By Doug Porter
Yesterday San Diego non-voters elected a district attorney personally embroiled in a criminal case, a county clerk supported by anti-gay bigots and a supervisor known for using taxpayer dollars to support religious causes. Call it a resounding victory for apathy and a defeat for advocates of the two tier/jungle primary voting system as a near-record low number (I’m guessing 22%) of voters cast ballots.
Approximately 12% of the city’s registered voters agreed with a corporate campaign almost completely based on lies to overturn a five-year-long community planning process. Incumbents were triumphant everywhere.
The low turnout favored Republicans. For complete local results go here; for statewide results go here. There remain 98,000 votes to be counted as I’m writing this, but past experience tells me little will change.
There will be runoff elections in November for San Diego City Council District 6 between Carol Kim and Chris Cate, the 52nd Congressional District between Carl DeMaio and Scott Peters, along with Mary Salas versus Jerry Rindone vying for the Mayor in Chula Vista. A stealth campaign by teahadist Donna Woodrum for a seat on the San Diego Community College Board failed to unseat Maria Nieto Senour.
Statewide, 4897 yes votes in Tehama made it the only county (out of three where it was on the ballot) of the state to support secession. Neel Kashkari beat out tea party favorite Tim Donnelly for the honor of being the Republican who gets his ass kicked by Jerry Brown in November. The incumbent Governor carried all but one county (Medoc) in California.
Our Dimly Aware District Attorney
District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis survived an election-day bombshell lobbed by challenger Bob Brewer, winning re-election with 55% of the vote. A court hearing and allegations about letter revealing her relationship to be more than advertised with a foreign national under indictment for making illegal campaign contributions were too little, too late.
UT-SD’s Logan Jenkins:
What we do know is that Brewer’s late charge spooked Dumanis. To protect her lead, she went dark rather than risk adding fuel to the last-minute fire.
A rule of ink-stained thumb is that you turn B.S. detectors on high when high-stakes news breaks on the threshold of an election. You have to be careful not to get played by partisans as the 11th hour ticks down. Election Day stories tend to be varieties of vanilla.
In this instance, however, the last story, reported on the campaign’s final deadline, was arguably the best.
One measure of that journalistic excellence?
The DA’s stony silence broken only after the polls had closed.
Later in the evening Dumanis gave celebratory interviews to KOGO radio and elsewhere, brushing off questions about the latest controversy by saying she could not comment “because it is part of a criminal case.”
Our District Attorney now joins the parade of politicians who have done so much to make San Diego a national laughingstock. Word is she’s going with the “I was only dimly aware” defense.
Carl DeMaio Rallies His Troops (Sort of)
San Diego’s New Republican was all over Twitter yesterday, boasting about his election day get out the vote effort.
Thanks to the eagle-eyed Lucas O’Connor (who works for Scott Peters) we now know this election day bravado was yet another DeMaio exercise in duplicity.
Not once, but twice, DeMaio tweeted out photos purporting to show his campaign’s prowess. Both photos were actually taken at earlier occasions.
Here’s the morning social media blast:
Absolutely amazing energy at the campaign office this morning! We will send a national message tonight! #NewGenGOP pic.twitter.com/GQarDG2MHX
— Carl DeMaio (@carldemaio) June 3, 2014
And here’s the original, sent out May 10th.
Thanks! RT @UCSDGOP: We had a great time walking precincts for @carldemaio today! Thanks to everyone who came out! pic.twitter.com/ms8DjUzYln — Carl DeMaio (@carldemaio) May 10, 2014
Here’s the afternoon social media blast
There is STILL time to stop by the campaign office and volunteer! We are phone banking until 7:45pm tonight! pic.twitter.com/rFKSTAeupU
— Carl DeMaio (@carldemaio) June 3, 2014
And the original, sent out on April 26th.
Amazing turnout of volunteers this morning to help deliver over 5000 lawn signs! #FixCongress http://t.co/LZAhxHFa81
— Carl DeMaio (@carldemaio) April 26, 2014
Barrio Logan Plan Crushed – Bend Over, You’re Next
The morning lineup of UT-San Diego sermons includes marching orders for Mayor Faulconer now that the shameful campaign against the Barrio Logan community plan has has triumphed.
