The Deal That Didn’t Happen
In Fullerton the mayor succession is just about the only political intrigue we usually have, with the upper tier repuglicans like Ed Royce Jr. and Richard “Dick” Ackerman calling in markers for their previous endorsements, in order to keep some hapless lady Democrat from getting the largely ceremonial job.
In 2010 the deal went down right on schedule as the Three Tired Retreads voted in install Dozing Don Bankhead as “Mayor Pro Tem” instead of Sharon Quirk-Silva whose turn it was. Well, since the Mayor Pro Tem is traditionally next in line to be Mayor, the proverbial handwriting was on the wall.
And then in 2011 the damnedest thing happened in sleepy Fullerton. All Hell broke loose.
With the murder of Kelly Thomas by members of the FPD, with an entire Culture of Corruption finally exposed, with Redevelopment subsidies to campaign supporters uncovered, with an illegal, hidden 10% tax on water laid bare, with the subsequent Recall of the Three Stripped Gears, things took a turn for the weird.
In November, with the Recall signature campaign gathering steam, it suddenly became a matter of conjecture whether it could be business as usual for the Fullerton Old Guard. We said as much, here. And what we asked about is exactly what happened as we reported here.
But never let it be said that Tricky Dick Ackerman missed a trick. I’ve got it on excellent authority that the Three Blind Brontosauruses didn’t elect Q-S without first proposing The Deal: in exchange for making her mayor for 2012, she would have to promise to oppose the Recall of The Three Dim Dealmakers!
To her credit Sharon Quirk-Silva saw what we saw: that her outbound colleagues had no choice but to make her mayor and were in no position to try to cut deals with anyone. When you’re out of chips the poker game is over.
And now the recall is qualified, an election will be scheduled for June, and the ‘pugs get to watch Quirk-Silva run for re-election with the title Mayor of Fullerton. Best of all they got nothing out of it.
I heard that story, too, although I had trouble believing the pugs would open themselves up for that sort of humiliation.
Still, desperate times call for desperate measures.
Should have been Whitaker, regardless of whose turn it is. Quirk is lucky she came out for more transparency after the KT killing. She’s been there every step of the way on the Culture of Corruption in the FPD, the mess in DTF, and the illegal water tax.
If she’s thinking about higher political office she can forget that.
O and she is…Loretta keeps telling her….just wait just wait.
Is there anyway that “Public comment” can be kept to a min. next Tuesday night. I know people like to speak, but I would like to hear the $150,000.00 report, and watch the three tired council members vote on their own fate, earlier than 11:00pm. Not being bitchy, OH, wait yes I am. Sorry.
The report will be presented at 4:30 p.m. special meeting on Tuesday with that presentation (following public comments – per agenda for the 4:30 p.m. special meeting) estimated to take 20 minutes. Don’t remember if the agenda for either the 4:30 p.m. special meeting or the 6:30 p.m. regular meeting say anything about a “vote”; if there is any vote it’s probably something like “receive and accept” with no action needed nor taken. The content of the report itself should be known during that 4:30 p.m. special meeting.
Depending on the content of the report, the public comments in the 6:30 p.m. regular meeting may be extensive and that meeting may continue for quite awhile as a result.
I think SQS can see the writing on the wall: Piss the wrong people off and you will not get reelected. It is a point the 3 recall targets do not understand.
yet
Look at the purty lady! Wonder how much she costs?
Good for Sharon Quirk-Silva for not joining the hapless has been former mayors like Molly McClanahan in opposing the recall. She probably realizes now that they would have stabbed her in the back later anyway. Stand with the people Sharon, and we will stand with you.
Well, in regards to transparency, sort of ….
“As we move forward, I understand that there are some things that we cannot address immediately, and for this I ask your patience. We need to wait for final reports from the D.A. and the FBI before we can make a final judgment on the officers involved (and for their own safety, I don’t feel it is advisable for their names to be released publicly at this time).”
http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/2011/quirk-silvas-open-letter-to-fullerton-residents/
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/thomas-310296-city-officers.html
It didn’t really happen the way you described, though you are half right. McKinley offered to be vote #3 for Sharon to be Mayor, if she opposed the recall. He delivered his vote, she didn’t deliver on her promise. Well, turn about is fair play, as that was payback for him not delivering his vote as promised for her. As to why Dick, and Don voted for her, and Dick led the call for election by acclimation, is something only they know….
