Here is another roundup of some of the most thought-provoking reader comments of the week. Click on each topic’s headline to see the article in question. Comments are selected by our editors and subject to editing for grammar, spelling, clarity and length.
County CEO Tom Mauk Resigns Under Pressure
Sad ending to his lengthy public service career.
The Board of Supervisors sure loves to dish out money to their friends. Mauk’s inactions are probably going to cost the county millions in lawsuits, and he gets to walk away into the sunset with a quarter million bucks in cash in his pocket.
Will this additional $$$ be calculated into his final pay calculations toward his retirement? I bet he will be at the top of California’s list of highly paid retirees.
— Cacityguy / July 26
Mauk’s [county employment] agreement has a Covenant 10, “Compliance with Law”:
Thomas G. Mauk shall, during the appointment, comply with all laws and regulations applicable to the position of County Executive Officer. Any act or omission, constituting a public offense involving moral turpitude or a withholding of labor, is a material breach of this Agreement, relieving the County of any and all obligations herein.
Since some investigations are still ongoing and possibly more to follow, is the county certain that this covenant has been fully complied with since it can be an act or omission?
— Imjustsaying / July 26
Watch Mauk get hired by CalOptima.
— Insider / July 26
Voice of OC’s Lawsuit to Reveal County’s Secret Letter
This will be Orange County’s eye-opening moment when its citizens realize just how dysfunctional and corrupt these Board of Supervisors members really are.
— Straight shooter / July 23
Many thanks to the Voice of OC for staying on this story. Bustamante is the tip of the iceberg, and the Hall of Administration is the Titanic.
— Sannick / July 24
Thanks to the Voice of OC for understanding the responsibilities of the fourth estate. I am impressed and delighted that you have filed the public records request.
The only possible reason that [county Deputy CEO Alisa] Drakodaidis did not release her letter to the press is blackmail — trading “hush” promises for a severance. The county can redact her so-called medical information and release the allegations.
So far, Supervisor [Shawn] Nelson seems to be the only clear-thinking one of the bunch. Is there any county agency that is functioning under the “leadership” of the highly paid CEO and this board?
— Dretutz / July 23
[“Supervisor Nelson seems to be the only clear-thinking one of the bunch” because he] probably hasn’t been around long enough to develop any county skeletons.
The other ones sure talk tough when it comes to transparency. But when the time comes to put their words into action, they always fold like a cheap pup tent.
Oh, honorable mention goes out to [Voice of OC open-government expert] Terry Francke and [litigator] Kelly Aviles. Thanks to both of you and Californians Aware for fighting for citizen rights and helping to pull back the Orange curtain.
— Beelzebub / July 23
Congratulations to the Voice for being the only publication on top this scandal. Keep up the great work!
— Nearly30inOC / July 23
Give us the letter, I don’t want to have to get my damn pitchfork out!
— CB the Great MFF / July 24
Councilwoman Eastman’s Email: Riot Was a ‘Big Time Win’
How out of touch can you be that violence and uprising in the community is seen as a benefit to a political agenda? Nice leadership.
— Chillinintheoc / July 26
No matter your take on what went on outside the chamber on Tuesday night, Gail Eastman is pretty out of line in her comments.
It only goes to support the American Civil Liberties Union’s claim that the council is only representing a small part of the city of Anaheim.
A riot outside the council chamber is never a victory for anyone.
— UN EZ N OC / July 26
Anaheim looks more and more like a steaming tea kettle than the city of fame it used to be. How sad. I’ve been living in Anaheim for more than 20 years and barely recognize the place.
— My2cents / July 26
Eastman’s comments reflect the thoughts of someone who is completely out of touch and insensitive to the feelings of the community.
Two members of the community have been shot and killed. Her reference to “no shots fired” in the wake of those incidents and the loss of life is completely inappropriate. All she can think about is the hotel tax subsidy and making sure the community cannot voice their opinion at the polls in November and how wonderful that is.
Should she really be sitting on the council? Do we want someone so insensitive and so dismissive of the community acting on the council? The answer is no.
Recall Eastman.
— Sannick / July 26
This is sickening. Residents are protesting the police shooting an unarmed man, and the councilwoman calls it a political victory because they didn’t have to do what they were elected to do — conduct city business.
And she calls it a win “with no shots fired.”
Um, shots were fired: at the boy who lost his life, at the crowd who was refused entry into the council meeting, at the reporters who were trying to cover the unfolding story.
What a disgusting look at how a politician truly views the community and her role in it — always looking for political opportunity.
Eastman should resign.
— Stunned / July 26
Editor’s note: Councilwoman Gail Eastman issued an apology for her remarks the day after they were reported by Voice of OC.
The Anaheim Riot
Folks, there are protesters, those who, right or wrong, believe government is not operating as it should. They mobilize and show up to air their complaints before elected officials. This is a right guaranteed by the Constitution.
Since members of the City Council helped organize the protest, they should have anticipated the turnout and moved the meeting to a facility large enough to accommodate the crowd. By not doing this, some of the blame for the anger of the citizens falls directly on their shoulders.
Then there are protesters who are not really citizens with legitimate concerns at all. This 10 percent consisting of criminals, gang members, anarchists and community hoodlums looking for action and the potential for looting attach themselves to the legitimate protest. These misfits had no agenda other than to riot, cause damage and steal as much of other people’s property as possible.
Anaheim Police Department was appropriately prepared to deal with the legitimate protesters but didn’t do so well with the unlawful 10 percent. With the many officers that were available, the police should have had at least 25 two-man plainclothes arrest teams mixed in with the crowd. Someone throws a rock or bottle, an arrest team takes them out on the spot. Same applies for the window breakers and looters. After one night of strong enforcement action, the word gets around that unlawful conduct will not be tolerated and you do the crime, you go to jail.
Will be interesting to see what unfolds in the future in “America’s Happiest City.”
— Ltpar1 / July 26
“Then, there are protesters who are not really citizens with legitimate concerns at all.”
And then there are trigger-happy cops who shoot people in the back and then execute them with a headshot for the capital crime of running away.
And then there are cops who cut loose dogs on innocent bystanders, who are bitten.
And then there are cops who fire off rounds of rubber bullets striking innocent women and child bystanders without giving any announcement or warning of such action.
And then there are people who become angry with goons and bullies who act like Gestapo agents and act out.
Had Diaz not been shot in his lower back and in the back of his head, Tuesday night would never have happened.
Let’s get in touch with reality here.
— Beelzebub / July 26
Bleeding hearts, the usual malcontents, always crying out for the so-called poor and minority communities. There are plenty of law-abiding, hard working people of all races in Orange County. Those with legitimate gripes and complaints don’t throw bottles at police.
It’s the cops that keep the law-abiding citizens safe from the violent losers that claimed to be “peacefully protesting.”
— Think123 / July 25
If the news media hadn’t kept using the word “riot” last weekend and planting a seed and used the word “protest” instead, it may not have come to all the damage.
The media needs to be more careful.
— Reason / July 26
A Fourth Council Term for Alvarez
Enough, enough.
Measure D says [no more than] three consecutive terms; that is plain English to me.
Claudia Alvarez should be honored that the people of Santa Ana have already given her 12 years [on the Santa Ana City Council].
— Reason / July 26