Morris official's emails: Why it matters
We're already hearing the familiar refrain: What's the big deal? It's just an email!
Objectively, NO, it is not just an email, and yes, it matters. There is a reason that we so obsessively guard the rules preventing those in political power from parlaying that power, and those public resources, into additional political and electoral powers.
What we had here was an official at the highest echelons of local government, using on at least one occasion the status, infrastructure and networks of that power in an effort to win elected office in a nearby city ("I want your vote"). This wasn't just a "personal email on public time," which would may have been a problem but not worthy of reporter scrutiny. This was a political email, a power email, the likes of which the architects of our democratic systems in this state have created a web of rules to prevent.
In this context, this is a story that mattered, very much.
Comments
Well, alrighty then!
Gracious.
Here I thought the article said it was a line inserted in an e-mail about something else. More as an afterthought ~ and clearly not carefully thought at that.
Susana
Posted by: Susana Atanasova | October 6, 2007 7:51 PM
Again, if you're thinking about whether it was deliberate or an afterthought, you're missing the point completely.
Elected public power + campaigning efforts with direct aid of public power and resources = weakening of free and open democratic institutions and tightening of grips on rule.
We don't want to overstate THIS particular incident, but one must understand the political and historical context of classic U.S. representative government to grasp why this story was, in fact, a story.
I suspect not everyone does, at least not right off the bat. Hopefully, this concise explanation helps.
Posted by: Robert Rogers | October 7, 2007 3:55 PM
Robert,
For me, what you said went without saying. The first time I read about this the whole cloud of nuances floated up to surround the situation, life experiences that tint the colorings of every reader's perspective.
My bent is to emphasis that she was nothing more than a private citizen when she made the faux pas (or, should that be gaff?).
To be most crystal clear: Were Julie to have so much as pulled her first papers, though they not have even the first signature collected, my tone would NOT be the same.
As it is, well, gracious, at when early stage in the process does one cease being a person sending feelers out and become a candidate seeking an electorate?
I would argue that Julie was sending feelers out, not having entered the realm of candidacy, yet.
In closing, this would be a completely different matter were Julie campaigning for, or against, any candidate in San Bernardino.
Thankful Mayor Morris' office is pristine in that regard.
I wonder if the same can be said of the SBNow Blog posts from Jim Penman, between 8 & 5, last week?
You made mention of your editors quashing Penman's desire to rant hypocritically, but have not, as yet, addressed this point, which seems of the utmost interest to me.
One of Your Appreciative Participants & Readers,
Susana Atanasova
Posted by: Susana Atanasova | October 7, 2007 10:12 PM
Robert,
What is a timely matter to me, upon receipt of this weekend's USPS mail, is confirmation as to the forthcoming SUN endorsements. Will former SUN Reader's Advisory Board Member, (as I have heard it told, self-appointed now to), Editorial Board member and my replacement on Police Commission, currently serving as Chair, the lovely Mr. Oscar Gonzalez, published in yesterday's Penman mailer going to recuse himself from the deliberations and dialogue regarding the candidates, or, will the SUN allow this election's endorsements to be determined, at least in part, by an Editorial Board member published as endorsing Penman, thereby precluding any apparent unbiased and objective deliberations toward at least the candidates in the race for city attorney?
I await your response.
Cordially,
Susana Atanasova
Posted by: Susana Atanasova | October 7, 2007 10:19 PM
Mr. Gonzalez has recused himself from the newspaper's endorsement process for all city races.
Posted by: Steve Lambert | October 8, 2007 10:45 AM
Why did Oscar Gonzalez replace Susana Atanasova? Could it be her brush with law enforcement in Florida? I hope the city got her badge back when she got booted from Police Commissioner.
Posted by: Mrs. ebirdie | October 9, 2007 11:11 AM
Newly Mrs. S. F.O,
Not only have I NEVER ONCE had so much as even a passing glance blow from law enforcement, SBPD or otherwise, I was TRANSFERRED to Human Relations Commission, where I served WITH HONOR as one of the FEW DOUBLE COMMISSIONERS in this city.
Some typical backhand attempt this one turned out to be ~
Posted by: Susana Atanasova | October 10, 2007 3:43 AM
At age 47, I can honestly say, it has been my honor to consistently and continually served law enforcement since the 1970's.
It was my honor to be one of our nation's first C.O.P. Block Captains, (Santa Ana, CA, Area C), in the 1980's.
It was my honor to orchestrate San Bernardino's first citywide crime awareness & prevention meeting to the benefit of a target 4,500 member audience group, with SBPD CSO Greg Wisdom as presenter at Eagle's Aire, in the 1990's.