“…something only they know”
Oh bullshit, GED. McKinley, Jones and bankhead had no choice, None. Zero, Zip. Quirk isn’t a super genius but even she is smart enough to see the 3 Dead Batteries had nothing to offer. Apparently she is smarter than the average GED Fullerton coplet.
They’ve been kissing up up to the lefties all fall. It won’t help. They’ll get three votes: Flory, Keller, and McClanacan’t. That’s it.
like lefties would vote for your left over disaster. i doubt any lefties put those turds in office. thats what you get for being a rightie. enjoy
To her credit? what credit? that she isn’t an idiot and knew if she did nothing she would be the big city Mayor? Sorry to disagree, I’ll give her credit when credit is due her and not a moment before.
To think the three evil ones would try to game the situation by making a deal should be of no surprise to anyone. And if she was upstanding and transparent, SHE would be the one to tell us the truth on how it really came down (without self-serving spin, of course). But once again, we will never get the truth on that either.
“Best of all they got nothing out of it.”
and if SSSSSSlithering Sharon gets re-elected WE’LL get nothing out of it but more cover up and corruption. She has been complicit in screwing us for years on the water tax alone….a prime recall reason.
Sharon SSSSilva has never stood with the people, she has hid the corner afraid of those that could harm her chances of continuing up the political ladder. I wish she would put her big girl pants on and actually say and do something productive on behalf of this city. Thank goodness I haven’t held my breath.
Just the fact she didn’t make this known shows which side she is on. Get em all out.
The point of the post was not to praise Quirk for being a super genius but to ridicule the Three Hollow Logs for thinking they had a deal to make.
I don’t think you’ll ever see any one of them stand up for anything decent on their own accord. Bullies are really deep seated pussies.
Thats why they are politicians. All about the middle ground. Satisfy each side just a little bit.
“Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.” ~ Ronald Reagan
I’m not understanding any of this political BS-
Squirt Silva has been in office since 2004 and allowed alot of fertilizer/illegal activity to pass year after year, including that illegal water tax that, she should have been raising holy hell over or at least awareness, in ONE of these damn years- 2004, 5, 6, 7, 8 , 9, 10, 11 if she was interested in helping save Fullerton citizens alot of grief let alone millions of dollars and a possible lawsuit. So, instead of dumping her useless backside, not only is she still in office, she’s made mayor, banging her gavel at council meetings, threatening to have people escorted out and clamering about how she said this and how she said that because she’s all about justice.
If not for Kelly Thomas, Quirky would still be as deep in the dirty Fullerton politics as she was bwfore Kelly. She wanted socks and she escaped. Lucky lady.
“Squirt Silva” was just plain laugh out loud funny Merijoe.
Quirk was just as complacent as Fullerton voters were — until last July.
It’s really up to honest, forthright elected officials who are put in office by voters to represent the people to raise the flag about potential harmful issues and to have the back of the people.
The voters/community doesn’t have access or knowledge about what happens behind closed door private meetings with CEO/officials or what’s in legal documents that aren’t made public.
Once the people know, that’s a horse of a different color.
Merijoe- I don’t get the political BS either, evil comes in all shapes, sexes, colors and political persuasions but there are some who will vote for their “party” even if they are evil, because somehow it is less evil than the opposing party.
YES! and that is what we need….and probably will never get. Every person running for office has a self-serving reason for their run, the”greater good” has gone by the wayside. You can call me a cynic, I call myself a realist.
Politicians, even those that start out comparatively honest come to see the “greater good” as being their own election. Happens every single time.
That’s human nature. And that’s why term limits are essential.
“Every person running for office has a self-serving reason for their run, the”greater good” has gone by the wayside…”
That’s the part I don’t get. Why?
