News from the Palm Springs Village Fest Voter Registration and Democratic Candidate Tabling last night: Victor Manuel Perez fired his Campaign Director, Amalia Deaztlan, then rehired her this week.
Interesting that since the electronic filing deadline is approaching and the primary is less than 30 days away.
Deaztlan was similarly fired and rehired by the campaign of David Roth, Candidate for the 45th Congressional District during Election 2006.
XPosted 5/7/2008 9:55 PM PDT on MyDesert.com by BluePalmSpringsBoyz
Greg Pettis, a Cathedral City Councilman for more than 14 years, a former Mayor Pro-Tem of Cathedral City, and Democratic candidate for the 80th Assembly District to replace the termed out, thank God, Bonnie Garcia (R), has long demonstrated his commitment to the environment and considered growth. In its endorsement, The Desert Sun (Pettis is our pick for Democratic nominee in 80th Assembly District), stated:
Pettis has been in office 14 years as a Cathedral City councilman. He knows the Coachella Valley best. He has strong relationships with local officials and understands local issues.
He has built a solid record of achievement while on the council, and we believe he is electable and will be effective in Sacramento…
…He plans to focus on…expanding incentives for green and renewable energy sources.
More below the flip…
Part of his ‘record of achievement’ in the Coachella Valley has included that he has been instrumental in creating an economically vibrant community with strong neighborhoods and a thriving downtown to attract good paying jobs to Cathedral City.
Among some of his proudest legislative accomplishments include:
(1) Creating green building standards to save water and make buildings more energy efficient
(2) Negotiating the Multi-Species Habitat Plan to guide sustainable growth
(3) Serving on the Salton Sea Authority
In addition to his duties as a Councilmember, Pettis has served as board member of the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy. He has also served on the California Regional Water Quality Control Board. Pettis is also Harvard-educated, graduating from the State and Municipal Government Program from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
In recognition of Pettis’s commitment to the environment and to smart growth, the California League of Conservation Voters found him most qualified to defend the local and state environment and to promote rational growth amongst the local communities. The following is from a Press Release from the Pettis for 80th Assembly District campaign:
CALIFORNIA LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS ENDORSE GREG PETTIS
The California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV) announced (February 18, 2008) that they are endorsing Greg Pettis (D-Cathedral City) for the open 80th Assembly District seat.
“While there are many good candidates running for this seat, Greg Pettis’ long history of involvement on improving air and water quality, forward-looking smart growth planning and commitment to combating global climate change is what earned him our Board’s trust,” said David Allgood, CLCV Southern California Director.
“We were particularly impressed with forward-looking legislation Greg has implemented like Cathedral City’s Green Building Standards which require new construction in Cathedral City to be 10-15 percent above state efficiency standards to help reduce water use, his tireless work negotiating the Multi-Species Habitat Plan to manage growth in the desert and his vote to install solar panels to provide all electricity needs for City Hall.”
“Additionally, his Pettis Plan for Progress takes a thoughtful look about how Sacramento can act locally while leading globally.”
Pettis said he was honored by CLCV’s endorsement because “it validates my campaign theme that we need experienced leadership in Sacramento if we are going to create a healthier California, and that includes a healthier environment.”
Pettis is serving his 14th year on the City Council of Cathedral City. He has also served on the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Salton Sea Authority and Riverside County Transportation Commission.
CLCV is the non-partisan political action arm of California’s environmental movement.
CLCV conducts rigorous research on candidates in order to make endorsements in key races. Our endorsements are backed with expertise, and we assist candidates with the media, fundraising, and grassroots organizing strategies they need to win. We also campaign to educate voters about candidates’ environmental records.
Clearly, according to CLCV goals, the board ‘rigorously’ investigated each of the four Democratic candidates in the 80th AD race and found Pettis to be the candidate with the best bona fides for the California environmental movement.
Readers and bloggers have criticized the campaign in the 80th Assembly District as negative, nasty, and non-issues oriented. This is the beginning of a series of blog posts on the reasons to support Greg Pettis, Cathedral City Councilman and former Mayor Pro-Tem of Cathedral City, in his race to become the Democratic nominee in the 80th AD. Pettis has the support of every Democratic Club in the 80th AD that has thus far endorsed, including the Desert Hot Springs Democratic Club, the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club, the Inland Stonewall Democratic Club, Palm Springs Democratic Club, the Pass Democratic Club, the San Diego Democratic Club, and the San Diego Democratic Women’s Club.
