Why would City Attorney Mike Gridley go on the attack once again? His candidates won the election, albeit by tiny, embarrassing margins: 5 votes for one and only 29 votes for another. Hardly comfortable margins. Mike Gridley is rumored to be threatening legal action against a contributor to challenger Jim Brannon’s campaign for what Gridley says is a possible contribution violation.
Today’s editorial in the CdA Press encourages Attny Gridley and others at City Hall to stop the silly intimidation tactics and extend an offer of cooperation to bring energies together for the good of the community. I applaud that idea. You can read the whole editorial here.
The contributor at the center of this donation question is none other than Idaho State Senator Mike Jorgenson. Sen. Jorgenson had a newspaper ad created for Jim Brannon’s campaign. There may have been some technical wording or procedure left undone, or not. But for Attny Gridley to get so aggressive now, after the campaign is out of line, in my opinion.
Here’s the link to a segment of a different campaign document, posted publicly online by a supporter of incumbent candidate Mike Kennedy on 10/29/09. It has a violation! Mike’s treasurer is not listed! Will Attny Gridley be bringing legal action against his good buddy Kennedy? Click here to go to the site that linked to Kennedy’s flyer
And I’m told there was an online ad for incumbent Deanna Goodlander that also had a campaign violation because it did not carry the necessary disclaimers. Will the city bring charges against her?
The Press strongly suggested setting aside weapons and working together, and I agree. What do you think will happen?
Does anyone really believe that anything will change or even improve just because the incumbents succeeded in winning by a few paltry votes? Nope, it is business as usual at city hall. That means piling on any and all punishments possible upon those who dared deliver them to the precipice of an election defeat. Besides the Kennedy/Brannon race is not yet fully ended so absolutely bring on the petty assault dogs. Remember too that they have the NIC lawsuit facing them down. No doubt they’ll work to open up any can of whoop-arse they can dig out up the unruly’s in their midst. So keep the hip waders on t’il the next election cuz you’re gonna be walking in poo at least until then.
Comment by Wallypog — November 8, 2009 @ 9:59 am
They won. Spoils happen to victors and they are spoiled. Very sad.
Comment by Pariah — November 8, 2009 @ 2:52 pm
So, do you think Gridley’s strategy is to punish those who had the audacity to run against incumbents, or to intimidate the challengers who came so close to toppling the current regime at city hall?
Comment by mary — November 8, 2009 @ 6:21 pm
Both although you abuse the language by putting ‘strategy’ in the same sentence as ‘Gridley’.
Comment by Pariah — November 8, 2009 @ 7:19 pm
This is all so wrong. I would like to see the AG’s office take a look at Gary Ingram’s complaint and I would like to see more investigation into the alleged campaign violations by Kennedy and Goodlander.
Maybe Jorgensen can push for the answers?
But, if we all “work together” (public not invited) maybe Goodlander and Kennedy will admit their boo – boo’s? And, we can only hope that since the incumbents have been officially put in check by the challengers, maybe they (the incumbents who barely won) will learn how to ride a camel instead of a an Arabian – or something like that. 😉
The “strategy” is for all of this to settle and blow over.
Comment by Stebbijo — November 8, 2009 @ 7:37 pm
…and that flyer for Kennedy — HE’LL — is just god awful. Nobody writes a posessive like that anymore. The only flyer I received in the mail was the one that Woody sent out.
Comment by Stebbijo — November 8, 2009 @ 8:48 pm