Law” to California – a pointless performative display meant to virtue-signal “I hate Mexicans as much as you-all do!”)
3. What do you want to do as Supervisor, I had to ask. And, being a conservative, he says he has a lot of ideas for saving the County money! He says there are a lot of county employees doing unnecessary and redundant work, and he also sees, down in the south county, empty bus after empty bus roaming the south county streets. He has some idea of combining our public transportation funds with rideshare programs like Uber or Lyft – sounds interesting! Meanwhile he wants to “beef up” our county’s severely insufficient veterans services. (Well, that’s why we have conservatives, and ideas to cut down on waste – so that we can spend on better things! Checks out.)
That’s it for now. Now CUE all my Democrat enemies to start calling me a “RATHS SHILL.” First, I’m only trying to forestall the worst-case scenario of a Supervisor Harkey. Next, show me a decent Democrat candidate and I’ll certainly back them over Colonel Raths in November. Lastly, GO TAKE A SHORT WALK ON A LONG PIER. (So that you’re stuck halfway down the Pier for months and have to learn to fish & bum smokes.) Nelson out!
Greg Raths should be proud of representing his constituents and not cow-towing to the endless insider deals and payments to insiders who think they run Orange County. It is hard to find a politician in this county who is there for the right reasons, which is to lead the county to better serve the residents and protect why we live here. Greg Raths has done that and he should be rightfully proud he can think for himself.
Representing the citizens alone is a hard thing to pull off in this county. It is obvious why the Republican Party did not support Greg Raths. They want politicians who will vote for all projects that bring their cronies millions of dollars.
There is corruption in this county. It has to stop and it will when the voters choose good representatives over the mega money the party will put out for candidates who will do their bidding. The Republican Party in Orange County cannot do the right thing. They just can’t.
There are good representatives in Orange County but they will never be endorsed by the current leadership of the Orange County Republican Party. There needs to be new leadership for the 5th District; not more of the same. The residents of the 5th District deserve that.
Well said, Mayor!
Corruption in OC is an understatement. But it requires the right sensibility to comprehend what goes on. Almost all of the casual misfeasance and double-dealing in completely legal. Anaheim is a classic case.
I tried to find out if this Raths guy is Trumpy. I never did. That’s a non-starter. Except that Harkey is Harkey. A no-talent richy-rich housewife with a a bank account full of ill-gotten gains and a hunger for public office. Let me put this in perspective: think Hide-and-Seek Harry Sidhu as a real Housewife of OC. Get the picture?
Coming out and saying “Trump sucks” might be bold but not smart when trying to basically win a Republican primary against a woman who’s been endorsed by Trump.
But I was re-assured by his answers on immigration (included at the end of this story) that Raths is not a “Trumpy.”
I sometimes get his Facebook posts (only “sometimes” because I have way too many prolifically posting FB friends), but I did see one from a few days ago that I think says a lot about him. He was celebrating just having gotten his booster shot.
If he’s a Trumpod, he’s doing it wrong. We’d disagree on many policies, I’m sure, but I like him on character.
I don’t need him to “come out.” That would take an inordinate amount of courage for a Republican these days. I just can’t support one who is a Yamster. I’m too old for these sorts of compromises.
So, down-low non-Yamster will do.
I may have mentioned, Harkey was proud of the Trump endorsement she got in 2018. I checked out her Wikipedia page – one of us really needs to spend some time correcting it! Did you hear that her husband suffered some sort of “real estate loss” during the 2008 crisis?
Katie Porte? Drinking again douchebag. Joe Kerr is a decent Democrat. You just want a candidate that lets taxpayers subsidize your poverty lifestyle. Wheee are you going for free Thanksgiving dinner on a paper plate douchebag?
Oh, Trolly found a typo in my long article!
I know it looks like this was in reply to you, David, but this douchebag is obviously commenting drunk and aimed wrong.
Greg Raths is a Class A fraud. He is using you.
“Going to the candidates debate
Laugh about it, shout about it
When you’ve got to choose
Every way you look at this, you lose”.
Mrs.Robinson
Simon & Garfunkel
All Republican candidates for Supervisor go on about “cutting waste.” Just like Shawn Nelson. But when they get into office they never do. Ever. Every budget cycle there’s some Frugality Theater played out (even this is disappearing). I sincerely doubt that Mr. Raths knows anything about how the County works and what he would be up against, inertia-wise. Still, I suppose we can be hopeful, even if hope is all we have.
If he wins he should hire Zenger.
