For as long as we remember (back to at least 2012) the President and CEO of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce has been Todd Ament (left.) The Council majority that’s been in power since those days (with the short exception of 2017-18) always took and takes their instructions from Todd’s Chamber (biggest member Disney), and they have always shown up to meetings with their instructions and talking points fully digested. It was rare and dramatic that a member would depart from their instructions and foil the Chamber’s plans, as when Steven Faessel staunchly proclaimed his 2020 vote against pot dispensaries as a “legacy vote,” sounding like he was fighting off a group of bullies in order to follow his conscience.
Yet, if you paid attention, it never really seemed like goofy Todd actually called the shots either, but followed someone’s orders himself. Since former Mayor / lobbyist Curt Pringle loudly “left” Anaheim, the man giving orders to Ament and the Chamber has seemed to be Jeff Flint (right), the lobbyist and Viceroy for Anaheim Affairs whom Pringle left here to keep his plans on track – the two have been close colleagues since the bad old 1980’s (Santa Ana poll guards, HB fake candidates.)
Also, for about a year now, none of us have seen hide nor hair of Todd Ament, who used to attend Council meetings pretty regularly, grinning and slapping people’s backs. There have been two rumors, not contradictory either: Todd had left town, and Todd was/is under some kind of FBI corruption investigation. But you can’t exactly confirm these things with the Chamber, which is as secretive as the FBI itself.
And then yesterday the Chamber released THIS on their social media:
Welcome Our New President & CEO!
Spring is a time of growth and change, and the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce is no exception. As many of you know, the Chamber recently experienced a leadership transition as long-time President & CEO Todd Ament took a chief executive position in the health care industry. The Board of Directors hired Senior VP Laura Cunningham to take the reins as President & CEO. She brings new energy to the position and a wealth of experience. Laura looks forward to working with our members.
So, congratulations to Mrs. Cunningham, I guess. She will still be reporting to the same bosses and special interests her predecessor reported to, but she might enjoy passing on instructions to Mayor Sidhu and the other five puppets on the dais.
We don’t know as much about Mrs. Cunningham as we do about her husband Matt. As the statement above mentions, she has been “Senior VP” of the Chamber for a few years, and has been a hands-on organizer with the astroturf “neighborhood group” “AnaheI’m First,” which now seems to be defunct (nothing new on their website since October.) Back in the day (2012?) we would sometimes observe her being an excellent klepto-helpmeet to her husband, for example handing out talking points to speakers at Orange Council meetings when Matt was hired by developers to smooth the way for building condos on that town’s last remaining open space.
But one thing impossible to forget about Mrs. Cunningham is this: during 2008’s successful Prop 8 campaign outlawing same-sex marriage, a campaign funded by right-wing Republicans, Catholics, and out-of-state Mormons, the Hispanic Laura Cunningham was hired to run Spanish-language outreach. Funny, the afore-mentioned lobbyist Jeff Flint, to whom Laura will again be reporting, was the main consultant for the anti-gay measure; meanwhile Matt C. spelled out all the specious arguments against same-sex marriage on his then-blog “Red County.” I remember him crowing, in disturbingly cordial debates with the Liberal OC’s Dan Chmielewski, that the anti-gay measure would help bring Republicans out to the polls that year. I don’t know if it means anything, but it’s very curious that the faction with so much control over the economy of this very Democratic and gay-friendly town started out by demonizing and (temporarily) stopping gay marriage. Do people know that?
Wither Jubal?
If Mrs. Cunningham makes as much from the Chamber as her predecessor Todd, that should be about $200K – not bad for the Jerbal household! But like I said, we know much more about Matt (who used to write under the pseudonym Jubal which some “ankle-biters” eventually corrupted to “Jerbal.”) We’ve had fun with him as a nemesis for nearly two decades, and our readers can easily supply a long list of his misdeeds ranging from the ridiculous to the horrific, always committed in the zeal to please his powerful patrons.
But I’m curious if Matt will continue as the blog mouthpiece for the Anaheim Chamber and related power structure. Since 2012 he has fashioned and broadcast the Chamber’s arguments while receiving money from them, first as “Anaheim Blog,” then having to change to “Anaheim Independent” (a richly ironic name), and now under another name I won’t mention. His last three stories at his new digs are:
- an announcement of Avelino Valencia’s run for Assembly (mostly Avelino’s press release);
- a press release from the City of Anaheim cherry-picking recent stats to make it look like our economy is going swimmingly, and
- a celebration of Judge Hoffer’s bizarre ruling in favor of the City on the Stadium Brown Act Suit.
Well, I’ll tell you what, this lucky couple from the City of Orange sure has their hands all over Anaheim! Is this a conflict? Probably not, the Chamber is not a government organization, even though they control our city’s government, and anyway we are dealing with people who don’t see conflict. Maybe with his wife in charge, Matt will get paid even more to sing the praises of Anaheim’s Chamber and ruling class. Maybe he’ll even be allowed to go back to calling his blog “Anaheim Blog” or “Anaheim Independent.”
I think I’ll end with one of my favorite sentences Matt has written – he wrote it about THIS blog in 2013, and I included it on our masthead for several years:
“I have rarely seen such a venomous, grandiose and self-important gaggle of ankle biters.”
No, it’s a complete and utter conflict of interest. Not that anybody at this craven shit show cares. On the other hand, Jerb’s contribution is non-existent. When he bothers to scribble his constipated prose, nobody seems interested in even commenting on it.
Mrs. Jerbal knows nothing about everything – zero professional experience, so her job is to do what she’s told by whoever is pulling the strings.