In addition, the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, the California League of Conservation Voters, California National Organization for Women, Equality California, HONOR PAC, Progressive Majority, amongst others, have endorsed Pettis based on his governmental experience, his achievements in the areas of healthcare, the economy, and the environment, and his plans for success in the 80th AD once elected.
According to the The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund website, The Victory Fund believes
“that true equality for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender persons will come when talented, committed and qualified openly LGBT individuals step up to lead their communities, to add their voices to the American political debate, and to show that what they want for their own families is the same as their straight colleagues; freedom to live their lives honestly, without fear and with hope.”
More below the flip…
More on The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund:
“The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund is the nation’s largest LGBT political action committee and the only national organization dedicated to increasing the number of openly LGBT elected officials at all levels of government. Since 1991, the Victory Fund and its national donor network have helped hundreds of openly LGBT candidates win election to local, state and federal offices.
“The Victory Fund provides strategic, technical and financial support to openly LGBT candidates and their campaigns. The Victory Fund staff of political professionals helps to recruit and vet qualified candidates, train them, and assist them in raising the crucial funds required to run for office.
“In addition to providing funding from our political action committee, the Victory Fund cultivates a national network of donors whose commitment to its mission results in vital support for our endorsed candidates.”
Clearly, the Victory Fund believes that Pettis is a talented, committed, and qualified openly LGBT individual who has stepped up to lead Cathedral City and his community, who is best suited to add his voice to the American political debate, and to demonstrate that he wants freedom for the LGBT community to live their lives honestly, without fear and with hope.
Other Democratic candidates for the 80th AD, even were they members of the LGBT community, would not qualify for the endorsement of The Victory Fund, as Rick Gonzales, a housing developer for Wells Fargo, and Richard Gutierrez, a dentist, both openly state during candidates forums that they will oppose Marriage Equality on the floor of the California State Assembly. Victor Manuel Perez equivocates, stating that he supports equal rights for all individuals, however, he refuses to publically state that he would vote in favor of marriage equality in the California State Assembly.
The Pettis campaign issued a Press Release on October 4, 2007, announcing the Victory Fund endorsement. Here is the text of the PR:
PETTIS ENDORSED BY VICTORY FUND
Democratic candidate for the 80th Assembly District, Greg Pettis, pulled in a national endorsement today with the announcement that The Victory Fund is supporting his campaign.
The Victory Fund is the only national organization that is dedicated to increasing the number of openly LGBT elected officials at all levels of government. In 2006, 67 Victory Fund endorsed candidates were elected to office.
“As someone who has stood up for the rights of all people and against discrimination in all forms, I couldn’t be happier to have this endorsement,” said Pettis.
Pettis, who is serving his 13th year on the City Council of Cathedral City, has rung up a string of impressive endorsements recently including the San Diego Democratic Club, the California Building Trades and the San Bernardino/Riverside County Labor Council.
“We’re building a strong base of support throughout California because my track record over the last 13 years is a good indicator that I’ll be able to help break the logjam in Sacramento on crucial issues like health care, economic development and protecting our environment,” Pettis said.
“With the support of groups like The Victory Fund, I’ll be able to take my message for a healthy California to all corners of this district.”
The Victory Fund joins a long list of endorsements for Pettis including AFSCME, the California Building Trades Council, Riverside/San Bernardino Counties Central Labor Council, San Diego/Imperial Counties Central Labor Council, Palm Springs City Councilmember Ginny Foat, Palm Springs City Councilmember Rick Hutcheson, Desert Hot Springs City Councilmember Karl Baker, Cathedral City Councilmember Paul Marchand, El Centro City Councilmember Sedalia Sanders, and former Coachella Mayor Juan DeLara.
Pettis is considered the Democratic frontrunner in the race to replace Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia (R), who will be stepping down due to term limits, thank God. Pettis has raised more money and has more donors than all the other Democratic candidates combined based on the last filings with California’s Secretary of State.
This week, three members of the Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) endorsed the candidacy of Rick Gonzales for the 80th Assembly District to replace the termed-out, thank God, Bonnie Garcia (R). Gonzales works for Wells Fargo as a comunity housing investor.
The news behind the endorsements is that this is a repudiation of the leadership of Victor Manuel Perez on the board and of his Candidacy for the 80th AD. Seems that Perez’ major claim to the nomination is his ‘credentials’ on education. Backers claim that Perez has the unified backing of the education community in the Coachella Valley. Not.