Ha. Not if he’s Trumpy!
Maybe do some homework! These nasty allegations about Raths have been “live” for nearly two years. Raths refuses to address the allegations AND has done nothing to have them removed. Given the circumstances you found your self in recently. Maybe back away from pervy Raths?
https://therealgregraths.wordpress.com/2020/02/26/the-real-greg-raths/
So if he denied your “live” allegations would you be satisfied? Bet not.
Well, for the record, he denies it. He says that article dates back to 2013, when he was running against Mimi Walters, and he thinks her people probably fabricated it. He says the details on his “whereabouts” are taken from a 2012 book he wrote called “Nine Lives of a Fighter Pilot.”
He says the story “was debunked by several affidavits when it resurfaced on the WordPress. Each of my democrat opponents saw it and trashed it including Porter… NO DEMOCRATS HAVE EVER ATTACKED ME, ONLY REPUBLICANS.”
I told him I’d like to have, and share, some proof of the story’s falsehood, and he said, “I’ll have to get the affidavits from my attorney. I was going to sue but thought it was a waste of money.”
I did think that it was weird that ALMOST NONE OF US ever heard this story even during a close, hard-fought battle for Congress last year. It wasn’t even in the freaking Liberal OC, which loves that kind of shit! And that there’s only this one accuser, if that’s his typical behavior. But it’s not true that he hasn’t addressed it, at least now.
I’ll share his proof if and when it comes, and withhold judgment for now.
Ha Ha! Let Greg Raths sue. I would love to get him into discovery and get him under oath in a deposition. I assure you, he would crumble. The story is 100% true, I know this as a fact, because I wrote the letter. Please let Greg Raths sue. That would destroy him and his “family values” persona. While I was at it, I would depo his wife, his son, his brother as well. Let the games begin! (He says its a waste of money as a diversion, he knows he would fail miserably and just wants the story to go away, good luck with that!) Its too bad you dont see that. I would take a lie detector test, as long as Greg took one too! Hes a fraud!!!
If Greg Raths had any sort of self awareness or, decency, he would acknowledge this, apologize to me and my daughter for continually coming to my front door with Frau Raths to terrorize my daughter while I was away. He has a pattern of this sort of behavior and he used OC Sherriff office to do his dirty work as well ( a deputy who is friends with his son). These people know what they did, try to hide it and are posers they are. He should take himself to Long Beach VA and check himself in. #LetsGoGregRAThs. His whole creepy family are sexually deviants. RE: Ryan Raths in Glendale, AZ another winner Raths man. I wonder where he learned his craft?
Just remember this for those of you who think to vote for this monster again: He CLAIMS to LOVE Veterans, BUT, I am a VETERAN too…..He certainly didnt act in any LOVINGLY way towards ME. He positioned himself to be a “mentor” to me. I had so much respect for him. He groomed me, as a single mom. He knew I was vulnerable. He is “Snake” all right, SNAKE IN THE GRASS.
A wise journalist(s) would look into his involvement in the TAILHOOK scandal of the early 1990s, The affair with a Flight Attendant while he worked at the White House ( he claims he was blackmailed by her and his boss found out), and of course “borrowing” FA 18s to go to NASCAR races while his boss (The General) was off in Iraq, say around 2003? The Generals Secretary busted him. There are reasons Full Colonels dont get the star. The board knew the reasons. And, he wanted it, desperately, kinda like he wants a Congressional Seat, desperately. Food for Thought.
One of our usual anonymous trolls tried to write about this Raths allegation on the “Liberal OC’ last night, mostly in the context of attacking me, Diamond and Donna again. That commenter really wanted folks to click and read the allegation, but either he was too drunk to remember to include the link, or Dan deleted it.
Interesting. I’d mentioned here that, even though that blog attacked Raths regularly while he was running against Katie, Dan NEVER mentioned this allegation, though it’d been, in Tenney’s word, “live” for a year. (THIS blog’s comment section, here, remains the only place a curious reader can click and read it if they want.)
Dan responded to that comment, that Raths, Diamond, and yours truly all have “ANGER MANAGEMENT ISSUES” and thus are not fit for any office. Here’s where you’re invited to savor the un-self-awareness of Dan Chmielewski talking about anyone else’s anger management issues.
Almost as good as when Matt Cunningham called a Korean war veteran a “weak sister” for deciding to vote in favor of district elections when Matt’s friends expected him to vote against.
If ChemLew doesn’t like somebody, chances are pretty good he’s a hero. I don’t remember the weak sister thing.
