Stebbijo's Place » Local Politics

Can you two step the La Cucaracha?

stebbijo — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:06:22 +0000

Really, it is beyond sanity. For you who want to follow the insanity of the very controversial fair theme in Bonner County Idaho - read here so you get another perspective. Because, I admit it – I am biased.

It floors me that some folks would make such a big deal of this just because a handful wanted to stay away from a political slant regarding a fair theme.

Fiesta? How political does it get? We all know that immigration laws are a hot topic now and especially in Arizona. Now, the D’s want to push their agenda by claiming the R’s are bigots and racists because they want to stay within a non political theme. We all know fairs are political, it is where politicians show their faces and where they collect votes. It is their time to shine and give us all of the meirda de toro they can shovel out! For the D’s to claim they are not pushing their own political views via their ‘it only means party’ claim by calling the fair Fiesta is most likely a blatant untruth. Yeah right.

No, I am not racist. In fact I have Hispanic friends and they are legal ones. Also, in high school I wrote two Spanish plays (at Spanish camp) one was Snow White and the other one was Little Red Riding Hood. Little Red Riding Hood was a hit – she got the wolf drunk on tequila. So there. Snow White fell under the sombrero with her prince. It was muy bueno. I also won best actress and my only claim to fame.

But, it is my belief that the attack of the donkey pinatas is a bit overdone and what’s the problem if some want to “Celebrate.” Leave it alone. Those who want to do the “La Cucaracha” all night long can fiesta to their little corazón’s content. Personally, I would rather do some two-stepping. Yep, that is what I would like to see – all the D’s doing the “La Cucaracha” in their fancy colorful attire and boleros, then the two (dare I say ’toe’) - stepping R’s could join in and take the floor!

Related Posts:

Protect the integrity of every vote.

stebbijo — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:24:44 +0000

Yes, and it should be.

Tomorrow there is a motion to remove Judge Simpson from the elections case – - locally, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

CV-2009-0010010

Motion To Disqualify Judge Simpson Pursuant To IRCP Rule 40 (d) (2) (4)

Krem 2 is breaking the story. Take the time to watch this video.

CDA council candidate claims voter fraud in November election

Bill McCrory also gives us an in depth analysis at OpenCdA which also sheds light on the state’s involvement.

Impersonating Kootenai County Electors

Two particular questions raised by the election contest are, “Could qualified electors have been impersonated by illegal voters at polling places?” and if so, “Could the number of illegal votes cast by illegal voters have changed the outcome of the election for one or more candidates?” The answer to both questions is an unqualified “Yes.”

Update: Judge Simpson is going to take up the “Motion To Disqualify” under “advisement.” His decision will most likely be released, hopefully, no later than Monday, the 15th.

03/13/10 Recent Krem News Update on Possible voter fraud at the center of CdA city council seat.

Spend Away!

stebbijo — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:40:36 +0000

It doesn’t end. It is just spend – spend – spend – no restraint at all. Last night’s Coeur d’Alene city council meeting which was aired on Channel 19, the Mayor enlightened us that not only does she not have to apologize to citizens when she calls them a “liar” but, she will twist the story to make it sound like she is on the up and up. (We don’t believe her.) You see, we were not supposed to find out that plans are going through for a new parking structure that we don’t need. It is part of her “vision” without a doubt and her good business cohorts who will stand to profit from ‘enhancing’ the surroundings of Coeur d’Alene with art and parking structures – we don’t need right now in today’s failing economy.

There is really nothing I can do about it – so here is some FREE art.

You can read more about my art here.

Update from Mary Souza here: The Mayor called me a Liar

Make Your Vote Count!

stebbijo — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:01:45 +0000

Public Service Announcement

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Excerpt from Mary Souza’s Newsletter

“In an interesting twist, the city has asked the judge to throw out Jim’s case. And County Clerk Dan English signed on to the city’s request too. They think Jim’s case is “frivolous”. Really? It’s frivolous to expect that people voting in a city election would actually be residents of the city? It’s frivolous to expect that poll books would be filled out in a manner consistent with the rules? And that the number of absentee ballots received would match the number of absentee ballots counted?