More below the flip…
Perez serves on the CVUSD and the executive committee as its Vice-President. As such, Perez was intimately responsible for the ill-advised decision on the part of the board to seek Federal funds that, according to The Desert Sun, lead to the CVUSD being the only board in the state threatened with state sanctions to actually be placed under state-sponsored trusteeship this year (see my previous posts). The state made it clear that acceptance of the funds by CVUSD board was the primary determining factor in its decision to place the board and the Superintendant under state trusteeship.
Now, three of the members of the CVUSD board, Gloria Maldonado, Anna Rodriguez, and Maria Elvia Rios, according to the Rick Gonzales for State Assembly website, have rejected the candidacy of Perez and have endorsed Gonzales. Whether they repudiate Perez for his part in the ill-conceived decisions of the board or for other reasons remains to be seen.
As they have done to others during the campaign in the Coachella Valley and here on Calitics, including with this blogger, the Perez campaign is attempting to smear the actions of these three boardmembers and to label them as the problem with the CVUSD board. (This approach seems so familiar. Remember the Bush tactics used against its detractors?) Rather than innuendo, mudslinging, and slander, it is up to the Perez campaign and its blogger to address the voting patterns of Perez and the CVUSD boardmembers for the benefit of the reader to see if in fact these were recalicitrant board members or if they were in fact the ones who were shall we say ‘transformational.’
Oh, and just to be fact-based, here is the evidence for the fact that the education community in the Coachella and Imperial Valleys are not supportive of Perez for the 80th AD:
Rick Gonzales for Assembly Endorsements in Education:
Gloria Maldonado, Coachella Valley Unified School Boardmember
Anna Rodriguez, Coachella Valley Unified School Boardmember
Maria Elvia Rios, Coachella Valley Unified School Boardmember
Irene Padilla Salazar, Vice-President Brawley Elementary School District
Marion Long-Former Imperial Valley Community College Board Member
Norma Sierra Galindo– Imperial Valley Community College Board
Louie Wong– Imperial Valley Community College Board
Carlos Acuña– Imperial Valley Community College Board
Tim Asamen – Former Westmorland Elementary School Board Member
John Moreno — School Administrator, Calexico Unified School District
Enrique “Pinky” Alvarado–Calexico Unified School Board
Eduardo Rivera –Calexico Unified School Board President
Enrique “Pinky” Alvarado–Calexico Unified School Board
Eduardo Rivera –Calexico Unified School Board President
Gloria Santillan — Former Brawley Union High School Board Member
Helen Noriega — Brawley Union High School Board Member
Rusty Garcia — Brawley Union High School Board Member
Joe Padilla — Brawley Elementary School Board Member
Cesar Guzman — Brawley Elementary School Board Member
Michael Romero — Brawley Educator
Kathy Prior — Brawley Elementary School Board Member
More on the various candidate stances on education later this week.
XPosted 4/25/2008 10:36 AM PDT on MyDesert.com in blog by BluePalmSpringsBoyz
Been away on vacation and come back to major doin’s on the 80th Assembly District campaign trail. Nicole Brambila (staff writer for The Desert Sun) penned an interesting article today (on mydesert.com) that explains that the Fair Political Practices Commission needs more time to investigate the claim by Greg Rodriguez, candidate for the Palm Springs Unified School District, Hillary Clinton delegate to the Democratic National Convention this summer in Denver, and a supporter of the Greg Pettis for 80th AD that the Victor Manuel ‘Slick Manny’ Perez campaign violated campaign ethics.
Here are portions of Brambila’s article:
The Fair Political Practices Commission requested more time to look into whether it will investigate a formal complaint against an 80th Assembly District candidate (Perez).
Greg Rodriguez, who supports Democratic candidate and Cathedral City Councilman Greg Pettis, filed the complaint against Democratic candidate and Coachella school board trustee Manuel Perez on April 4, accusing him of failing to disclose who paid for his campaign advertising…
More below the flip…
Now, it seems that Dale Wissman, a supporter of Perez and a labor relations representative with the California School Employees Association, filed a FPPC complaint against Richard Gutierrez, another Democratic candidate for the 80th AD. This after the Perez campaign went off the deep edge about the Rodriguez complaint. Interesting, what apparently is good for the goose has become good for the gander. The Perez campaign complaint against Gutierrez claims that Gutierrez had not submitted semiannual and pre-election campaign statements nor disclosed contributor information.
