Diane Harkey Recall?

The city bitter politics of Dana Point have taken a new turn, as reported yesterday by Martin Wisckol at Total Buzz:

At tonight's Dana Point City Council meeting, Jerry Grunor plans to announce the launch of  a recall drive against controversial Mayor Diane Harkey. He had also planned to serve Harkey with a "Notice of Intention to Circulate Recall Petition," but he says she caught wind of that and called in sick. So he'll be mailing that to her via certified mail.

 

Here's the text of Grunor's prepared speech.  And here's the "Notice of Intention." Both outline the case against Harkey, which they summarize as "gross failure in ethics." The mayor has regularly ruffled feathers in the city, while at the same time building support from the county GOP establishment her 2008 bid for the state Senate. The recall effort is aimed not only removing her from office but in tarnishing her image as she seeks higher office.

You can read the rest of Martin's post here.

Comments

[DPGOP]

Just more sour grapes from Jim Lacy, who got whipped by Harkey and can't seem to move on. It will never fly.

[shame on us]

Harkey spent an obscene amount of money to buy her city council seat, an obscene amount to run for Senate as a no-experience candidate, yet has a history of tax liens and now faces a recall in her own town. If this is the best the Republican establishment has to offer, no wonder we're losing ground to the Dems and "decline to state" voters.

This is the best Lacy can come up with? Diane isn't my favorite person, but this is pretty transparent.

[Diane is a Rock Star]

Diane is a very intelligent person. She works hard and should be given the appropriate credit. I am confident she will fight the tax and spend liberals in Sacramento. She has my 100% support. As to the folks who own complain about being evicted from a "mobile" home park, you purchased a coach knowing you were on a short time lease, but you did it anyways so you could live by the beach. That was your risk. You could leave the park with a short term notice. Now you want a hand out. Shame on you for not taking responsibilty of your own actions.

[just..asking]

Looks like money can't buy love!

Although it has bought a council seat, an expensive Senate loss, and endorsements from many who she has donated to.

If enough citizens from her own city think she should be recalled, then she should be.

The prospect of another assemblymember from OC who only knows how to do and say what any party tells them would be no loss. How about someone who sticks to their own principles and works for what is good for OC?

[Richard Rios]

"How about someone who sticks to their own principles and works for what is good for OC?"

We are out there... just not as entrenched and well known as others.

Richard Rios

[Karl Rove]

Will this shake Cassie DeYoung out of the "undecided to run" category? Being recalled by her own city voters would deal a serious blow to Harkey's assembly bid one would think.

This will be interesting to watch.

[shame on you]

Finally, all has come home to roost with one who considers herself the ruling class.

[Phil Paule]

Karl- I seriously doubt that she will be recalled--But the idea of starting recalls against city councilmembers who happen to be running for the Assembly is an interesting one. I may look into that.

When Jeff Miller & Diane Harkey are in the Assembly their may be a few other recalls in South OC. Have a great night Karl.

[DP voter]

Maybe Diane should recall Lacy? Opps! She already did.

[just..asking]

Cassie would be a much better choice for the seat. While I might not agree with her on much, she understands the issues. She does her homework and comes to meetings prepared and informed on the agenda before her. The same cannot be said of Harkey, one only has to sit in on a meeting she chairs to see how lost she is. Not only in protocol which while bothersome, is not really important, but on the issues.

She just doesn't get most of what she is voting on. And before everybody rushes to her defense, go to a meeting then blog away.

[Just...saying]

I have sat in on a Dana Point City Council meeting and thought Mayor Harkey was brilliant. The council was discussing the budget. Mayor Harkey was very well informed, prepared and explained her position on the City's budget in a very detailed way that any fiscal conservative would be proud of.

This recall talk is nothing more than a desperate pathetic man named Jim Lacy trying to make himself feel important again. What a joke.

Harkey's "budget" speech was a script, prepared for her by her paid handlers. At best it was a long-winded rehash of Econ 101 principles. What is really fun to watch is when she goes off the script! Then her lack of brilliance shows through. Why do you think she was absent to avoid the re-call presenters? Because she did not have her prepared script to cover all the possible twists and turns, so she didn't know what to do. Is this the kind of person you want to send to the Lion's Den in Sacramento?

I can understand why those opposing Harkey have to hide their identity to avoid Harkey's vitriolic rath. Why don't all you proud supporters shout out your name(s)....Diane ;)

[What's Up With Darrell Issa's District Director?]

So Issa's DD, Phil Paule, is now making veiled threats to recall other "city councilmembers who happen to be running for the Assembly..." What's up with that?

Is he really suggesting if Jeff Miller from Corona wins an assembly seat, Miller will retaliate by instituting recalls against the other republican candidates and their supporters?