Call me “frivolous”, then, because I expect our local elections to be extremely well organized, transparent, fair and accurate. If you agree, please join me at the fundraiser for Jim Brannon’s legal case, on February 8th. The city can try to make Jim’s legal challenge as expensive as possible in order to slow progress or stop the effort entirely. Please come by to make a donation or send one in — every little bit helps. All donations from the fundraiser will go to protect voters and candidates.”

What is Malconduct?

stebbijo — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 04:00:46 +0000

So, I was reading the complaint, answer, and motion to dismiss regarding Case CV09-10010 – To Set Aside, Void, Annul, All or Part of the City Elections in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho this last November 3, 2009. What you think might be really dry is actually quite entertaining. Hey, I am no lawyer, so if you don’t like my interpretation, you can write one, too. I am just trying to understand this charade, because I vote and I want it to count!

I notice words like “fraud” and “corrupt”, I just do. So when I read the city’s/Haman’s Motion to Dismiss (Defendant), I became more interested as I scanned the documents and read this, “Finally, to the extent that the Plaintiff’s Amended Complaint survives, there simply is no basis in fact that would show or even suggest that the City Clerk, or any municipal Defendant for that matter, was corrupt, committed malconduct, committed fraud, allowed illegal votes to be case, or discounted legal votes.” (emphasis added)

Then, I read this, “Indeed there are no facts that would show or even tend to show that the City Clerk, for example, was corrupt, or that she allowed illegal votes to be cast or rejected legal votes. … And, there are no facts to any degree of plausibility that legal votes were rejected or that the City Clerk was corrupt.” (more emphasis added)

In the cities’ Twelfth Defense, they state, “Moreover, the Defendants were not corrupt, did not commit fraud nor did they commit malconduct.” (more use of emphasis)

This is all starting to read like a John Grisham book. I am really entertained, so I go back to Jim Brannon’s complaint. He only alleges “malconduct” by citing the “failures” of the Defendants. Not one reference to “corrupt” or ” fraud.”

“…, no verification of respective applicants’ for absentee ballots legal status to vote in a City of Coeur d’Alene precinct and to vote a City of Coeur d’Alene ballot constitutes such malconduct on the part of Defendants to a degree that the ballot count is incorrect in a number that would change the election for at least Seat 2 that the election should be set aside, voided, and or annulled all or in part.”

The City is required to maintain “poll books” according to I.C. 50-428 for each precinct. The City of Coeur d’Alene does not have a poll book for Precinct 0073 – Absentee Precinct, however they do have at least two of those absentee ballots documented. I don’t know how that works, but I guess two is better than none at all. Our County official Deedie Beard (just retired) who is the Election Manager of Kootenai County, through a letter verified the absence of a poll book. Evidently, the city of CDA asked the County to help them with the election, including the County Clerk, Dan English. The city is trying to dismiss the case holding to the belief that the county is in charge, so sue them instead. But, there are issues with their contract, so it gets murkier because the City (Mayor, Council Members, Clerk) signed off the election results.

However, we have this statute that does not define malconduct. That statute was cited by the city not the Plaintiff in the Coeur d’Alene case. Below is another elections case that discusses malconduct.

Our statute does not define what constitutes malconduct of the officers of election, but it must be held that any proceedings which result in unfair elections, that deprive the qualified elector of the opportunity of peaceably casting his ballot, and having it counted as cast, or that permit illegal votes to be cast and counted, are within the statutory provisions.

Brannon is arguing Title 50 Chapter 4 where the city failed to keep poll books; therefore the election cannot be officially validated, thus our votes are in hiatus. It is ILLEGAL not to keep poll books. Malconduct could be defined as services that are expected of an official in his official capacity that are not delivered. That happens to be reasonable knowledge and oversight of adequate record keeping in elections. Personally, if our clerks and election managers do not believe in keeping poll books, then I am wondering how they got voted in, in the first place. I.C. 50-428 maintains that poll books are required for each precinct and upon receipt of an absentee voting application the clerk is supposed to examine and “ascertain” whether the applicant is registered and lawfully entitled to vote.

In the above linked case they argued that grounds to challenge the election were not sufficient in that the Plaintiff could not prove the details of the failures, thus not being “precise” was not illegal. This is the cities’ defense, also “…the Plaintiff’s Amended Complaint simply alleges that the County’s oversight of the election procedures was imprecise. As noted, this is an insuffienct reason for contesting the City of Coeur d’Alene general election.”