It was my honor to be appointed to serve San Bernardino as Police Commissioner ~ and an even greater honor to be nominated to serve as Chair of San Bernardino Police Commission by former SBPD Chief B. G. in the new millennium. I served with honor on SB Police Commission attentively from August 2002 until Inaugural Gala 2006, where long-time neighbor and fellow local community betterment volunteer, entering second ward city councilman Dennis J. Baxter announced to the overflow & television audiences that I would not only be transferring to Human Relations Commission, but I would also be serving on a second simultaneous commission.
Those familiar, as you yourself became after seeking – and obtaining – my assistance in filing a complaint before the commission, know I was also appointed to Fine Arts Commission, where I continue to serve after my exceptionally honorable distinction of service as a dual commissioner, in addition to my many other community positions.
As I went on the record during my televised Fine Arts Commission appointment saying, “I have NO criminal record”. A simple review of the tape will reveal that the many SBPD officers present at that meeting burst out laughing at the mere mention of that from me ~ we all knew it was being said for the benefit of a certain “bird brain” and her mean spirited venomous spewings contaminating an otherwise idyllic neighborhood environ, just as public records indicate you have a long and demented history of doing. It is no wonder you now resort to blathering online anonymously: you have burned your bridges everywhere you’ve been. Your only child refuses to live in the same city as you, much less visit. There is not a neighborhood you have lived in that doesn’t have restraining orders initiated by you to rue the day you ever darkened the block. The neighbors got along fine in these places before your arrival and they get along fine after your inevitable departure ~ these are not the only constants among them: There is also the constant of your arrival serving as the commencement of “bad times in the neighborhood”, and your departure serving as the return of “good times in the neighborhood”. Need I go on?
It is true that I devoted an inordinate amount of time, energy and resources toward your request that I “restructure” your fledgling group in a good faith effort toward local community betterment. But, did you heed ANY of my repeated recommendations you align with any established San Bernardino group of your preference, be that Neighborhood Watch, Neighborhood Cluster Association, or another? No.
Did you obtain insurance for the group? No.
Did you adopt bylaws? No.
Did you agree to let the people freely vote for the officers that would lead the group, instead of imposing upon them like Pinochet-Comes-To-America? No.
I donated the professional metal spinning bin for your fundraisers. Have you ever once given an accounting, provided a running treasurer’s report? No.
When another good-hearted member of the community took the first steps toward what could have been a major plus for the area, did you comply with the daily, earnestly supplicated pleas that you, FINALLY, stop playing at this and formalize the function? No. There went that excellent idea from a community-minded soul trying to make a difference in our central city area. Do you know how many little children were looking forward to participating in that event? On their behalf: Thanks for nothing. We may yet have a Bike-A-Thon, but thanks to your idiocy, we failed to achieve that this July.
When the web you were weaving grew to entangle not only me, but your pleadings that I contact my associates at your behest to inform them that The City had commanded our presence, when in reality they had not ~ Yes Dear, I checked and found you out. ~ And though we say nothing to you, we all KNOW ~ and have known since last Spring. Well, enough was enough! I’d already given you fair warning: I still have archived copies of my 30 day notice to you that I could no longer volunteer to “help you get restructured” if you were not going to abide by established protocol, if needed. So, I went about getting my life back to normal.
Me being too polite to excuse myself to visit the powder room, your all night telephone marathon sessions, always with urgent-urgent-urgent tones eventually caused me to require an emergency room visit. Thanks for the UTI! How were you publishing a newsletter prior to my arrival? Never mind, I don’t want to invite more from you with an inquiry!
Just let it be known, for the record, for MANY YEARS now, I have been – and continue to be - an unpaid EMPLOYEE of the San Bernardino County Probation Department, AFTER having my background arduously checked for 6+ months, as well as my fingerprints laser scanned and checked against national databases for the same period of time.
Again, I reiterate, my pathetic bird-brained twit of a psycho crusader always “heading out to paint out graffiti”, yet never opening a can ~ only opening your outstretched hand for handouts and your mouth to spread discord and discontent everywhere you go: THERE WAS _NO_ “BRUSH WITH THE LAW IN FLORIDA” ~ I drop the gauntlet here & now and challenge you ~ I defy you ~ to bring forth so much as a parking ticket served on my in Florida! GO FOR IT. Better yet, GO THERE FOR IT, and leave us alone to our genuinely good works here. You’ll never find a shred against me BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING TO FIND. Unlike you, with your schemes and plots, devising ways to get one person you feel has influence – BUT DOESN’T KNOW YOU FROM ADAM, or CARE to, to believe another similar person has regard for you in some endless shell game of where’s a friend of influence for me to latch on to, some of us are dedicatedly DOING GOOD. We don’t preface a person’s name by their social circle attributes, impersonalizing them to the rank of badges in your pathetic quest to “arrive”. Dear, you are here. You have arrived. This is it for you. You, rightly and by MANY, have been found LACKING.