The FPPC was created in a ballot initiative in 1974, investigates violations of the Political Reform Act and can assess a $5,000 administrative penalty. A violation of the political reform act is a misdemeanor.
The only other Democrat in the June primary race is Rick Gonzales, a community development manager for Wells Fargo. Apparently, the Perez campaign also has plans for Gonzales, according to my source at Palm Springs Village Fest last evening. In my estimation, the Perez campaign has suffered greatly in the past weeks under the examination of the media regarding Perez’ failures as Vice-President of the Coachella Valley Unified School District. Recently, the State of California placed only the CVUSD out of 97 Districts threatened under trusteeship for the CVUSD board and Superintendant’s failures to achieve academic goals under the Federal program “No Child Left Behind.” And, recently, in a significant blow to the Perez campaign, two of his colleagues on the CVUSD endorsed Gonzales for the 80th AD race. Seems that even his acquaintances and friends are questioning Perez’ capabilities and accomplishments!
The presumptive Republican candidate, former Palm Springs Police Chief Gary Jeandron, is running unopposed and has his own problems. This blogger has reported extensively regarding Jeandron’s failures on the Palm Springs Unified School District as it was also threatened with trusteeship for academic failures and for his failures as Palm Springs Police Chief in his failure to develop and institute an significant department program to address the problem of crime in the neighborhoods or to deal with the methamphetamine crisis in Palm Springs. Jeandron has consistently been an absense on the PSUSD and in the PSPD in the development of any program that would help to achieve community goals.
The campaign intensifies and fur flies.
Posted 4/17/2008 10:26 PM PDT on MyDesert.com
Earlier this week, The Desert Sun and its online edition, mydesert.com, detailed the California Fair Political Practices Commission complaint against the Perez campaign for the 80th Assembly District for unfair practices during the California Democratic Party convention in San Jose. For the entire article, refer to FPPC Complaint Alleges Candidate Skirting Campaign Advertising Disclosure.
The California Fair Political Practices Commission confirmed that someone had filed a complaint against 80th Assembly District Democratic candidate Manuel Perez accusing him of failing to disclose who paid for his campaign advertising.
The complaint was filed by Greg Rodriguez, Democratic activist and candidate for the Palm Springs Unified School District, against the failed Coachella School Board trustee April 4, 2008. Seems that Rodriguez has had enough of local failed school board officials and soiled campaigns.
“It’s obvious some people want to manipulate rules and don’t want to follow them,” said Greg Rodriguez, who filed the complaint. “I think everybody needs to be scrutinized by the rules they follow.”
More below the flip…
Rodriguez is a candidate for the Palm Springs Unified School District board and a Sen. Hillary Clinton delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Denver later this summer. Pettis, a Cathedral City Councilman and former-Mayor Pro-tem, is the leading candidate and leading fundraiser of the four Democratic contenders for the 80th AD.
According to The Desert Sun,
Perez says he’s complied with the law.
“It’s one thing or another,” he said. “We’ve got more important things to do like walk the streets and talk to voters.”
Apparently one of the more important things that the Perez campaign has to do is voter intimidation in the Coachella Valley. Perez’ Campaign Director, Amalia Deaztlan, was reported to intimidate one of Pettis’ Latino supporters and endorsers at the Democrats of the Desert Annual Banquet on Saturday, April 5, 2008, harshly pinching him in a manner usually applied by Latino adults to recalcitrant children, telling him after he refused to switch his allegiance from Pettis to Perez, “You are no longer one of us!” In addition, Perez supporters have attempted to intimidate Pettis bloggers and diarists with threats and accusations.
Created with a ballot initiative in 1974, The Fair Political Practices Commission was created in a 1974 ballot initiative to investigate campaign violations of the Political Reform Act and imposes administrative penalties.
The FPPC will notify Rodriguez in writing by Friday whether the department will investigate or not, said Roman Porter, a department spokesman. Porter would not speculate on the merits of the complaint.
“One advantage of having a formal complaint signed under penalty of perjury is to reduce frivolous complaints,” he said.
State law requires disclosure on campaign advertising when advocating for or against a candidate or ballot measure.
