Full disclosure: I work for the Courage Campaign

When nobody was paying attention, Blackwater found another way into San Diego.  After watching every friendly politician in Potrero get recalled handily in February, Blackwater West quietly started pursuing permits to open a facility in the City of San Diego just three blocks from the U.S/Mexico border.  61,600 square feet, zoned for a vocational school but which Blackwater plans to use for training Navy personnel in terrorism response.  To echo recent comments by Councilmember Ben Hueso to local news, Blackwater has no business in the City of San Diego unless and until someone can say definitively what laws they are bound by.  And certainly, setting up shop on the border raises all sorts of extra red flags.

The local response has been fast and furious this week.  And thanks to leadership from Congressman Bob Filner, there will be a rally at the proposed site of the new Blackwater facility tomorrow (Friday) morning.  Rep. Filner will be joined by Councilmember Ben Hueso, San Diego City Council President Scott Peters, Carol Jahnkow of the Peace Resource Center, Raymond Lutz of Citizens’ Oversight Projects, and Sierra Club’s Jeanette Hartman at 10:45am at 7685 Siempre Viva Road in Otay Mesa in opposition to Blackwater’s latest shady dealings.  Blackwater discovered once that San Diego isn’t friendly territory. They’re sticking around for a reason, and best guess is, it’s not just for a Navy subcontract.

Among other organizations, the Courage Campaign is encouraging all local San Diegans to attend if they’re able.  If you want to read the email from Rick Jacobs, you can check it out here.

Full disclosure: I work for the Courage Campaign

Cross posted at the Courage Campaign blog

The Union-Tribune’s Anne Krueger is back with a command performance from the stenography pool today, delivering the latest “news” on Blackwater’s Otay Mesa facility.  Yet even she couldn’t avoid the awkward break in logic that the various pieces of today’s puzzle delivered:

“As long as it was an educational facility, if they’re training future police or security guards, that would be considered a vocational trade,” Broughton said.

Bonfiglio said Blackwater has had a contract to train Navy personnel since 2002 through a subcontractor, American Shooting Center in Kearny Mesa. The training will be transferred to the Otay Mesa site once Navy inspectors give their approval to the new facility, he said.

Bonfiglio said Blackwater hasn’t determined whether American Shooting Center would assist with training in Otay Mesa.

“We want to improve on the curriculum. We want to improve on the teaching,” Bonfiglio said. “We want to improve on the facilities.”

Bonfiglio said other agencies may use the facilities occasionally if it doesn’t interfere with the Navy’s training. He emphasized that no independent contractors working for Blackwater would be trained there.

addition: Brian Bonfiglio explicitly states that this facility will provide military, not civilian training in the article: “Already in place was a ship simulator – a miniature version of a Navy ship – that Bonfiglio said will be used to train sailors for crisis situations at sea…Although the facility has a shooting range, it will emphasize training Navy personnel to be better prepared for terrorist attacks, Bonfiglio said.”

So as long as they’re training future police or security guards it’s vocational. But they’re training Navy personnel to perform Navy duties.  American Shooting Center (if you want to visit their website by the way, it’s www.gotammo.com ahem), for its own part, is not new to shady training facilities. Last year, ASC tried to open a training facility near Cleveland National Forest without permits and was shut down by the Board of Supervisors.  At the time, owner Marc Halcon complained about getting lumped in with Blackwater and

Halcon said he has had a subcontract with Blackwater since 2002 to train military personnel at his Kearny Mesa shooting center, though he said none of that training took place at Covert Canyon. He would not say how much he is being paid for the contract, which is due to end in September.

So Halcon’s subcontract with Blackwater was due to end September of last year. And the contract was, even then, “to train military personnel at his Kearny Mesa shooting center.” And now Blackwater is saying its new facility is for training those people. Did the contract get renewed/extended? If so, I guess it was changed to reflect a change of venue for the training, even though Blackwater had no facility lined up last fall.  Going further, neither last year’s article nor the new coverage suggests that the training of Navy personnel is to ease their transition into private-sector security jobs- quite the opposite.  Given that Halcon was careful to note the differences between military, police and private training, it seems odd that it would consistently be referred to as training of military personnel unless it’s exclusively is training of military personnel for military purposes.  Which would not be a vocational or trade school. At all.