No Dear, I did NOT have ANY “brush with the law in Florida”.
In diametric opposition to YOUR household, where every waking moment is chaotic and the IRS duns with seemingly endless interviews and appointments ~ and the frail voices of the elderly are heard being always ignored over the message machines, “J***y, please call me ~ I’m worried about the money….” Day in and day out… And the daily routine is disrupted at the drop of a hat after an “Oh, sure! We’ve had that entity in Nevada for YEARS…” necessitates a rush road trip to Vegas to set it all up on the PDQ… And every conversation is laced with, “We can pay you in cash… we pay Marce**a cash to do it ~ get your CHILD to do it for cash… YOU do it for cash…it’s just calling people on the phone – J***y will come in to close the deals” What the heck kind of scams are you people running? Wait! Remember? I don’t want to invite more from you with an inquiry! BUT, I will make inquiries as to the BUSINESS LICENSE at your address, since you conduct and solicit business from there around the clock. As a matter of fact, I’ll ask your NEIGHBORS to handle it for me, as I have more productive pursuits to occupy my time.
Why don’t you go back to the backyard and resume flinging dead rat carcasses back & forth over the back wall ~ and videotaping the brown-tinted water draining from the neighbors’ flower boxes – Yeah, major conspiracy there – fertilizer water draining from a flower pot ~ but in your psycho world, it’s “video-worthy”.
You know, before I even slaved over the hot stove, turning the ingredients I supplied into those 500 crepes for “your” last breakfast I attended, my family had begun ever more emphatically dissuading me from associating with you two because of how bizarre the whole situation had become. I mean, come on, who drives over drunk to stand at a person’s locked gate in the middle of the night besides you two? In all my years of helping the public, never, not ONCE has such a thing occurred except by you two ~ and, as you posted, my information IS public record, and has been for YEARS. But hey, what does it matter right? You’re used to descending upon a neighborhood, bringing discord and departing ~ YOUR record substantiates that!
But, let’s not forget ol’ J***y ~ what must it be like to have to live in central San Bernardino, south of Highland Avenue when you’ve got a home in East Highlands Ranch, eh? I guess now you know, THAT’S what happens when you pull out a pistol and start shooting because you don’t like that the neighbors have motorcycles. You DO remember telling that tale, don’t you? Or, were you drunk, again? Remember, I’m not inviting more with an inquiry.
You’re a real piece of work. But, at least I can say I was duped with the VERY BEST of them ~ you had us ALL going for a few short months there… Dropping these names, begging for those e-mails – to my credit, I never gave you ANYONE’S e-mail, phone number, or anything else… beg endlessly though you did! You have your scam down pat after so many years of practicing it! The intensity with which you descend and envelope a person’s otherwise wonderful life is a thing for True Crime Record Books!
I must say, I found it singularly odd that a couple so very intent on social climbing at any cost would balk and disparage the headdress ball the way you did when I suggested you might enjoy it ~ and forego attending over the cost of the tickets ~ and go to those “Sessions” things for the church ~ the church you ALWAYS refer to as the “M’s” church… that’s where red flags were raising for me because of the way you hold those “Session” people in such disdain and gleefully told me how you pretended to have forgotten your check book, and the ugly light you portray S.M. in ~ while waiting with abated breath at the mere mention of her popping by for some pedestrian purpose ~ and the way you talk about P.M. and little human turbine S.C. in hushed tones of reverence gasping, “She’s with the Symphony”… So? It was little things like that where my own red flags began to rise and I began to see what my children had seen all along: You’re Nuts!
You had a real chance. The City’s folks “in the know” know I bust my tail for any cause I believe in ~ and that, albeit erroneously, at one time I, like them, believed in your expressed (SHAM/SCAM/LIES) of an ideal ). The Truth prevails, in this and always.
Now, get back to tossing those rats back & forth over the neighbor’s back wall ~ it suits you!
And in closing know this:
You can keep the crepe pan I bought to prepare those 500 crepes over a hot stove with the supplies I furnished, while you sat on a stool, watching how it’s done 500 times “without getting it”, supposedly.
As my actions have proved since learning of your true self, last Spring, I want nothing to do with a toxic person like you.
Instead of obsessively trying to recapture my attention, try speaking with a professional about your serious issues.
