Much ado Glendora political mischief
Roiled..er..not really. Unless of course you read the breathless prose of this LA Times story today.
"The 18-year-olds, Keleigh Marshall and Christina Giammalva, set out the night of Feb. 19 to engage in some mischief by putting stickers on the political signs of Glendora elected leaders. The stickers read, "This sign violates Glendora city ordinance," a reference to Glendora's law prohibiting campaign signs on public property.
Notwithstanding that law and an accompanying set of rules that regulate the placement of campaign material, the same council members who passed the regulations appeared to be violating them — and thus the protest by Marshall and Giammalva."
Notwithstanding that it's only later that you find out that Marshall is the daughter of a former council member, this reporter obviously accepted that the teens were just "protesting" the signs placement not the candidates themselves. Remember, when John Harrold, Paul Marshall and Richard Jacobs were recalled, Clifford was one of the people who replaced them and was supported by the group that was behind the recall effort.
We did a short story on the arrest, and after looking further into it decided it was a type of story that is blown out of proportion before it's near an election. There are many unanswerable questions and possible motivations. Politics as usual indeed.
Updated: put some added details in. Because we have a dumb pay wall for archives, I pasted two stories after the jump that gives some additional informatin on the recall, and other possible explanations for the "protest." Notice the attorney's name as well.
America's Newspapers
Paper: San Gabriel Valley Tribune (West Covina, CA)
Title: Election sets stage for Glendora's future
Date: April 10, 2002
GLENDORA -- In a historic night, three new leaders replaced recalled Mayor John Harrold and councilmen Richard Jacobs and Paul "Sonny" Marshall, capping months of debate over the future of the city.
Gary Clifford, Cliff Hamlow and Ken Herman, elected by close votes in the March 5 recall, were formally sworn in.
Herman told the packed audience the days of divisiveness in Glendora are over.
"We don't recognize north Glendora or south Glendora ... we recognize you, the people."
Councilman Marshall Mouw was voted mayor and Councilman Mike Conway mayor pro tem.
The mayoral position eluded Mouw ever since he was elected to the council 11 years ago.
"He is a man with a unique, historical perspective on Glendora. It's my privilege to name Marshall Mouw as mayor," Conway said.
While the choice of Mouw and Conway might appear to be rehearsed to their critics, Herman said they were the logical choices.
"You have three new guys on the block and one with one year's experience and one with 11 years experience. What else would you expect?"
In a narrow election, Glendora voters agreed Harrold, Jacobs and Marshall abused their powers as charged by a political action group.
Harrold lost by 212 votes, Jacobs by 429 votes and Marshall by 72 votes.
In parting shots Tuesday evening, Marshall said he may contest the race based on an expected report to be filed with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
The Registrar expects next week to submit the findings about voting discrepancies throughout the county on March 5.
Noting another election would begin in eight months, Marshall vowed he'd return if the new council interfered with several policies put into place by the outgoing men.
Those policies include street repairs, turning the newly proposed San Jose Park into a development, protecting the foothills and curbing council stipends.
"If the stipends are reversed, I'd have a problem," Marshall said.
Hamlow took issue with Marshall's words.
"I'm an independent member of this council who won't allow an agenda set by a previous council to (determine my decisions). I will look to the citizens for directions," he said.
Harrold said he promised Glendorans that no decisions he made as a councilman would be so negligent that they would cause a lawsuit.
"And I kept my word," he said.
When Harrold was on the council, he couldn't reveal the reasoning behind some of his decisions. As a private citizen, he said he would be talking about them.
Jacobs was not at the final council meeting because of a trip to Spain.
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Paper: San Gabriel Valley Tribune (West Covina, CA)
Title: 4 candidates in recall election report finances
Date: February 6, 2002
GLENDORA -- Of the four candidates running for City Council in the March 5 recall election, the dark-horse posted the largest war chest.
That's likely because Eugene Osko has to finance his own campaign, unlike the other three backed by a political action group with $127,000 in its bank account as of Jan. 19.
Glendora Citizens for Responsible Government want Mayor John Harrold and councilmen Richard Jacobs and Paul Marshall out of office.
They are backing Gary Clifford, Cliff Hamlow and Ken Herman.
Clifford, vice president of sales and marketing for Warner Media Services and adjunct professor of business and management at Azusa Pacific University, and Osko want Richard Jacobs' seat should the three-year councilman be recalled.
Clifford, 42, reported $297 in cash and no expenses.
Between Jan. 2 and 19, 2002, the contribution window opened for Osko, 60, but it was the retired judge himself who infused his campaign with a $3,955 contribution. He reports $2,500 spent on advertisement, a candidate filing fee and signs, leaving a cash balance of nearly $1,500.
Hamlow, 67, an educator with APU, is a candidate to succeed Paul Marshall should he be recalled. Marshall was elected in March 2001. Hamlow reports $2,155 in financial contributions until Jan. 19. Of that amount, $655 represents contributions under $100. His largest financial supporter is out-of-towner Thomas Nelson, a Ventura stockbroker who contributed $1,000. Four other Glendora donors made up the remaining contributions.
Hamlow's reported expense was $550 for a candidate filing fee.
Ken Herman, 55, who wants to grab the gavel from Harrold if he is recalled, shows a negative campaign balance of $139. The municipal finance banker with Bank of America loaned himself $600 through Jan. 19, 2002. He reports a $550 filing fee and nearly $200 in stationery supplies, postage and fliers.
Harrold's term expires March 2003.
Those wanting the trio removed said they abused their powers. But, the men say they were within their legal rights to replace the interim city attorney with a permanent one, ask all 45 city volunteers to reapply for their unexpired seats on commission, boards and committees and fire the city manager and replace him with an interim manager.
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