Weak sister was an old businessman from west Anaheim named Vic Real, whom Councilman Harry had put onto the districting committee to oppose districts… But when Vic listened to all the arguments he changed his mind and voted in favor. The whole process went a lot smoother due to Vic’s defection.
His old allies were furious, he got insults and phone threats he told me. Matt referred to him bitterly as a “weak sister” on his kleptoblog. (He may have got rid of that, I couldn’t find it when I looked.) THAT’S how much the Disney/Chamber crowd didn’t want districts!
I told the whole story in the first half of my “Anointment of Gloria Ma’ae.” Looking for a pic of Vic, I discovered he was a Korean War vet, which gave a certain piquance to Matt’s insult.
But my main point is Dan still, uncharacteristically, refuses to give oxygen to this Raths allegation, and there must be a reason for that.
Dan’s kicking your ass on coverage. You guys have nothing to do. He’s beating you every day on stories. Shut up
Haha. Whatever you say.
Actually he did, yesterday, write his first good story in at least a month, probably many months. The one on Mater Dei and Spitzer vs. Hardin is worthwhile.
Let’s see if anyone comments on it. Stupid anonymous insults against us, that have nothing to do with the story, don’t count.
*I’d* comment on it, but as you know the courtesy of letting the competition comment on one’s blog only extends from us to him and not vice versa.
Say what you wanna say here about Mater Dei and the DA race. Better yet we could use our own Mater Dei story. I see that an ancient Pedroza post called “Is getting beaten to a pulp part of Mater Dei football” is getting a lotta hits. And it’s 13 years old!
Vern can answer for himself, but I’m working on filings for a case that will go to trial and helping to take care not only of a grandchild but also of an elderly parent who is in the process of packing and moving.
And Chumley doesn’t do *anything* on his blog “every day.” Vern, again, you’re way too nice in letting in these cowardly clowns.
Yeah I went back and forth on approving that one. It’s not particularly offensive, it’s a matter of opinion, and it’s silly – after years of underachievement Dan posts four stories in two days (most of them still other people’s press releases) and immediately sends his friend Jenna over here to tell us we’re “losing.”
And I knew responding to it could be just another petty pissing contest… But then when I looked at the comments above I realized I started it.
Believe me, I don’t WANT us to be the only worthwhile OC political blog.
I could do like Greg and point out that most of what I do is not reflected on this blog. For example, I’ve been putting a lot of time into trying to help another young man, who I believe is innocent, get out of prison. (That might be a story later if I succeed.)
I’ve also been putting a lot of time into making good professional recordings of my homeless songs, trying to get Santa Ana to issue a resolution against Poseidon, entertaining at about 20 senior homes a month, and organizing a year’s worth of protests against Mayor Sidhu.
But then of course Dan could say the same – not everything he does is reflected on his blog. For example he’s got his cosplay and comic book conventions, plus it’s getting to be that time of year where he gives his old mattresses to Lorri Galloway and crows about it.
Who is Jenna?
In short, nobody.
Diamond is a fucking babysitter
Of all of the stupid comments I’ve had the pleasure of fishing out of our trash in 2021, this one is my favorite.
Yes, I am a babysitter — in that when my wife, my granddaughters mother. and her aunt aren’t here, I babysit for her. She makes me build her forts made of couch cushions and blankets, and last week I had to sit through a protracted tea party with her new doll-sized china set. Great fun.
That critics of the Orange Juice Blog apparently think that “babysitter” is degrading pleases me no end. What sad sick puppies.
All can say t b at is a salacious tale. Easily verified if needed. Why in the world would he NOT take legal action. Her “existence” was easy to verify.
Good For the OC GOP
I just took that link down off Tenney’s comment. I figure if it’s too slanderous for the Liberal OC, it’s got to be too slanderous for us.
UPDATE 1/14 – I restored it, after hearing from the woman who wrote it.
Projecting Drunk behavior on Dan who has no DUIs vs you with Five is fucking laughable
1. A drunk knows a drunk.
2. Everyone knows Dan drinks a lot, every day. (Whereas I rarely do, but when I do it’s usually too much.)
3. I wasn’t even talking about Dan doing a drunk comment but one of the usual anonymous trolls with all their characteristic typos, misspellings, unfinished sentences, and general headscratchers.
