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OpenCdA’s post dated October 27, 2013, and titled Really? questioned whether either The Coeur Group or the NIC Republicans had “wholeheartedly endorsed Steve Widmyer for mayor” as stated in a letter to the editor by John Barlow of Coeur d’Alene and published in the Coeur d’Alene Press .

Here is the reply OpenCdA received today from Luke Kilcup, whose email identifies him as the Chairman of the North Idaho College Republicans and the State Treasurer of the Idaho Federation of College Republicans. (more…)

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[ “Bang n’ Burn in ‘Bama, Baby!”

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Former Republican Congressman Richard G. Renzi of Arizona has been sentenced to three years in federal prison.  Renzi was found guilty of 17 felony offenses including conspiracy, honest services wire fraud, extortion under color of official right, racketeering, money laundering and making false statements to insurance regulators.

This press release issued by the US Attorney for the District of Arizona is dated today, however it is clearly a press release issued earlier announcing Renzi’s conviction but before sentencing today.  Still, it provides some details about how a very corrupt US Congressman abused his position to both commit the crimes and avoid prosecution.  Here is the FBI’s press release on today’s sentencing.

Here is the Los Angeles Times story reporting on Renzi’s sentencing.

OpenCdA envies Arizonans with a US Attorney who doesn’t turn a blind eye to the corruption of public officials regardless of their party, their position,  or their political connections.

There was an interesting letter from John Barlow of Coeur d’Alene in the Sunday, October 27, 2013, Coeur d’Alene Press.  He was endorsing Steve Widmyer for Mayor, and his endorsement letter included this sentence:

“Every organization that has interviewed all the candidates so far has wholeheartedly endorsed Steve Widmyer for mayor”

Really?  Barlow’s letter was clearly limited to the mayoral candidates, and all the mayoral candidates were interviewed at both The Coeur Group Forum on October 2 and the North Idaho College Republicans forum on October 14.  OpenCdA was not aware either of those organizations had endorsed Steve Widmyer.   We would appreciate it if someone could provide OpenCdA with copies of those organizations’ letters or statements of endorsement.

OpenCdA wonders if letter writer John Barlow is the President of Hagadone Real Estate Holding Co. identified on the Hagadone Corporation website.  According to the Secretary of State’s voter information webpage, there are two persons named John Barlow registered to vote in CdA City elections.  One lives on E. Fernan Hill Road and the other lives on 22nd Street.  The letter to the editor does not indicate which, if either, was the letter writer.  

According to this morning’s skewspaper article written by Coeur d’Alene Press staff writer Jeff Selle, City Attorney Mike Gridley (shown left) will have to decide whether to recommend that the City Council authorize appealing the Dixon decision to the US Supreme Court.   Gridley must first review the Ninth Circuit’s decision and judgement to determine if there is any legal basis for an appeal.  Maybe he’ll use some CdA Vision 2030 pixie dust for inspiration.

Suppose the City decides not to appeal, or the Supremes deny certiorari if the City seeks the writ, or the City loses in the Fantasyland-on-the-Potomac Court of Last Resort.  In any of those eventualities, the City (taxpayers) will be paying.

In its post on February 25, 2012, and then in the update post on March 10, 2012, OpenCdA explained and commented on the process the City government will use to pay for its incompetence with money from our pockets.

Although the Dixon case involved the Police Department, it is symptomatic of a failure of City administration from the top down.  We’ve had a Mayor and some City Council members who have chosen to blindly trust administrators and department heads who, in some cases, were hired or retained more for their political fealty than for their professional competence.

We are likely stuck with paying out millions of dollars because of professional incompetence leading to bad decisions by several members of the Mullan Avenue Gang and its wannabe’s on Schreiber Way.   And that may be the good news.

The bad news is OpenCdA fears that the Dixon federal lawsuit may lead to more lawsuits.   A lot of very good, very capable, very honest City employees have been harangued, harassed, and held back by the go-along-to-get-along gang that caters to the wine-and-cheese tasting  party crowd who excel at spending other people’s money.  Dixon was smart to engage very capable legal counsel to file his lawsuit in federal court.   There may be more.

(You can enlarge the cartoon to the left by mouseclicking on it.)

The cartoon at the left was an unsigned editorial cartoon which appeared in a paid advertisement for Coeur d’Alene mayoral candidate Mary Souza.  In four panels, it conveys its message in powerful visual images and comparatively few words.

There have been many good editorial cartoonists, but one of the most visually eloquent is Milt Priggee.

In May 2013 OpenCdA contacted Mr. Priggee and received permission to use one of his archived editorial cartoons in our post concerning Coeur d’Alene’s McEuen Park parking garage.  Although Mr. Priggee’s cartoon was done in 2003 and focused on the Cowles media in Spokane, its editorial commentary transcended both time and place.   His cartoon then about Spokane would be appropriate in Coeur d’Alene today where a second serpent with a different name would be added to “protect” the gravestone.

OpenCdA is impressed with the work of the unidentified cartoonist who did the unsigned cartoons for the Mary for Mayor campaign.

Are you influenced by the work of the many editorial cartoonists?  What influences you most about their works?

In a press release just issued, Hayden attorney Larry Beck announced that  on October 24, 2013, the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the $3.2 Million Dollar judgment that was entered against the City of Coeur d’Alene for the wrongful termination of Dan Dixon, a former lieutenant and seventeen year career officer in the City’s police department. Prior to the judgment, a local federal court jury returned a unanimous jury verdict of $3.7 Million Dollars in favor of the Dixons and against the City of Coeur d’Alene, which later was amended to $3.2 Million Dollars. In its Memorandum Decision, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the jury verdict and the Amended Judgment entered in this matter by the Idaho Federal District Court.