That's bad form. With that type of rhetoric I can't imagine anyone in OC supporting Jeff Miller.

[Phil Paule]

First of all, having done the day to day operations on the Recall of former Gov Gray Davis, I do know a thing or two about recalls. I would never suggest that anyone be a target of a recall unless they have done something against the public good.
I was just speculating on how the recall could be used at a time when someone is running for higher office as a political tactic, as aparently being done in Dana Point. Trust me one thing I don't do is make veiled threats.

[Seen it]

I have to agree with Just Asking.

Diane is clueless when it comes to anything that she has not been prep'd for. She doesn't get the issues on her own and if her facts change, it is a darn good show to watch.

She pays for good counsel, but on her own, it is like watching a good old fashioned train wreck happening in slow motion.

[What's Up With Darrell Issa's District Director?]

Phil, that's not what your post at 8:35 said.

You said, "...the idea of starting recalls against city councilmembers who happen to be running for the Assembly is an interesting one. I may look into that. When Jeff Miller & Diane Harkey are in the Assembly their may be a few other recalls in South OC..."

How is that comment "just speculating" -- it sure reads like a veiled threat to me...but maybe I'm just slow.

Could you please explain why you would "speculate" there would be a few other recalls in South OC if Jeff Miller is elected? Who would be the target of those recalls and why? What difference does it make whether Jeff Miller is elected?

[Phil Paule]

"""but maybe I'm just slow"""

You are correct !!!!!!

Although a recall against Frank Ury may be fun.

[Jubal]

Enough already.

Back to your corners.

[One Who Knows]

Democracy is not well served when paid political professionals try to "drum up" business by threatening recalls, etc.

It is particularly troublesome when out-of-town paid political professionals or people who have been unsuccessful at the ballot box try to sew discontent in our localities simply because they have time on their hands and need something to do.

[robert traphagen]

Mayor Diane Harkey came into our home and presented me with a letter composed by herself for Colleen and me to sign as our own. It was designed to break our attorney/client relationship with our attorney Patrick Evans, who has been handling our grievance with the developers of our former home site, and to accept a settlement not in our best interests. This action of handling me the letter was witnessed by my brother(who is an attorney and an officer of the court). Being that she is the main represenative of the City, the Mayor`s action was totally unethical, not to mention manipulative and calculated.....YES< DIANE HARKEY SHOULD BE BE RECALLED.

Robert and Colleen Traphagen

[antony cooke]

Apparently, there are still those out there who have been so blindsided by soon-to-be ex-Mayor Harkey that they wish us just to move on and look the other way. You may rest assured that the initiative to recall her did not emanate as Jim Lacy's revenge, but rather from a broad and dissatisfied spectrum of Dana Point's constituents.

Without the existence of serious charges, based on documented evidence, the initiative would have gathered no proponents. As it was, room on the page for such proponents ran out long before those constituents eager to sign it. Already, countless people have asked when they will be able to sign the recall itself.

On another note, it is interesting indeed to see how many observers in this blog have commented on the cluelessness of the Mayor in addressing matters which have not been scripted. Just imagine how far she would swim amongst the real sharks up in Sacramento! Hopefully, we'll never have to see that.....

[Jerry Grunor]

As a long time resident of Dana Point, a recognized author of many books sold around the world, some becoming movies, a former member of the Board of Directors of a major corporation in New York, a president of an international corporation and a director of non-profit foundation to preserve the holy sites of Israel, I do not need to hear malicious attacks against me by one Dana Point Mayor Diane Harkey who had spread rumors that I was a criminal and spent time in jail. This was said in front of residents and the city attorney, Patrick Munoz. Her statement was proven false!

That is defamation of character and represents one of many serious problems that we have with our mayor.

If this was said about any of you as it was about me, you too would be expressing your right to recall the mayor as are thousands of residents who reside in Dana Point. There are dozens of other reasons why this person should be recalled and be disqualified to run for the California state assembly next year.

We need honest people who have integrity and will display ethics at all times to run our government, not arrogant people who have millions of dollars and feel that they can buy their way into leadership positions.

As the saying goes..."Judge not lest you be judged."

[Lacy is A Cry Baby]

This is nothing but a circus act. Diane Harkey is the best thing to happen to the Dana Point City Council in years. Jim Lacy is poor loser. He is a man completely devoid of ideology and has made it his sole mission to exact revenge. That is what this is about, nothing more and nothing less.

- Lacy is a Cry Baby

This is nothing but a circus act. Diane Harkey is the best thing to happen to the Dana Point City Council in years. Jim Lacy is being poor loser. He has made it his sole mission to exact revenge. That is what this is about, nothing more and nothing less.