Perez supporters created and distributed fliers advertising the Perez candidacy at the CDP convention in order to attempt to revoke the party endorsement of Pettis for the 80th AD which he obtained with over 70% of the Democratic Club votes at the Moreno Valley confab. Perez supporters created the advertisements without any FPPC-required denotations as required for the mass production of campaign materials. Perez supporters to date have not reported exactly how many fliers were created for distribution. Under FPPC regulations, mass-produced advertisements are often regulated when created in numbers of 200 or greater.
Manuel Perez, Vice-President of the failed Coachella Valley Unified School District and Candidate for the 80th Assembly District, and his campaign, have allegedly fun afoul of campaign ethics with campaign violations in two campaign scandals, according to my mydesert.com blogger source at Palm Springs Village Fest.
First, someone who volunteers for the Perez for Assembly campaign, was allegedly using her office computer to mail out campaign materials for the Perez campaign. My source is in possession of an original piece of email from the campaign worker.
Now, as anyone who has worked in an office environment in the past 15 years knows: “Do not use your office computer for personal use, otherwise your job is in jeapardy!” Well, not only did this employee apparently use her office computer to produce mass emailings for the Perez campaign, but she worked for the County of Riverside! Not only is her job in jeapardy, but she violated State of California campaign law in her endeavors. The Perez campaign has not addressed to what extent it was involve in the production and distribution of the fliers.
My source eventuall contacted Roy Wilson, Supervisor in the County of Riverside and a newsreporter at The Desert Sun, Nicole Brambila. According to my source, Wilson has conducted an investigation and found that two, count them, two Perez campaign workers and/or volunteers have been using County of Riverside computers to do campaign work for Perez. When the Perez campaign found out that its skullduggery had been found out, it cried ‘Mudslinging!’ and ‘Republican talking points!’ Seems that the Perez mouthpieces went apoplectic.
Wilson instructed County supervisor(s) to conduct an investigation and to act accordingly. In addition, thousands of County employees received emails from the County reminding them that it is against the law to use County computers, offices, etc. to conduct campaign work.
Second, the Perez campaign mass-produced and distributed campaign materials that omitted the required by law disclaimers that are required one each piece of campaign materials. Bethcaskie, blogger shill for the Perez campaign was observed handing out hundreds of the illegal fliers at the California Democratic Party convention in San Jose. Greg Rodriguez, local Democratic activist, filed a complaint with the FPPC on Monday, March 31, 2008.
Seems that the Perez campaign has in disarray without adequate leadership and direction, unable to direct and/or manage its volunteers and/or staff. An organized and well-directed campaign would not make these kind of mistakes, first not instructing their workers to not use office computers, let alone County resources, to further the campaign, and second, not vetting the campaign materials for irregularities and illegalities.
The Perez campaign response to the allegations is to label Rodriguez and other Pettis supporters as ‘mudslingers’ and adherents to ‘Republican talking points.’ Seems that the Perez campaign loves to see itself as the victim. Not a pretty sight that.
What is going on over at the Perez campaign?
The Desert Sun and its online edition, mydesert.com, detailed the California Fair Political Practices Commission complaint against the Perez campaign for the 80th Assembly District for unfair practices during the California Democratic Party convention in San Jose. For the entire article, refer to FPPC Complaint Alleges Candidate Skirting Campaign Advertising Disclosure.
The California Fair Political Practices Commission confirmed today that someone filed a complaint against 80th Assembly District Democratic candidate Manuel Perez accusing him of failing to disclose who paid for his campaign advertising.
The complaint was filed against the Coachella School Board trustee April 4.
“It’s obvious some people want to manipulate rules and don’t want to follow them,” said Greg Rodriguez, who filed the complaint. “I think everybody needs to be scrutinized by the rules they follow.”
More below the flip…
Rodriguez is a Greg Pettis for 80th Assembly District supporter, a candidate for the Palm Springs Unified School District board, and a Sen. Hillary Clinton delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Denver later this summer. Pettis, a Cathedral City Councilman and former-Mayor Pro-tem, is the leading candidate and leading fundraiser of the four Democratic contenders for the 80th AD.
According to The Desert Sun,
Perez says he’s complied with the law.
“It’s one thing or another,” he said. “We’ve got more important things to do like walk the streets and talk to voters.”
Apparently one of the more important things that the Perez campaign has to do is voter intimidation in the Coachella Valley. Perez’ Campaign Director, Amalia Deaztlan, was reported to intimidate one of Pettis’ Latino supporters and endorsers at the Democrats of the Desert Annual Banquet on Saturday, April 5, 2008, harshly pinching him in a manner usually applied by Latino adults to recalcitrant children, telling him after he refused to switch his allegiance from Pettis to Perez, “You are no longer one of us!” In addition, Perez supporters have attempted to intimidate Pettis bloggers and diarists with threats and accusations.