With San Diego voters’ strong rejection of the controversial community plan for Barrio Logan, the wise step now must be a push for compromise that will truly protect Barrio residents as well as the $14 billion shipbuilding and repair industry that is entwined with the community and that is crucial to the entire San Diego County economy. Maritime industry representatives believe the makings of a compromise already exist. But it will take coolheaded and determined leadership to put it together.
Many residents of the largely Latino neighborhood have long-simmering resentments that City Hall has failed for decades to address the land-use hodgepodge of the Barrio and the public health and safety consequences of residences cheek by jowl with the shipyards and the industrial businesses that serve them. They saw the new development plan and the zoning changes to implement it as a matter of community justice. The campaign by the business community to force the plan and the zoning to the ballot — in the form of Propositions B and C — became new reasons for resentment. So, too, will citywide voters’ rejection of the propositions….
…Mayor Kevin Faulconer, who helped lead the opposition to Props. B and C, must now do what he said he would do — lead the effort to find a compromise acceptable to all.
This is RepubliLogic(™) at it’s finest. The rejected plan was the result of FIVE YEARS of meetings and public hearings, backed with millions of dollars in city-sponsored studies. Five years of trying to get community members to the table, to believe that the system could work in their favor. Five years worth of work buried by outrageous pack of lies and deceptions promoted with a straight face by “trusted” politicians.
The industry actually accepted a last minute compromise back in June 2013 and then reneged on it. There were compromises made at every step of the way leading up to the final two proposals.
The only compromise left to be made is for the community to accept the maritime industry’s proposal. That’s not compromise, that’s capitulation. And so it will be. They’ve got the goons, the talking heads and the money to back their position.
Not only was this campaign a big “screw you” to the people of Barrio Logan, it was a prototype for the kind of 21st century effort we can expect to see over and over again from the Lincoln Club/Chamber of Commerce types seeking to impose their will on the people. Instead of wearing Klan robes and carrying torches, these modern-day fear-mongers simply saturate the media with messages designed to invoke a sense of helplessness.
One need look no further than the sham minimum wage initiative being peddled at various retail locations throughout San Diego for confirmation of just how cynical (and evil) these people are. Local hoteliers, whose business model is predicated on paying the least possible amount of wages to their employees, are covertly backing a minimum wage measure for the November ballot that would exempt all their workers and, for that matter, the vast majority of all those at the bottom of the economic scale. They are seeking to exploit public sentiment for a higher minimum wage, period.
Here’s the Congressional version of RepubliLogic
Rolling Back the Sanity at the NRA
I regret to inform you that the brief moment of reasonableness by the National Rifle Association described in Monday’s column was in error.
Via the Guardian:
The National Rifle Association has rolled back an earlier statement criticizing “open carry” rallies in Texas in which gun rights advocates have brought military-style assault rifles into public places.
Chris Cox, the executive director of the group’s lobbying arm, said in an interview Tuesday on an NRA-hosted radio show that the statement was a mistake and that it was written by a staffer who was expressing his personal opinion.
“The truth is, an alert went out that referred to this type of behavior as ‘weird’ or somehow not normal, and that was a mistake. It shouldn’t have happened,” said Cox, who added that the group “unequivocally” supports open carry laws.
The open carry rallies in restaurants and other businesses – part of a push for less restrictive gun laws, including legalizing the open carry of handguns – have prompted public criticism, and the NRA appeared to join in last week.
On This Day: 1974 – The Cleveland Indians staged a “Ten Cent Beer Night” promotion. Due to the drunken and unruly fans the Indians forfeited to the Texas Rangers. 1975- Gov. Jerry Brown signs the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act, the first law in the U.S. giving farmworkers collective bargaining rights. The legislation came after years of effort by the United Farm Workers union. 1984 – Bruce Springsteen released his “Born in the U.S.A.” album. 2012 – The San Diego Free Press, a website in the spirit of the original underground newspaper, posted its first story. (We’ll be running second anniversary articles on Friday)
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Doug Porter
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“All life is a blur of Republicans and meat.” Words of wisdom from Zippy the Pinhead.