In this scenario, the only way around that rather major problem would be if Kelly Broughton’s statement- “if they’re training future police or security guards”- is given incredible latitude.  I mean, Navy personnel may very well become police officers or security guards eventually. And those who do would likely utilize weapon and other combat training as part of their job.  But that’s a far leap from the notion that training military personnel to perform military tasks is the same as training them to be police or security professionals.

And while we’re on the subject of what constitutes vocational training, Ray Lutz went ahead and checked the Yellow Pages, where Blackwater Worldwide is indeed listed under Industrial, Technical & Trade Schools (received via email).  He also too the time to note the other businesses listed under the same heading:

A Academy of Bartending

California College For Health Sciences

Center for The Communications Arts

College of English Language

Contractor Schools Golden State

Contractors License Of California

Devry Univ. San Diego  http://www.devry.edu/ (career-oriented majors)

Foundation for Educational Achievement

ITT Tech

Language Studies International

Law School of National Univ.

Occupational Training Services

Pattie Wells Dancetime Center

Reliable Communications Incorporated

Schrader & Associates

Southwestern College

California College For Health Sciences

Seeds of Success Intl. Inc.

Comprehensive Training Systems

International Center for American English

Valley Career College

Advanced Training Associates

Wow Performance Coaching

Barrera Rick & Associates

Tomorrow’s Communications Inc.

Vitality Inc

Palomar College

Healing Hands School of Holistic Health

Welsh Sales Group

Miracosta College

Spartan College Of Aeronautics & Technology

At Your Home Familycare Learning Academy

Beauty Boutique Colleges of Beauty

Dental Assisting Institute

Not so much shooting ranges or mercenary training. More…training for jobs that actually contribute positively to society.  One wonders how long it’ll be before the U.S. government will finally break down and start classifying the nation’s military as just an exceptionally well-funded jobs program.  I’m kinda surprised the Bush administration hasn’t seized on this as their version of the New Deal. Maybe it’s cause nobody will sign up…

Full disclosure: I work for the Courage Campaign

Cross posted at the Courage Campaign blog

Just when we thought we had won, Blackwater snuck in the back door and set up shop in San Diego with hardly anyone noticing.  Citizen Oversight Projects started spreading the word today that Blackwater will be opening a 61,600 square foot training facility in Otay Mesa, just a block from the U.S./Mexico border.  It’s also about 4 miles from the Otay Mesa border crossing and about 6.5 miles from the San Ysidro border crossing.  This is an indoor facility and obviously much smaller than the 824-acre project Blackwater had pursued in Potrero, but no less nefarious.

This comes at a time when national legislation to block Blackwater and other mercenaries is gaining steam.  And perhaps this incident demonstrates that without a major shift at the federal level, we’ll just be chasing Blackwater around in macabre version of whack-a-mole into eternity.

Ray Lutz, one of the key figures in the defeat of Blackwater in Potrero, visited the new site and reported back with pictures, impressions and particular points of concern.  He notes 20 truck bays and its position not only near two major border crossings but also the Tijuana International Airport.  And if there’s any doubt about the facility being used to train more mercenaries (and pretty clearly in the art of desert AND border tactics), note the word from Kelly Broughton, director of the city of San Diego’s development services department:

Broughton said the building was already permitted for use as a vocational trade school, and Blackwater’s training activities would fall within that category.

Vocational trade school. That’s what we’re calling it. If ITT Tech and a career in medical transcription isn’t for you, check out Blackwater West. However, I don’t think I’d have the same concerns about a bunch of crazy dental-assistants-in-training being planted within four miles of five schools (including three elementary schools) as I do about mercenaries.

The new facility is within the City of San Diego proper, which means that city regulations- not just county regulations- are potentially at play.  And that, of course, brings into the mix a number of political figures who might actually be moved on this issue.  The site of the facility is in the 8th District represented by Councilmember Ben Hueso. The City Council President is Scott Peters who is termed out and in the middle of a contentious race for City Attorney.  Councilmember Brian Maienschein is also termed out and running for City Attorney.  Mayor Jerry Sanders has a heckuva battle brewing for re-election against Steve Francis [name corrected], a Republican dressing himself in progressive clothing to run from both directions.  And that’s before we (potentially) get Donna Frye agitated.