The way you treat human beings is otherwise inexplicable. The way you treat the civic leaders you manipulated into focuses of excessive time in your direction were unpardonable. The way you waste away your life hunting, hunting, hunting for elusive flaws in others only serves to expose the flaws in your self.
Get help. You need it.
OH! And enough with the unwelcome and unwanted monster topiary you "surprised" us with, then, proceeded to plant in our front yard. GRACIOUS! Learn some boundaries!
Posted by: Susana Atanasova | October 10, 2007 7:36 PM
Susana, this blog is about City issues. It is not a place to vent against people you have problems with.
Posted by: LMBO | October 10, 2007 9:15 PM
It has been a number of years since I first encountered Ms. Atanasova. Very long years. I believe this may shed a little more light on her behavior:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspergers_syndrome
I happen to know that she was not TRANFERRED to Human Relations. She was told she was in an attempt to spare her feelings. In fact, there were so many complaints that Councilman Baxter simply had no choice. Her concurrent appointment to Fine Arts was an attempt to "water her down". She's a loose canon.
Posted by: ICD9 | October 10, 2007 9:27 PM
Wake up!
Mine is the voice throughout this blog pleading for your various aliases to embark upon the stated focus: political discourse.
And, though that be the intent and my reason for visiting here, I will NOT allow my name and reputation to be disparaged with the baseless innuendo and smear tactics of neurotics, like your obsession with my every waking moment, "investigating" me and my real estate holdings, slinging mud you claim as that of public officials ANYONE reading this blog can FREELY pick up a phone and call to seek verification for ~ and your self-admitted "many long years" of stalking me seems to indicate the ICD9 would indicate as the proper diagnosis for you.
Readers will note: The ONLY areas of this blog found to be off-topic are those where you pop in, drop your load under cover of anonymity and flee, only to reappear moments later, under another alias, to submit posts irrelevant of the issues and personally attacking me.
Readers will also note: Though I take the time to meticulously reply to your every red herring, so that my name not be mistaken as sullied by any reader not knowing me, you, when proven to be 100% WRONG in every instance, fail to apologize for the mistruths you spill against me.
Or, let me guess, you wish it believed that the sprinkling of your filth in here is purely by coincidence all time-stamped similarly, right?
Not a chance. Like you said, your baseless hatred has long been brewing ~ your ways are long since familiar by now.
A look at ALL the areas of SBNow where your off-topic maniacle rantings are absent will reveal political discourse taking place, in a generally polite and civil tone among bloggers with different points of view. The only obstacle to the purity of this blog remains: your personal vendetta against me, proven to persist despite your dogged attempts at finding even ONE shred of ANYTHING factually negative to say against me.
And, besides that, were this blog to require the true names of all who write here, and only permit aliases for those posting items of political sensitivity, you would be out of here in a heartbeat.
Preferring to sulk back into the shadows than join us here in the light of day, where the freedom of honest living surrounds us ~ and where you seek to be the one dark spot spoiling an otherwise pristine canvas.
Posted by: Susana Atanasova | October 10, 2007 10:37 PM
Susana,
You got the wrong person....sounds like you have info to report re adult financial abuse committed by SFM and JM. Being civic minded, it seems it would way heavy on your heart.
Your call.
Posted by: Mrs. ebirdie | October 10, 2007 11:06 PM
Susana,
I'm not afriad to use my name, just wanted you to think I was SFM. Gotcha!Your rantings confirms ICD9. If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch.
Posted by: Mrs. ebirdie | October 10, 2007 11:16 PM
Well, this is absurd. You clearly have no interest in anything productive, so have at it ~ I, for one, have more productive pursuits that to banter with someone "not afraid to use my own name", using an alias.
IF you REALLY know me, you have my number, give me a call and we'll talk it out. GEEZ!
I'd truly like to see you doing something more useful with your life's time. I just know you would be the better for having done it.
Before dropping this, DO note: As always, I reported all observations of impropriety to the proper authorities, and have the archived copies of that "way" of keeping the many things I encounter when dealing with the public from being able to "weigh" on my heart.
And lastly, I've repeatedly stated, I have ZERO interest in "running with the big dogs", for me, my life is sincerely idyllic as-is. I hope you may sincerely say the same.
Posted by: Susana Atanasova | October 11, 2007 12:01 AM
Suggest you adjust your skirt, SA. Your paranoia is showing.