4. Do I detect drunk reading?
Alcoholism may be one of ChemLew’s problems, but not the defining shortcoming. He can’t read and comprehend; he can’t write; he can’t learn and doesn’t want to. His level of self-satisfaction is incredible given his mental deficiencies. I often wondered if they made him wear soft safety headgear at Boot Camp so he wouldn’t hurt himself.
And that’s all over, Mission Viejo has been drawn into district 3, Wagner’s district, which isn’t up till 2024. So no Harkey-Raths showdown. South county voters have the choice between Harkey and Kerr.
And the kleptocratic Establishment is PLEASED.
No doubt in the world this was done to cut out Raths. The Board offices must have been inundated by GOP hacks lobbying for this map.
That’s what he thinks. I thought that was paranoid, but if you both think that then maybe.
Speaking of Don Wagner something just came back to me last night: Remember how in the story above I mentioned that back in 2011 there were just four assemblymembers (and one senator) who held a stoopid rally in Sacramento to bring Arizona’s anti-immigrant laws to California? Something that would never happen but was meant to virtue-signal “We hate Mexicans just like you!”
Well, I just remembered who those people were: HARKEY, MIMI WALTERS, DON WAGNER (and Mansoor, and the ringleader of the whole thing, High-Desert Tim Donnelly.) So yeah, Wagner goes way back with the two corrupt, anti-immigrant women Raths dared to primary.
I believe Wagner has his head up the rear-end of the Pringle Ring, too.
Wagner changes his stance re immigrants based on their political stature.
https://mobile.twitter.com/FarrahNK/status/1427126498113187845
https://mobile.twitter.com/DonWagnerCA/status/1458569212100677632
Apparently, some immigrants are more acceptable then others. I just don’t understand how he claim to represent so many people and remain completely silent about Farrahkhan encouraging his constituents to honor the democracy and emulate the inclusivity of Azerbaijan – a 99% Muslim county that his really corrupt and totally undemocratic.
And instead of speaking up, he continues to show up for photops with her. He obviously likes sharia law.
Are you fishing Eric N.’s comments out of the trash, Vern? There’s much better stuff in there. And if you aren’t, how did this comment make its way onto this post?
A comment about Don Wagner was on topic. What, is he supposed to be totally banned?
This part of the comment is OK:
Wagner changes his stance re immigrants based on their political stature.
https://mobile.twitter.com/FarrahNK/status/1427126498113187845
https://mobile.twitter.com/DonWagnerCA/status/1458569212100677632
Apparently, some immigrants are more acceptable then others.
… [H]e continues to show up for photops with her.
But this part of the comment —
I just don’t understand how he claim to represent so many people and remain completely silent about Farrahkhan encouraging his constituents to honor the democracy and emulate the inclusivity of Azerbaijan – a 99% Muslim county that his really corrupt and totally undemocratic.
…
He obviously likes sharia law.
is racist claptrap and continues to pursue his grievance that Azerbaijan is uniquely awful among nations and Islam is uniquely awful among religions, as well as falsely attributing support for sharia law to Farrah.
I don’t like what she’s doing, and I would not want to live under sharia law (or for that matter, any other religious law) but this blithely false accusation just avoids defamation (if at all) by being facetious about Wagner’s views as a way to imply that Farrah supports sharia law. His obvious intent, as part of his support for Armenia, to to inflame hatred of Islam without respect to collateral damage.
He’s clearly a smart and clever lawyer in crafting his comments, but I really don’t like baseless racist attacks in our comments even as a country that I have generally supported. Smart and clever does not entail wise, and certainly does not necessarily warrant respect in a private forum.
I don’t feel like trying to parse his comments to keep the defensible commentary and discard the indefensible commentary — to which he would likely respond by making the two even more inextricable — just to keep the poison of racism out of our comments section. He’s shown bad faith — and I don’t think our readers really need to hear from him again. His past comments and links are still there for anyone to see; that should suffice.
The plot thickens, and thickens!
For a few days it was looking like Supervisor Foley was going to be districted out of the Board altogether, as Do and Wagner wanted Do’s central district to swallow up Foley’s Costa Mesa.
But yesterday Do and Wagner were outvoted by the other 3, and we got “Map 5A1,” a long coastal district stretching from San Clemente to Costa Mesa (a town that doesn’t actually touch the coast) whose northeastern border is the 405 and then the 5. This map looks pretty reasonable and fair.
https://voiceofoc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Screen-Shot-2021-11-22-at-4.17.36-PM.png
Thanks to Bartlett, Chaffee and Foley for choosing a good map. But it SHOULDN’T be up to politicians!