The city does not keep, a POLL BOOK accounting for the city absentee ballots! There are also other poll books that are not adequate. That is like expecting the IRS to let you write off several grand with no frigging receipt!

Then, the city is all in a huff over this word, “purport”, while I get a kick out of them calling themselves corrupt. Then they had the audacity to actually write in what Brannon believes. “Without question the Plaintiff seeks nullification of the election results based on his mistaken and unfounded belief that the City Clerk, among others, was corrupt, committed malconduct, counted illegal votes, and/or discounted legal votes.” (more empahsis added) He never called the ”others” or the City Clerk corrupt and the Defendants cannot conclude what someone believes. Wasn’t that a movie, The Others, a psychothriller staring Nicole Kidman? Now, I want to know who are the “others?”

Common sense prevails. The poll books should be there and they should be organized. Each ballot should be accounted for but, that is just too ‘precise’ for elected officials to abide by. No judge can call a five-point win “imprecise” especially, with only a five point incorrect ’precise’ lead the city signed off on – with NO POLL BOOK! That is why the city is doing their best to maintain some sort of plausible defense to get it dismissed. They have no choice but to do that and deny all allegations.

Request and Denial

stebbijo — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:51:23 +0000

A pdf file of emails between Hoffman and Coeur d’Alene

Susan, the city clerk of CDA, sent me the email chain that Wayne Hoffman initiated. She is checking to see if there is any more correspondence and I have asked for the same information that was given to Wayne Hoffman.

Some of the articles reported that Hoffman used the Freedom of Information Act in his request which is not correct.

Go ahead and read it. Do you think Hoffman was making a veiled threat by claiming that the denial of the names would lead “to some very serious public relations implications” for the city?

What do you think? Has it?

..”if nepotism is occuring”

stebbijo — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:44:32 +0000

Just this last week, Coeur d’ lene, Idaho city officials denied Wayne Hoffman his public records request that would release the full names of city employees along with their salaries.

Mike Gridley, the cities’ legal consultant, lets us know that if he were to hand over the first names of the city employees, this would violate state law by releasing gender.

This is the cities’ own special interpretation of the law, even though in Title 9 340 C, there is no reference to gender. In fact section 8 of that law specifically states that personal information, other than names, is public. Gridley is trying to reinvent the wheel, forcing a lawsuit to release the full names, hoping that his spin on the law will sit well with the “Judge” and give government workers special exemptions, including their first names form public disclosure. It might also give the city some time to fix a mess that they may be hiding.

Wayne Hoffman, Director for the Idaho Freedom Foundation sums it up here.

Coeur d’Alene’s ruling makes it impossible to analyze an employee’s pay increases each year. Are those increases normal or abnormal? Are the mayor’s buddies getting big raises while good employees languish? You can’t tell unless you can make comparisons, and no accurate comparison can be made unless you can match names. Under Coeur d’Alene’s interpretation of law, it’s impossible to determine if raises are too high or too low, if women are being paid on par with men, if nepotism is occurring, whether the employees who have been hired have the right credentials or whether an employee has a criminal record.

Just last week, I caught the City of Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho on cable discussing this issue. Mike Kennedy, city councilman, backed up the cities’ legal opinion and they agreed that the “guy” would have to sue. (I would assume that is Hoffman, but the city did not disclose a name, however they made reference to his “background.”) Gee, you “guys” what are you trying to tell the public here? Obviously, nothing!

Now, what a pickle the city is in, the city can refer to no government employee in their public meetings with first names, if they stand behind their own interpretation of the law, not to mention all the first names that are public on ISTARS – the Idaho Judiciary Data Repository. Gee, what a great case against the State of Idaho if first names are considered personal instead of public information and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho sets some bizarre precedence over first names and they become confidential. I know, it’s a long shot, but remember one thing. This is Idaho.

The City of Excellence (Coeur d’Alene) is now the City of No Names.

Additionally, I would like to make a reference to the World Health Organization concerning the interepretation of “gender.”

What do we mean by “sex” and “gender”?