Human nature? Well, that’s not my nature and I’m a human…
and, yes, I’ve been put under the fire before it’s not exactly in your comfort zone and you may expect blowback, but right is right and wrong is wrong, especially when it has to do with another’s welfare.
Like Lincoln or Cleveland obviously knew, there is no place for egos in an important position like that..
The welfare of people is a huge responsibility that needs to be taken seriously and sometimes there needs to be sacrifice on the part of the elected person.
If a person is ethical and honest, then they are ethical and honest, no matter what the circumstances-no matter who gets mad-no matter what the end results could be.
I bet you’ve never held elected office.
I’m sure the majority of electeds start off pretty idealistic. Seven or eight terms later their own re-election is paramount – in order to do the public’s business, of course.
Truth Part II is right.
completely agree FH, that is why I say things will probably not change here in Fullerton. Same Shit, Different Day.
But it doesn’t cost anything to hope and starting completely fresh would at least gain us a few years of idealistic integrity before each council member goes to the dark side.
With all respect, I can certainly see the temptation to let things slide after 8 years for personal gain-but that doesn’t make it right.
No. I’ve not held elected office, but I have indeed, been in the position of having to put others lives and well being in front of my own for years, without thinking about a promotion for me in the process
I stand by, what’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong.
I guess I wouldn’t do too well in public office-huh? My thinking is probably the reason I don’t get the political BS.
As noted above, my post was not meant to praise Q-S for any real accomplishments because like some of the commentors I don’t thinks she’s accomplished anything in 8 years.
The post was about the deal that was offered.Even Joe S. had the reality pegged last year and he’s no super-genius either.
I agree that Sharon’s record has been spotty, but she cottoned on to Redevelopment and master plan scams while the alleged “conservatives” went for them hook, line and sinker.
Every time I pass that Jefferson Commons (or whatever they call it now) monstrosity I curse Quirk-Keller.
spotty? that is a really nice way of putting it.
I don’t care if she is a conservative, a dem, a libertarian or a unicorn, she is not looking out for us, she is looking out for her.The unique position this city finds itself in would be all for not if people voted for political party allegiance alone.
NO MORE POLITICS AS USUAL, enough already!!
I don’t know Quirk but I’ll giver the benefit of the doubt about wanting to do the public good – and the same thing could be said about your garden variety Republican.
They want the office but they have no particular skill set to effectively oversee their own staff. So they come to rely on their staffs completely. In a sense they become willing hostages due to their own lack of competence. They take credit on campaign mailers for stuff that their staff really wanted to do; and they are complicit in covering up staff errors and incompetence. Worst of all they come to affiliate themselves with staff completely and reward them with retroactive pension spikes and massive salaries.
Quirk has shown some independence this year, but always seems terrified of straying too far off the reservation.
With some good guidance she might actually make something of herself some day. But I doubt it.
She’s up for re-election in the fall. If you live in Fullerton you’ll still be able to vote for somebody else.
I hope Sharon has the courage to tell this story herself once the election is scheduled.
Does she really use bacon grease on her hair?
Ha Ha…
Now that’s just plain ornery… lol
Ever notice how blobs of mercury separate and then glop back together again.
I want to think the best of Quirk-Silva and from Fullerton’s municipal government history can’t help but believe the worst of Quirk-Silva.
sad to say, any prior connection with the evil three, Jones, McKinley, Bankhead, results in permanent taint.
It may be best for Fullerton if Whitaker remains the only prior on our city’s council
Ssssssso Sssssssssssharon…how did you and your current huband meet? enlighten us?
Thats confidential and if I told you I would be recalled, therefore, I will continue to maintain my middle ground and satisfy all sides of Fullerton politics.
Why do I have this obsessssssssion for sssssox?
I have zero confidence in SQS. Wish we woulda asked to remove 4, instead of 3.
Now Sharon is Mayor. Next is a run against that proverbial powerhouse of do nothing, Ed Royce! Yup Ed is gettin worried!
So finally Dick Ackerman was outthought and outmaneuvered in the choice for Mayor. Too bad Dick, the carpetbagger! You can have Dick come to your city, too, to “help” ya get elected if his carpet bag is filled with moolah!