Greenhut's Sunday Column Is Disingenuous: Part 3

So what did happen at the Republican Party of Orange County Central Committee on November 19?

Here's how Steve Greenhut described it in his November 25 Commentary column:

After former Cypress Councilman Mike McGill drafted a resolution calling for a Carona resignation, party leaders convinced him to soften the measure to gain wider support. So McGill introduced a resolution that called on the sheriff to take leave until the federal charges are resolved. It was weak, but it would have extended the time the sheriff would vacate his office and at least open up a debate about the sheriff's behavior.

Right before the committee meeting, the sheriff's top political aide, attorney Michael Schroeder, told a Register reporter that the sheriff actually supported that resolution. Yet even that milquetoast resolution couldn't get a hearing at the committee. McGill called for a suspension of the rules to allow for a vote. Such a rule-suspension required a two-thirds vote, but it couldn't even get half the members to vote for it, thanks in part to the behind-the-scenes efforts of Carona's backers. The vote failed, and that was that. The party resolution committee will mull over the matter and come back with a report in January, but the basic purpose was achieved: The party squelched criticism of its sheriff.

So, many readers will come away thinking Mike McGill's resolution is dead, ground to dust beneath the boot heel of the Evil Party Structure.

But that's not what happened, not that Steve is going to take the time to explain inconvenient facts that undercut the narrative he is spinning.

As Steve does note, what failed was a motion to suspend the rules. You see, when a resolution is submitted, the party rules say it has to go through the Resolutions Committee before it goes to the full Committee. McGill's resolution can still go through the Resolutions Committee and then to the full Central Committee. It just takes a few weeks longer.

But that's not fast enough for Steve, so the OC GOP Central Committee members are therefore cowards -- not just individuals with a different view of things.

But Steve also obfuscates and muddles another item. After explaining the revised McGill resolution to the Central Committee members, OC GOP Chairman Scott Baugh said this:

But in the meantime, I'm asking the Resolutions Committee to evaluate Mr. McGill's resolution -- his initial resolution -- to request the sheriff to resign. And to provide a full report, to the body, at the next regularly scheduled Central Committee, and it will be debated at that time.

Funny how Steve didn't find space for that in his long column. After all, if one's premise is that the OC GOP "squelched criticism of its sheriff" it doesn't help to let readers know the party chairman requested that the stronger, original resolution be considered so the members could debate it at their next meeting.

That strikes me as an odd way to "squelch criticism." To "squelch" something is to silence it -- not give it a hearing and subject it to open debate. Oh well -- mustn't let it interfere with the script.

Comments

[ucla by 14]

It has been interesting and sad to watch the evolution of Mr. Greenhut the last couple of years. He has strayed from libertarian principles and now takes on the persona of an angry Pat Buchanan with a touch of crazy Art Pedroza.

Libertarians I know fear and distrust the federal government. They actually believe there is such a thing as prosecutorial mis-conduct or miscalculation. Does this mean Mike Carona is guiltless? Of course not...He could be guilty as hell or he could be severely ethically challenged or perhaps he has been largely set up. Time will tell and the jury is literally and figuratively out.

However Mr. Greenhut has joined the stampede to prejudge and punish now something many of his predecessors on the Register editorial page would have never done.

On another timely issue, one of my friends was involved in the Suncal Disney dispute. He makes a persuasive case that Mr. Greenhut has blinders on to all that happens in Anaheim. While Mr. Greenhut was defending oppressive zoning and being a shill for the Mayor and the Disney corporation he apparently was not aware or chose to ignore the genesis of the Mayors opposition to the housing project.

It seems that when the Mayor upzoned the Platinum Triangle area in Anaheim it made a fortune for many of his friends,supporters and perhaps clients. When Mayor Pringle during council comments first explained his opposition to the Suncal proposal his argument was not centered on protecting the resort area but instead protecting homebuilders in the Platinum Triangle from competition (mostly Lennar) Mr. Greenhut got hornswaggled and became a full partner in defending this local government misconduct.

I miss the Old Register.

[Andy Dufresne]

The folks in the OC GOP establishment community who defend Carona look every bit as foolish as the folks in the black community who defend O.J. Simpson.

The crimes are not the same. But, the blind allegiance , the unwillingness to stipulate to the obvious, not acknowledging that a prior assessment of a man's character may have been wrong... all the same.

Carona is entitled to a presumption of innocence in a court of law. However, the community is entitled to a Sheriff who represents them with dignity. Regardless of the outcome of the indictment, it should be obvious to all that Carona has diminished his office and tarnished our community with a pattern of bad judgment and appalling behavior.

[rich white guy]

The feds have put all of their faith in those who are bent on destroying lives and dealing a death sentence to Our Sheriff, Michael Carona, and his family. During this Firestorm, those against Sheriff Carona want to assure that his “destruction”, and nothing less will equal their brand of so-called justice.

Justice does not stop because the accused has been convicted in the press or in the court of public opinion. This Firestorm has generated lots of theatre from those trying to distance themselves from Sheriff Carona, or those who seek to take advantage or personal gain from what they could not get when the playing field was level.

We must understand that the Firestorm surrounding Sheriff Carona and his family consists solely of ALLEGATIONS created by those bent on destroying him. Capital Punishment, pure and smiple!

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