“Many residents of the largely Latino neighborhood have long-simmering resentments that City Hall has failed for decades to address the land-use hodgepodge of the Barrio … They saw the new development plan and the zoning changes to implement it as a matter of community justice. The campaign by the business community to force the plan and the zoning to the ballot … became new reasons for resentment. So, too, will citywide voters’ rejection of the propositions….”
While in support of the other side, these pronouncements from the UT are actually absolutely correct.
I hope those voters in other neighborhoods who rejected the Barrio plan remember their short-sightedness when some big business interest decides that their own community plan needs to be brought to the voters of the entire city. This is a BAD precident.
My son, an independent voter, was turned away from his precinct (the place on his voter pamphlet) for unknown reasons. We were sent to two other precincts and finally he voted with a provisional ballot. Would he be turned away if we were republican? I vote by mail. Did my vote get counted? I am disgusted.
I’m curious what the ‘unknown reason’ was? Provisional ballots will be counted just like any other ballot, the ROV just has to verify that the voter is a registered voter in SD county. There’s no conspiracy, the provisional ballot option is actually ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to vote.
One of our walkers in OB, was told be no less than 10 people the were supposed to go to their old polling precinct. There was some disinformation going on there.
In addition to that the nearest consolidated precinct was at All Souls Episcopal. If you were an elderly voter or someone who didn’t have a car or time to travel the distance you were unable to vote. But if you were in those nice conservative leaning precincts in Point Loma or La Playa you could walk to your precincts.
It’s disgusting.
I could be wrong but I have a hard time believing anyone’s political leanings and/or party they are registered with had anything to do with any misinformation on where to vote at. As appalling is it is that some ended up not being able to vote, mistakes happen. These are run by volunteers who are human. I don’t buy into any “conspiracy”.
That isn’t what I said at all.
The misinformation, that happened, most likely a error by a voter. The registrar and campaign were on the same page.
What I find disgusting is that the consolidation of precincts favors a certain and wealthier constituency and makes it difficult for older or poorer or carless individuals to vote. That is a problem that I do not believe was planned but does exist and must be fixed.
I meant to respond to Lynne Baker. Sorry for the confusion.
Thanks Doug for keeping us in the loop all these weeks with regards to the comings and goings of our local politicos to the ballot. No where else is there this consistent, spot-on, reporting and summarizing the measures and candidates for the Primary here in Paradise.
I know the SDFP had thousands of readers come in to check out your 4 part series and recaps. Just because much of the election was disappointing does not mean we – and you – didn’t have an effect.
Thanks, dude, and I know you’ll be keeping it up as we move into the General.
I had no illusions that Barrio Logan was going to win last night. I’m not politically naive. I have 20 years of street politics under my belt and I know a losing battle when I see one. But that doesn’t mean we don’t fight. That doesn’t mean we don’t take the struggle to them, be it in the streets or at City Hall. We have nothing to lose when we are being poisoned on the daily. We have nothing to lose when our community has become a dumping ground for things affluent neighborhoods wouldn’t stand for. We fight not because we like the fight. We fight because we have no other choice. We fight because our existence is at stake. We fight for the present and future generations of Barrio Loganites. We fight for those residents and supporters that came before us and occupied Chicano Park. We fight for Laura Rodriguez who chained herself to the Neighborhood House demanding health services for Logan residents. We fight for all those that have dared to stand up against the impossible. We may lose battles along the way but we will never give up the fight. As the great American poet Ice Cube once said, “It ain’t over, motherfuckers.”
When I was active duty in the Navy, on four different occasions in my 20 year career my ship was in the yards along Harbor Drive on four different occasions. Twice with Continental Maritime and twice with NASCO. We got to know some of the workers and even became good friends with a couple of them. What seems to be mysteriously missing from the rhetoric of the conservative no Prop B and C crowd is the fact that a good chunk of the workers in these yards actually LIVE in Barrio Logan are not going to support something that will kill their jobs off. Too bad so many voters that have no familiarity with the neighborhood didn’t stop to consider that before voting no.
Ok I said four different occasions twice.
As usual, I wrote in votes for “Bart Simpson” and “School Sucks.” Democracy!