At this point though, the permit has already been applied for and granted (more than a month ago).  Which means that opportunities for local recourse is likely limited unless and until something can be placed on the ballot.  That is, what worked last time (wildly successful recall) is unlikely to be at play this time.  What’s particularly interesting about this process though is that Blackwater submitted its application for this Otay Mesa facility in February but didn’t pull out of Potrero until March 9.  So, at least in principle, it was after both spots at the same time.  Or, more likely, it knew that the ship had sailed on Potrero weeks before actually pulling out, and dragged the process along in order to distract from its move on Otay Mesa.

The history of Blackwater and government-funded mercenaries doesn’t need a full rehash here, we know the score.  What we’re getting here are better trained, federally funded Minutemen living in the shadow of the border fence and a couple minutes from the busiest land border crossing in the world. They’re here to operate with impunity outside of the government doing the things this administration wishes it could be doing itself.  And it won’t stop unless and until we get the sort of systemic changes that can only come from the federal level.  This battle of local citizens vs. the mercenaries funded by our own tax dollars isn’t sustainable. Local action won in Potrero but here we are again.  We’ll mount up and take the fight to them again, but real change won’t happen until this country dumps Blackwater and those like it once and for all.

(full disclosure: I work for Courage)

With ten ballots to be counted tomorrow this is a preliminary count, but it is simply huge!  Talk about people-powered politics…  The recall was an overwhelming success.  All five members of the Planning Group who voted to approve Blackwater’s plans were recalled by unbelievable margins.  The election will be certified within two days and the Save Potero slate will take office, hopefully in time for their Thursday meeting.

Keep in mind that Bush won by 25.8% in 2008.  Everybody was recalled by over 60% of the vote.  Gordon Hammers, who has been the most vocal Blackwater supporter and served as chair of the group, was recalled by nearly 70% of the vote.

All of the numbers are on the flip.  Go check ’em out.  Just an incredible victory.  They did a phenomenal job on GOTV, getting 160 or so out of the 190 who signed the original petition against Blackwater to turn in their ballots.  The people of Potrero had an unbelievable victory tonight, but will need all of our help as the fight moves on to the next level: the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.

Can you tell from the superlatives that I am just a wee bit excited?  These folks are my heroes.

Join the movement to Block Blackwater at www.blockblackwater.com, powered by the Courage Campaign.

Apologies for the formatting, but they should hopefully be pretty legible.  Remember they had to vote to recall and then decide who to replace them.

Recall Gordon Hammers:              196-70%

No                                  84-30%

Succeed Brenda Wise                 68-28.6%

Succeed Carl Meyer                  170-71.4%

Recall Jerry Johnson:               187-67%

No                                  93-33%

Succeed Terry Stephens:  176

Recall Mary Johnson:                189-67.5%

               No:                 91-32.5%

Succeed Janet Goode                177

Recall Janet Wright                 186-66.4%

No:                                 94-33.6%

Succeed by:

               Edward Boryla       48-21.3%

               William “Billy” Crawley IV   177-78.7%

Recall Thell Fowler                 176-62.9%

No:                                 104-37.1%

Succeed:                                            

Tina Brown McCunney                 161-74.5%

Anita Meneses                       55-22.5%

When Courage Campaign flew me down to Potrero a few months ago, a couple of things struck me about the area targeted by Blackwater for their California mercenary base. It was very rural. It was so close to the border that it is south of a major Border Patrol checkpoint. Bush had won by more than 25 points. There appeared to be a significant economic gap with starter-castles the next home down the highway from double-wide trailers as we crept along the winding, narrow highway. And it was sparsely populated, last night’s vote had only 509 registered voters eligible for the entirely VBM special election. Yet the people who did live there had no interest in a mercenary camp creating logjams at the checkpoint and increasing the fire danger and guzzling valuable water while filling the air with the sounds of the types of cutting edge weapons are real soldiers wish they had.