Created with a ballot initiative in 1974, The Fair Political Practices Commission was created in a 1974 ballot initiative to investigate campaign violations of the Political Reform Act and imposes administrative penalties.
The FPPC will notify Rodriguez in writing by Friday whether the department will investigate or not, said Roman Porter, a department spokesman. Porter would not speculate on the merits of the complaint.
“One advantage of having a formal complaint signed under penalty of perjury is to reduce frivolous complaints,” he said.
State law requires disclosure on campaign advertising when advocating for or against a candidate or ballot measure.
Perez supporters created and distributed fliers advertising the Perez candidacy at the CDP convention in order to attempt to revoke the party endorsement of Pettis for the 80th AD which he obtained with over 70% of the Democratic Club votes at the Moreno Valley confab. Perez supporters created the advertisements without any FPPC-required denotations as required for the mass production of campaign materials. Perez supporters to date have not reported exactly how many fliers were created for distribution. Under FPPC regulations, mass-produced advertisements are often regulated when created in numbers of 200 or greater.
XPosted 4/13/2008 10:48 AM PDT on MyDesert.com in blog of BluePalmSpringsBoyz
The campaign Director for the Manual Perez, Democratic candidate for the CA 80th Assembly District seat to replace the termed-out, thank God, Bonnie Garcia, stood in front of the monthly meeting of the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club (DSD) and had the temerity to mislead the 45 or so members and friends of the club about Perez’ stated positions on LGBT issues, particularly Marriage Equality.
Yesterday, April 12, 2008, the DSD under the chair of George Zander, conducted its monthly meeting at the Desert Pride Center from 10:20 a.m. until approximately 12:00 noon. During the course of the meeting, candidates and their representatives discussed the progress and status of their respective campaigns. Amalia Deaztlan, campaign director for Perez, spoke eloquently about Perez’ campaign until she claimed that Perez supported Marriage Equality. Sources from DSD and the Pettis campaign inform this writer that the group erupted in incredulous comments.
As stated previously in this blog, Perez has had a number of occasions to speak publically on Marriage Equality and other campaign issues before the Coachella Valley Democratic Clubs and each time has refused to state that he will vote ‘Yea’ on the State Assembly Marriage Equality Bill. On other occasions, for instance at the Sun City Democratic Club meeting and elsewhere, Perez has stated that he is not part of ‘the Alternative Life-style,’ thus pandering to those whom he sees as anti-gay and anti-Greg Pettis, the leading Democratic candidate for the 80th AD and an openly-gay Cathedral City Councilman who clearly and unequivocably supports Marriage Equality and will vote ‘yea.’
More below the flip…
Pettis spoke to DSD about his full support for and plans to vote on the floor of the State Assembly for Marriage Equality, protection of students’ rights in the schools when faced with discrimination and hate speech based on their sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation, same-sex adoptions, domestic partnership in the face of inability to marry, and other LGBT issues. Pettis drew clear distinctions between his clearly stated positions and planned votes and Perez’ equivocations and non-specificity regarding his voting intentions.
DSD members registered their disbelief during and following the presentations (e.g., GZ, RS, BCG, GP, RO, TT, et al.). Perhaps the campaign director ought to check with the candidate on how wide his stance is on LGBT issues rather than making assumptions based on her own clear support for LGBT issues.
Perez’ lack of support on LGBT issues forms the basis for the fact that not a single Democratic Club in the 80th Assembly District has endorsed for State Assembly, while Pettis enjoys the endorsements of the Desert Stonewall Democrats, the Palm Springs Democratic Club, the Pass Democratic Club, the Inland Empire Stonewall Democratic Club, the San Diego Democratic Club, Desert Hot Springs Democratic Club President Will Pieper, Desert Hot Springs Democratic Club co-founder Chuck McDaniel, Palm Springs Democratic Club co-founder Lisa Arbalaez, Palm Springs Democratic Club former Co-chair Robert Lee Thomas, Pass Democratic Club President Jacqueline Atwood, and Sun City Democratic Club President Arnie Kaminsky. In addition, the Victory Fund, the Nation’s largest LBGT Political Action Committee, endorsed Pettis for Assembly.