THIS means the grand showdown in district 5 will now be HARKEY (R) versus KATRINA FOLEY (D, incumbent.) That’s an EASY call!
Oh yeah. Mr. Kerr will have to drop out, I assume?
No, no no — the map is an abomination. Look at the original Map 5, then at Map 5A, and see how completely different they are from Map Doug Chaffee’s Map 5A1.
Costa Mesa is not like Newport Beach, common school district be damned. Socio-economically, it is much more similar to cities to its west, northwest, and north — Santa Ana, Fountain Valley, even Seal Beach and Los Al.
What they’ve done in this huge overhaul is to put Costa Mesa in with South County — good luck running there, Costa Mesans! — although Foley herself is apparently (I don’t actually know where in CM she lives) lumped in with a district that is the best chance to have a Latino representative. She unhappily acquiesced to it, but whichever district she chooses is a bad choice.
This is the story Ms Livingston is referring to; readers can make up their own minds:
https://therealgregraths.wordpress.com/2020/02/26/the-real-greg-raths/
What made me skeptical at first was that this story has been out for years, but I’d never heard it, it was never used against Greg in all the campaigns he’s been in, not even by the Liberal OC which hates Greg and loves salacious stories.
It’s true that Greg is now running for Congress again, in the new east-county 40th district, against Young Kim and Nick Taurus.
And Livingston has been in touch with me.
On the other hand, it’s hard to ignore that this story first appeared when Greg had the temerity to run against OCGOP favorite Mimi Walters (even though most of us didn’t hear it.) And now it re-appears right when he has the temerity to run against OCGOP favorite Young Kim. It’s hard to ignore that.
This would seem to count as a republication by Ms. Livingston for purposes of defamation law, so Raths (please stop calling him “Greg” in this context, thanks!) has that remedy available to him.
I am trying to divide these allegations into (1) the potentially illegal, (2) legal but potentially an abuse of official power, (3) offensive actions in a relationship that arguably might give rise to legal consequences, (4) “he’s a rotten human being” charges, and (5) descriptions of his quirks or kinks within the realm of personal private behavior.
That Ms. Livingston is offering information in the last of these category is her right, of course, but I would not let it affect my judgment. If Raths preferred a particular practice in the bedroom and she consented to it (meaning the absence of duress) — even if she did so only because she loved him and wanted to gain or preserve his affections or a more official relationship — I’d just as soon not know. “Made her feel like a whore” is something disturbing, but I’m in no position to assess whether this subjective feeling was expressed and what if anything Raths did as a result. To the extent that Ms. Livingston would want us to oppose him on that sort of “he-said, she-said” seems beyond what we should be discussing. If she were his subordinate protected by laws against sexual harassment and the like, though, that would fall into the third category and it’s a valid topic for discussion.
As in many situations like this, it comes down to credibility. If Ms. Livingston has concrete information about any criminally illegal acts or abuses of official power, then she should present them with that support and then we should ask Raths to respond to them. If she thinks that he committed acts that would give rise to civil action within their relationship — which might include putting her in a situation where she felt was unable to avoid consequences, she can make those charges.
The cases with less news value are the “rotten human being” and “bedroom quirks and kinks” categories. I’m not interested in hearing about, learning more about, or discussing the latter, as I think that privacy about bedroom activities is generally a good thing. And to the extent that “he’s a rotten human being” charges included something solely within the latter category — say, to choose two examples not present in her comments, that he liked to suck her toes or have her watch him in the bathroom — then I think that that has no place here either.
To be clear, having jilted a sexual or romantic partner is neither a crime nor even necessarily immoral, and to the extent that that motivates her comments I don’t think we should provide a forum for those complaints. And much of what she writes does come off as the “fury” beyond what hell hath of “a woman scorned.” But the things that do reflect on adherence to the law and to character do have a place here, though Ms. Livingston would best try to organize them along the lines suggested here, so we can be fair to both her and to Raths.
Those are my suggested “rules of engagement” for dealing with this situation; Vern, final decisions (except where related to my own endorsements) are up to you.
Greg Raths is at CPAC right now, sharing (on Facebook) fan shots of Donald Trump, and himself with Roger Stone.
Why do Diamond and I dream of principled independent Republicans? We should probably switch to unicorns with wings, brother.
Okay. So fuck that guy.
I know. Sickening. He’s lost the respect I’ve had for his integrity. I hope he thinks it was worth it.
Most of the best of them have switched parties or dropped out of politics, but they may come back when the winds shift.
They flock! They are flocking!