Jim Lomako
for Pasadena City Council, District 2
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April 6, 2007Candidate Margaret McAustin Bangs the Table
Robert Pingel - Pasadena
A nasty little piece of campaign trash arrived in my mailbox yesterday, compliments of City Council candidate Margaret McAustin. On the front side of this impressive looking 4-color flier was the official campaign photo of a smiling Ms. McAustin, and an important announcement.
The candidate wanted her potential constituents to know that she has the endorsement of the Pasadena Police Officers Association. To bring home the point, there was a nice logo of the Police Association to counter-balance the official campaign photo. Very nice. I'm always interested in any candidate who has law enforcement approval. I turned over the flier in order to learn more about Ms. McAustin's general qualifications and dedication to law enforcement.
So much for expectations. Practically every square inch of side 2 was devoted to an all out smear of her opponent, Jim Lomako. As a general rule of thumb, I tend to be skeptical of any politician that spends more time tearing down their opponent than telling me why they deserve to hold office..
While sloshing through the mudpit, I noted some small print where Ms. McAustin did tout her "well-known dedication to enhancing and protecting neighborhoods...and was reappointed to the Planning Commission by the Mayor." I would take some issue with the "well-known dedication" part, but a little self-serving puffery is to be expected. It's that "reappointment to the Planning Commission by the Mayor" that raises a red flag or two.
As I understand it, Mr. Lomako is running on a platform of "responsible growth". This is a real issue. Pasadena residents can't help noticing the glut of high priced condo developments in the city, and the attendant problems with traffic and quality of life issues. For better or worse, this condo development explosion has been brought to you by the Planning Commission, the Mayor, and a City Council that pretty well does whatever it wants to do. One might even conjecture that Planning Commission appointee (that would be Ms. McAustin) has been part of the problem. My guess is that she will not be the new anti-development voice crying out in the wilderness at City Hall. Or will she? All I know is that the candidate didn't give any information about her deeds on the Planning Commission. Maybe someone at the Pasadena Star News will wake up before the election and ask her.
Ms. McAustin thinks that "Jim Lomako has some explaining to do" for his ...three arrests since 1989...
With all due respect, it is Ms. McAustin who has some explaining to do. Mr. Lomako very candidly explained himself in the specific article that was so eminently highlighted on Ms. McAustin's flier. (Pasadena Weekly, 3/29/07) Are we to believe she didn't read the article? That doesn't speak well for a City Council candidate. It speaks even less well that Ms. McAustin thinks that guilt by arrest is a viable campaign strategy even though city prosecutors dismissed cases against Mr. Lomako in 1998 and 2001. Is this what it takes to win the endorsement of the Pasadena Police Officers Association?
But 3 arrests...oh my God! He must be a criminal. It's ironic that we have celebrated 2 holidays this year in honor of men who also had 3 or more arrests to their name; Martin Luther King and Cesar Chavez. Sometimes being arrested simply means you have the guts to stand up for what's right.
There's a saying in the legal profession: When you have the facts, hammer the facts. When you have the law, hammer the law. And when you have neither the law nor the facts, bang the table. I would amend that saying a bit in reference to politicians: When you have the qualifications, emphasize the qualifications. When you have integrity, emphasize the integrity. When you have neither, trash your opponent.
From: http://www.pasadenapundit.com/
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