Art Pedroza created “Jerbal.”
$200,000 for a person with no professional qualifications? Sa-weet!
You sure about Art? I thought that was the Bushala-era FFFF cabal. But you would know.
I’m pretty sure it was Art, but maybe it was Tony B. Art was the one who put up the image of two hamsters in a little car. Probably in your archives. Priceless.
Can’t take credit for the gem of a name, “Jerbal”, it was Art. He’s one funny guy. Love the Jerbal mobile!
So angry….Mrs. Cunningham has significant experience in senior management in several prominent organizations. You’re both angry because she’s a success.
Vern’s mad because his Latina wife has no real education, professional success, money or looks. Donna only tops Laura in body weight.
Singer’s mad because it’s been nine years since he did anything meaningful. No one’s calling you for work Dave
Who’s mad? I’m not mad. The Chamber is the same as it ever was. Anaheim is the same as it ever was.
PS your voice to text technology does a real good job punctuating and spelling, but it’s never heard of “Zenger.”
Aha. Senior management. The variety program took an even more comedic turn.
I guess political parasitism is now senior management experience.
We’re not angry, we’re dismissive.
We’re angry because the Chamber and its nonsense vendors are driving Anaheim into municipal bankruptcy — at which point its members can pluck off city assets for a song while city workers and generations of citizens suffer.
And we do what we do under our own names, you bigoted twerp.
Back to the anti-gay thing, I still don’t know what to make of the fact that so many pro-Proposition 8 fanatics are controlling this town, this town with its Rainbow Flag. I was just reminded that Curt Pringle himself had his home bedecked in pro-Prop 8 signs, and when he discovered that his neighbors and former friends the Robbinses had ANTI-8 signs, he had a fit, and that was the beginning of the end of their friendship.
This was back when he had his protege Jordan Brandman under strict instructions to “be seen with girls” and “don’t let anyone think you’re gay” – instructions Jordan followed till 2015.
Pringle, Flint, the Cunninghams. What does it mean that 2008’s anti-gay warriors are running Anaheim’s economy and politics? I’m not exactly sure.
A lot of it has to do with reactionary Catholicism which is still very common. It finds its helpmeet in the radical Rotting Yam Brigade that yearns for a mythic past.
I found it very strange that a soi-dissant conservative like Jerb could approve of the government interfering in private contracts except as a referee. But now we know that Jerbal is just a loose sack of confused superstitions that can be pushed and pulled when the cash interest demands.
As far as an anti-gay war machine in Anaheim, I’d say it’s unlikely. But some of those Republican cats emit a powerful gaydar signal.
Matt Cunningham outed sex-abuse victims
Vern would dump Donna for 15 hot minutes with Mrs Cunningham. Greg’s wife would drop him for 15 hot minutes. She’s gorgeous. Rich. Successful. Too good for all of you loosers
Speak for yourself, lover boy.
Vern th anti semitism on my your post is fucking horrblr
I don’t see anyone whom I know to be Jewish (or Middle Eastern generally) mentioned in the post except possibly for Judge Hoffer.
This is just the sort of comment we can expect from a serial child molester.
I couldn’t rule out self-parody this time. It made me laugh, so I approved it.
In my your opinion, th decision was horrblr. [Rimshot!]
This is a reply which I made to Cunningham’s Avelino Valencia “press release.”
“Matt Cunningham – How does it feel to be an egg sucking corporate weasel?
I gave you a nice comment and you chose to post a few words of it. Stop pretending to be a conservative. Your principles are in your wallet.”
It is all well said, except who sucks eggs, what sort of eggs, and why would they do that?
You’re in a district with Anaheim, junior. If you have been paying attention, you know that the traditional political parties don’t really exist in Anaheim: they are just in the Disney/Angels Party or the Reformers.
So, that was a called-for comment — and you’re welcome to post more on your frolics with Matt and Avendido, but here’s the acid test to show which faction you’re in.
If you finish third (and I hope you don’t finish fourth), would you steer your supporters to support Disneycrat Avelino, or to Reformer Bulmaro?
Bear in mind two things before you answer: (1) if you finish behind the two of them, someone from the Disney Party may offer to hold a fundraiser to pay off all of your campaign debts and maybe give you a nest egg for 2024. But, (2) they will demand to remove your testicles and keep them in their laboratory until after the election.
It’s painful to watch so much local corporate welfare, subsidies, and cronyism going to aid big corporations. Anaheim politicians of all political stripes seem to wear it as a badge of honor in their fealty to Disney. How does anyone not get more cynical of government the older they get? Baffles me.
You do. First you get cynical. Then you become Ukrainian and resolve to fight till you die.
Mrs. Cunningham is on the move with the revitalized Anaheim FIRST.
Good things are happening in West Anaheim beging with the demolition in West Anaheim of the Crack den motels. A renewed approach to code enforcement Ala Santa Ana’s effort to clear up blight with the help of Congressman Correa, Tom Daly and Councilmember Baccerra.
Using code enforcement to eradicate urban blight is a proven tool tool in both improving neighborhoods and reducing crime.
By partnering with the chamber West Anaheim will get cleaned up faster. By “Blue tagging” more properties it will force the unhoused into progress like be well.
Thank You chamber, councilmember(s) Avalino and Ma. Congressman Correa, and Senator Daly for putting ANAHEIM FIRST.
And then the variety show took a comedic turn.
How is the Chamber going to help west Anaheim “clean up” exactly? Of course it’s never given a damn before; and Mrs. Cunningham couldn’t run a lemonade stand.