Pettis also has the support and/or endorsements of most of the LGBT community leaders and activists while Perez has little to no support in the community. Supporters and/or endorsers of Pettis in the LGBT community include U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, State Assemblyman Mark Leno, State Assemblywoman Carole Migden, Cathedral City Councilman and Candidate for Mayor of Cathedral City Paul Marchand, Desert Hot Springs City Councilman Karl Baker, Palm Springs City Councilwoman Ginny Foat, and Palm Springs City Councilman Rick Hutcheson. Not a single LGBT current elected has announced support for or endorsed Perez for Assembly.
LGBT community activists supporing Pettis include Palm Springs Democratic Club Co-Chair Sandy Eldridge, Palm Springs Democratic Club Co-Chair David Pye, DSD Treasurer Bob Silverman, DSD Steering Committee Member Donald W. Grimm, Ph.D., DSD Steering Committee Member, Richard Oberhaus, DSD Steering Committee Member Lyn Worley, LGBT Community Activist Bill Cain-Gonzalez, LGBT Community Activist and Blogger Bond Shands, and LGBT Community Activist Steven M. Smith. Very few if any LGBT community activists have announced support or endorsements of Perez.
Other Democratic leaders who fully support the LGBT community and who endorsed Pettis include Califorrnia Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi, California State Controller John Chiang, former-State Controller Steve Westley, State Board of Equalitzation Boardmember Judy Chu, State Senate President Pro-tem Don Perata, State Senator Christine Kehoe, State Senator Sheila Kuehl, State Senator Darrell Steinberg, State Assemblyman Mike Eng, State Assemblyman John Laird, State Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, State Assemblyman Ted Lieu, former-State Assemblyman Paul Koretz, former-State Assemblyman Fran Pavley, former 80th Assembly District Candidate Mary Ann Andreas, Riverside Mayor Ronald Loveridge, Riverside City Councilwoman Nancy Hart, West Hollywood Mayor John Duran, West Hollywood Mayor Pro-tem John Heilman, former Coachella Mayor Juan DeLara, former Brawley Mayor Orbie Hanks, El Centro City Councilwoman Sedalia Hanks, El Centro School Board Trustee Diana Newton, and Palm Springs School Board Trustee Meredy Schoenberger.
Pettis enjoys widespread support in the LGBT and LGBT-friendly communities because of his clearly stated positions and his commitment to vote ‘yea’ on Marriage Equality. Perez equivocates and has never stated in a public forum that he supports Marriage Equality and will vote ‘yea’ on the measure when it again hits the State Assembly floor for a vote.
LGBT community members and activists know equivocation when they see it. LGBT members also know not to trust someone who does not fully commit to the issues in advance, knowing betrayal is not a pretty face to behold. Ask Perez tomorrow on the Calitics podcast why he will not commit in public to vote ‘yea’ on Marriage Equality.
LGBT Californians and our supporters cannot afford Perez’ equivocations on Marriage Equality and other LGBT issues.
Based on a Post 4/11/2008 6:02 PM PDT on MyDesert.com in BluePalmSpringsBoyz blog
My first exposure to Statistics was in undergraduate school. One of our textbooks was Huff’s “How to Lie With Statistics.” (Before you question my Statistical knowledge, I also had two semesters, six credits, of Statistics in my Master’s program, and another two semesters, six credits, of same in my doctoral program.) Oh, the perils of using statistics in either a naive manner or purposefully misrepresenting these little guys. Seems that bethcaskie, aka soyinkafan, the former a new blogger to mydesert.com has intimate knowledge of this text and put it to good use in her first posting re the Binder Poll recently released. Shame on bethcaskie for her misleading blog title and for the loose interpretation of the Binder Poll.
Bethcaskie entitled her piece, dramatically claiming that Manuel Perez, Vice-President of the failed Coachella Valley Unified School District board and Democratic candidate for the CA 80th Assembly District, leads in the Binder polling. Then she articulated that Perez and Greg Pettis, Cathedral City Councilman, were actually tied in the poll! How then is Perez ahead? This is a shameful misrepresentation of the facts.
More below the flip…
According to Pettis campaign officials, the actual Binder Poll shows Pettis ahead of his nearest Democratic challenger by 7 percentage points amongst likely primary and general election voters. Is this the same poll that bethcaskie referenced? Seems a little askew. In the Pettis campaign press release, Petts has 22 percent of the total vote and his nearest Democratic challenger has only 15 percent. Supposing that it is Perez with the 15 percent, and this is a hasty assumption since I do not have access to the polling date, this is hardly either a statistical tie or a manifestation of Perez leading in the poll, even should he be the second-place finisher.