It’s back to the future, here in the Republic of Sandy Egos, where the Republicans (and maybe some Democrats) like nothing more than to see only old folks vote. Did anyone see the live shots of Golden Hall on local 11 pm news. It was a cavern filled with 20 Dumanis supporters (drunk?) and a few on-camera professionals. Maybe a total of 30 people on the floor.
I know Doug Porter said many months ago B&C would go down because few would be voting and that the 7-3 veto-proof council majority was in jeopardy for the same reason. But even he couldn’t have predicted that Bonnie Dumanis would be reelected against a serious, highly experienced criminal lawyer and prosecutor.
Any chance for the majority Democrats to rule will depend on a party that changes its colors and starts work now on making Faulconer own the destruction of Props. B&C. It has to figure out what made Filner’s community-based program popular, and how he turned out the vote. It can’t get all gauzy on the conspiracy against the minimum wage ordinance, now being subjected to the same campaign that brought B&C down, and it had better start aiming itself at improving transit and telling Dumanis to keep her hands off politics.
It’s hard to understand why Democrats don’t get tough.
The No vote on B & C is simply a subversion and perversion of democracy brought to us by crass business interests including a Mayor and ex-Mayor who should be ashamed of themselves for participating in this corrupt exercise in subverting democracy. For five years the people of Barrio Logan participated in good faith with the City Council and worked out something that was acceptable to all. This was democracy in action. Now at the last minute General Dynamics NASCO decides it’s not in their best interests to go along with it so they put up millions to run a TV ad campaign based on lies that the other side, that has the truth on its side, can’t compete with. The Proposition system is fundamentally corrupt. If they can’t craft a law that would exclude what just happened, then the lawmakers are dunces. The fact that the whole city, which has no interest whatsoever in the Barrio Logan situation, got to vote on it is ludicrous. That’s not democracy. The people of Barrio Logan have every right to be furious. This is tantamount to eighteenth century treaties with Indians that were later reneged on.
If “the enemy” is our own military and our own government, and our own people who voted, then we are indeed in trouble….
There is a long list of things that I wonder about as to how we ever got there. The cross stalemate, the seals quandary, the forever traffic jam under Balboa bridge (now going past 6 months with no relief in sight), the Padres (OK that is a perennial problem that could be fixed), Mike Aguirre shooting his mouth off, and to top the list: how did we get to where the entire city gets to vote on what happens to the people in Barrio Logan vs. big business. Why has our combined councilpersons not taken this issue and many others and come up with a final resolution? Apparently the health and well being of the residents falls way down the list as to what is important in America’s Finest City. We all will be worse off due to not having Sarah Boot to champion our causes. As if ZAPF gives a damn what progressive San Diegans think (or even dream of). Then there was the “vote” to keep Dumanis in for another term when we at last had a more than credible and capable replacement running. Bob Brewer will also be missed as a leader in County politics (or lack of it in his case). Will we ever learn? The quote from Will Rogers fits perfectly here: “I am NOT a member of an organized political party, I’m a Democrat”. Can’t we get it right even in a midterm election? Then with Dronenburg and Roberts still at the forefront along with Horn, I hate to mention it, but I long for the inner peace and satisfaction that I had in the Filner election cycle where California and San Diego did the right thing all the way down the ballot.Didn’t last long did it? Money rules everything and I must lament here that I don’t have enough to sway an election like other privileged people do (Koch, Manchester, et. al.). Los Angeles and San Francisco put us to shame. Oh how precious is the right to vote and “we” seem to squander it frivolously more often than not. Hopefully Peters (with his own baggage) can still the lies and innuendos that come forth from DeMaio and persevere in November. Ever hopeful, This lifelong democrat born and raised here wants MORE and better from and for his home town. Dana
“The National Rifle Association has rolled back an earlier statement criticizing “open carry” rallies in Texas in which gun rights advocates have brought military-style assault rifles into public places.”
As an NRA member, I wish they hadn’t. Slinging your AR-15 to a coffee shop doesn’t advance the cause any because (as illogical as it may be), it scares people. Having a discussion about open carry is impossible if the person with whom you speak is scared to wits.