Posted by: no name please | October 11, 2007 6:23 AM
OMG, are you talking about those people that live in "Neverland"...ya know the house with all those topiaries? I can't stand them, they are always causing trouble for our neighborhood. Girrrrlllll,they are crazy! Susana how did you ever get hooked up with them? SHE IS VERY PUSHY and took over our neighborhood watch. He is creepy. The neighbors on our street won't have anything to do with them. At least I live down the street a few houses. I feel sorry for the neighbors right next to her and across the street. No she didn't throw a rat over the fence. OMG. I believe you though....they are capable of anything.
She wanted to plant a topiary in my yard and my husband said h*ll no. It looked like a giant pig or something. She has that 14 foot giraffe in her front yard. No seriosly she does. What is up with that fountain? Her husband or boyfriend or whatever he is, is scary. I knew there was something wrong with those people.
Tasha
Posted by: Tasha | October 11, 2007 1:16 PM
http://rottenneighbor.com/blog/
Look for the topiary picture.....maybe you should find one of these and "gift" HER! I'm willing to go in half on it.....let me know.
Tasha ;)
Posted by: Tasha | October 11, 2007 3:05 PM
Milligan should get one of these topiaries and send it to Morris for having her run against Penman. A big one for Pat and a little one for Jim Morris or vice a versa. At least everyone could have a big laugh. Milligan was way out of her league at last nights debate. Milligan went into the debate proudly wearing red as a symbol of POWER and exited the debate defenseless wearing red as a symbol of bloody DEFEAT. I bet if you passed the hat around the water dispencer at city hall you could easily come up with the funds needed to buy the lovely sculpture. Milligan is done........in Costa Mesa and San Bernardino. Perhaps in the entire state of California. Marianne, move east to Arizona and start studying for the Bar.
Posted by: Shelby Harrison | October 11, 2007 6:27 PM
Tasha,
I'd seen the photo at that link before ~ isn't it a real shame the lengths some people will go?
There is a monthly DMV NCA meeting held for the people in your neighborhood, if you seek community involvement. As I recall, it is held the evening of each month's first Tuesday. Last I knew, (I populate a Local Community Betterment booth at Perris Hill Certified Farmer's Market Night, every Tuesday, 6:00 - 9:30, April - October, so I've been out of that loop, which is fine by me), the venue was St. John's Episcopalian Church, on Arrowhead, just north of Baseline a few blocks, on the eastern side of the street. You may enjoy attending them. They are part of a city-wide 82 section grid established by Mrs. Freddie Spellacy. I am the immediate past president of DMV NCA here.
You may also wish to contact SBPD CSO Sharon Crawford, to establish a Neighborhood Watch in your area. That would be wonderful, and help the neighborhood get back on even ground ~ there was a Neighborhood Watch in place, before they disassociated from it, changed the names to SBWatchers, and started collecting money without keeping any real records.
It would really be nice were you to set up something along established protocol, aligning with a local group of your choosing! Uh-oh! I've slipped into my usual role... Sorry! Force of habit!
Back on topic:
Well, not having a prop, like Penman ~ yeah. That goes back to middle school public speaking lessons, "use visual aids". Too bad about that.
And, Marianne doesn't have Penman's 3rd strike, er, wife, Judi to raise a ruckus in the audience for her ~ yeah. That goes back to slick marketing 101, Clinton was infamous for it: It doesn't matter WHO does the supportive noises, just as long as they are captured for the audience to be impressed by. Too bad about that. Judging by the SUN coverage and endorsement, folks fell for it as planned.
Whatever.
As long as people vote their conscience, I'm happy.
People will reflect on our past and see: SAN BERNARDINO NEEDS MARIANNE MILLIGAN FOR CITY ATTORNEY
Posted by: Susana Atanasova | October 12, 2007 5:26 AM
You were there Susana. If you thought the props were fake they why didn't you go and check them out? They leaned up against the wall on the same side that you sat. There was nothing to hide. But no matter, if any bloggers need to know what the props said, just go to Dailypilot.com and type in marianne reger costa mesa and read till your heart's content. No pretend visual aids here. Just the hard facts about a woman who lied to us to get a better paying job at the taxpayer's expense. And by the way, Susana, you must understand slick marketing 101. Isn't that what YOU are doing on this blog? Folks didn't fall for anything. They just read the FACTS, not the rumors and lies your camp are still spreading. The truth will set you free, if you choose to believe it when you see it. But if you are hiding under that hat, then maybe it passes you by.
Posted by: proud wife and mother | October 13, 2007 5:43 PM
Proud wife and mother,
Please keep your facts straight--Susanna was not there at the attorney debates. I don't know where you saw her, must've been the day before, she was there then, but she was not there on Wed evening. How do I know? I know because I called her from city hall to find out if she was coming--she did not attend because of a sick child. Just wanted to clarify this point.
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