Then, bethcaskie claimed that with ‘education’ the voters dutifully voted for Perez’ candidacy to the detriment of Pettis’. Just what ‘education’ meant, bethcaskie failed to enunciate. Given the failures of Perez as Vice-President of the Coachella Valley Unified School District as board Vice-President, the threatened State sanctions due to CVUSD’s failure to meet the requirements of ‘No Child Left Behind,’ and the State placing CVUSD under trusteeship under Perez’ leadership, the Perez campaign is hardly the Great Decider in determining what ‘education’ might be.
Not a very clear argument for Perez being ahead in the polls since Pettis is clearly ahead in the poll amongst likely primary and general election voters, ahead of each of his Democratic rivals, and ahead of the presumptive Republican nominee, Gary Jeandron, another failed leader of another school district threatened with sanctions. (Pettis leads Jeandron 41% – 39% amongst these likely voters in the Binder poll, according to the Pettis campaign staffer.)
How to Lie with Statistics? Ask the Perez campaign.
In a brilliant parliamentary maneuver, the Victor Manuel Perez for CA 80th Assembly District campaign to replace the termed out, thank God, Bonnie Garcia (R-CA), the Perez forces by one vote were able to keep Greg Pettis, Mayor Pro-Tem of Cathedral City, from retaining the California Democratic Party endorsement for Assembly. (Perez is Vice-President of the failed school board in the Coachella Valley Unified School District.) However, the short-term battle victory may possibly cost the Democrats not only the 80th in the November general election, but also cost them the majority that they need to ignore the demands of the recalictrant minority Republicans in the Assembly.
A major factor developing in the campaign and one of which I have been consistently blogging on mydesert.com, the online edition of The Desert Sun, is the fact that Gary Jeandron, presumptive Republican candidate for the 80th AD is a boardmember of the Palm Springs Unified School District (PSUSD). Recently, the State of California Board of Education threatened actions and/or sanctions against 97 school boards across the state that failed to meet state academic goals and the requirements of the Federally unfunded ‘No Child Left Behind.’ As a result, California threatened sanctions against the PSUSD and the board for the academic failures in the District. Jeandron, as boardmember, and running for the 80th cites his education background and experience as instrumental to his qualifications for the office. However, the threatened sanctions are a major demerit and campaign issue.
This is relevant to Perez as he is Vice-President of the failed CVUSD board which according to the State, had more problems than any other school district in California this year.
More below the flip…
The state actions against the CVUSD and its board are much more severe as their failures were more significant. The CVUSD District was threatened with state takeover but the state action only involved installation of a trustee to oversee and possibly veto any District and/or board action (State assigns trustee to CVUSD to improve test scores):
“Coachella Valley Unified School District will get a trustee and a state-approved team of independent experts to help improve student test scores, state board members decided this afternoon.
The state board named Riverside County Superintendent Kenneth Young as the district’s trustee, which will give him veto powers over superintendent and board decisions.
But Young said he will work collaboratively with the district.”
The CVUSD was the ONLY district to receive trustee oversight. Perez as V-P and long-term boardmember bears major responsibility for the failures of the District, its teachers, and its students. That the CVUSD is suffering such consequences for the academic failures not only raises the question of Perez’ qualifications for Assembly, especially in the area of education, but also blunts the criticism of Jeandron.
If Democrats in the 80th Assembly District choose Perez as the candidate, one of the major issues in the campaign against Jeandron is either removed from the table due to mutual assured destruction on this issue or becomes even more of an issue given the CVUSD is the only District in the state that was assigned a trustee.
Having a ‘well-spoken’ or ‘charismatic’ candidate will not soften the damage to the local Democratic campaign to re-take this seat in November 2008. Style will not win where substance can win. Greg Pettis, Mayor Pro-tem of Cathedral City, unlike Perez and Jeandron, is untainted by the failures of the CVUSD and PSUSD school boards and Districts. In addition, Pettis has the endorsements of State Assemblyman Mike Eng (D-49), Member California State Assembly Committee on Education, El Centro School Board Trustee Diana Newton, and Palm Springs Unified School Board Trustee Meredy Schoenberger.