When I was in Potrero, it was before the fires but after far more than enough signatures had been gathered to place a recall of the those who sold out the town on the ballot for a special election. And you know something, this small town that had voted for Bush by 25 % pts. rallied against his administration’s entire approach by an even larger margin in what at this point is more than a 50% pts swing. In other words, every other voter in a rural, Mexico-border, conservative town went from supporting Bush to opposing Bush’s cronies at Blackwater.

Clearly, stopping the US mercenary business is an electoral winner for anyone who would rather support our troops than create a blood-money sector for big businesses.

They are still counting folks, but it continues to look good.

The way this works is that the ballot says for each individual candidate: do you want to recall X.  Then it asks if you want to replace them with somebody else.  It is taking a long time to count all of these individual votes.  Turnout is in the 300s and there were just 8 ballots turned in today.

It is probably going to take another hour or an hour and a half to get the final count.  Rick is camped out in the hallway writing up a post.  Ray Lutz is videotaping the count.  The media has already come and gone.

More later…

(full disclosure: I work for the Courage Campaign)

I know Courage Campaign has been quiet lately about Blackwater trying to open up a huge mercenary training base in tiny Potrero (509 registered voters), just north of the border, it is with good reason.  There is a recall election, ending today.  A group of local grassroots heroes started an effort to replace the five members of the Potrero Community Planning Group who voted to approve Blackwater’s plans to build a base for 360 staff and “students” on 824 acres of enviromentally sensitive land, consisting of 15 firing ranges, a helipad, and a heavy vehicle.  We wanted to stay in the background, while the locals worked hard on GOTV for the recall, since outsiders working on Blackwater had already become an issue within this small community.

One of those heroes is Carl Meyer, who is featured in this short documentary Courage Campaign put together. P.S. The sweetheart of a cat is named Twister.  There is more on Carl in a fantastic NYT article below the fold.  You might recognize the sign and the pumpkin patch in the photo accompanying the article ;).

Rick Jacobs is down in San Diego right now at the Registrar of Voters, waiting for the ballot counting to begin.  I will update as soon as we get the numbers.  Polls (aka the general store) closed at 8 pm.  It is an hours drive from Potrero to San Diego.  We should know by 10 pm.  Keep your fingers crossed, but the GOTV efforts by the Save Potrero folks has been just great.  There were however reports of one of the pro-Blackwater candidates trying to intimidate voters as they turned in their ballots today.  The Sheriff was called and there were plenty of witnesses.

Keep in mind that the 2004 numbers for Potrero were:

Kerry    105 votes          36.6%

Bush     179 votes          62.4%

Like many Potrero residents, Carl Meyer, 51, a local farmer and environmental activist, never gave much thought to Iraq or private security firms until Blackwater came to town last year. Ever since, he has been opposed to the company’s proposal for 800 acres of rifle ranges, dormitories, classrooms and an armory.

“Having them here wouldn’t be in keeping with our rural character,” said Mr. Meyer, who has helped organize the recall effort. “But it’s more than that for me. They’re not good for our country.”

Carl, like so many of the folks working on the recall in Potrero are accidental activists, more motivated with the impact it would have on the town, than the war in Iraq.

Blackwater has been working hard on this community.  They have one staff member working full-time down in San Diego County.  They show up to meetings.  They sent a 6 page glossy mailer to the residents coinciding with the recall.  As the Times says:

For the better part of the last year, Blackwater has maintained a conspicuous presence in Potrero. Company officials have attended planning group meetings, established a shelter and relief center after wildfires burned down 17 Potrero homes in October – and have attracted some supporters.

The town very much is divided.  Though there have been some bright spots.  Voter registration went up and indeed Billy Crawley, one of the members of Save Potrero who is running for the Planning Group, came to into the store today with a 58 year old man who had never voted in his life while he dropped off his ballot.

This is only one step in the campaign to keep Blackwater out of Potrero.  The San Diego County Board of Supervisors has jurisdiction.  They will be ruling next year after the environmental impact study is completed.  

There is plenty of work to do.  Sign the pledge over at the new site www.BlockBlackwater.com.  It is in beta form.  We will be upgrading it as the campaign rolls on.