ELECTION ‘12//TEXT MESSAGING | Calling out your opponent for receiving help during candidate’s forums via text messages–it’s the campaign bombshell sweeping the nation! Well, at least, in our little corner of the East Bay.
On at least four notable occasions this election season, local candidates have lobbed the specious, often times suspect, allegation against opponents they claim received instruction during forums and, in one case, when vying for an appointment to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.
“Two funniest moments of the night: Morgan Mack-Rose coming up to me before the debate and asking me if was going to have my friends text me the answers this time,” wrote San Leandro District 4 City Council candidate Justin Hutchison Sept. 25 on his campaign Facebook page. Mack-Rose, though, isn’t even Hutchison’s opponent, but a candidate for the District 2 seat. Nevertheless, Hutchison said Mack-Rose made the jibe referring to a past Sept. 19 forum when she approached him before another candidates forum at the Marina Community Center.
Hutchison denied the allegation, but added he saw his opponent, Chris Crow, reading a particularly negative East Bay Citizen article published that day about himself, during the Sept. 19 forum. The petty shenanigans and hyperbolic accusation do not end there.
Similar accusations have been thrown around at recent Hayward school board forums by critics of a few candidates and some audience members. One allegation posits disgraced Hayward school board member Jesus Armas was seen texting information to candidate Peter Bufete during a forum last week. Bufete is presumed to be Armas’ chosen candidate and campaign finance reports showing he transferred $2,600 to Bufete’s campaign only bolster that belief. The issue of text messaging, for Armas, however, is still a sore subject.
Not to be outdone, others claim another board member was texting Hayward school board member Luis Reynoso at the same forum. Neither claim is substantiated, but poses the question of whether there might be more utility in having these debates via text or instant messaging?
Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi and her former district director Chris Parman were seen last month texting each other during the endorsement interviews for the Alameda County Democratic Party. Parman also attempted to video tape the forum before Hayward Mayor Michael Sweeney, a strong supporter for Hayashi’s opponent, Richard Valle, forcefully stepped in front of him. In fact, watching the text messaging going on across the room between Hayashi and Parman was almost like watching a visual interpretation of the Internet with computer information flowing through the ether from one phone to another. A similar controversy occurred during a 2010 Florida gubernatorial debate when the challenger received a text message during a commercial break offering a suggested retort.
The most infamous accusation of a public official surreptitiously using text messaging to aid their performance came last May during the appointment interviews to replace former county supervisor Nadia Lockyer. With Valle and Ana Apodaca both pushing strongly for the appointment, ultimately awarded to Valle, the reason for the choice was bathed in a bit of controversy, albeit cryptically lodged by Valle, who claimed to have given the Board of Supervisors important information leading to his appointment over Apodaca.
Sources later told The Citizen, “The Secret,” as it was later dubbed, involved an accusation Apodaca had received heads up via her iPad about the questions asked to other candidates and their answers that followed. Apodaca vehemently denied the rumor, yet it apparently set the tone for a flurry of oddball accusation that followed in races across the county. Whether the claims are true or not, it is clear text messaging is doing nothing to strengthen the caliber of answers any more than it would help if a supporter literally stood in front of the candidate with a stack of handwritten cue cards and silently mouthed every syllable.
One more HUSD BOE meeting, Nov 14, and the two love-birds will be gone. Bye bye Jesus Armas. Bye bye Maribel Heredia. We don't ever want to see you two again. So long. Adios. Good riddens. Even better…leave Hayward.
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One more HUSD BOE meeting, Nov 14, and the two love-birds will be gone. Bye bye Jesus Armas. Bye bye Maribel Heredia. We don't ever want to see you two again. So long. Adios. Good riddens. Even better…leave Hayward.
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Not sure who, dont really care. They shown how utterly classless they are by their actions.
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Can be Crow, Dillman, Tim Holmes or Carlos J. or Marga heads up Crow to do so… Marga does flips & flops… read alot about her…
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241 is a copy/paste from my FB page. Marga was added a long time ago along with SL Bytes. I sure hope this isnt you guys playing games, because this isnt middle school. You put my phone number on here from a comment to a friend and put innnapropriate things on here about me when I am married and faithful. Just remember 241pm, I mean what I say, when I find out who you are we are going to have a very personal discussion.
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Jessi Cutter (daughter of Pauline Cutter),like mother like daughter, peanut brains, wrote letter to SL Times stated Crow is hard working, loyal person…
Hard Working – he's jobless
Loyal person… why did you dump him?
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While Chris Crow claimed offering brilliant ideas to make big bucks, he's poor, no money on hand, or he just CHEAP AND DECEPTIVE!
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Why Chamber gives him $500 and to Mack-Rose Five Grands?
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According to San Leandro Talk, Marga, her client Chris Crow raised the most money – Where are his signs?
Crow offered good ideas and smart businessman for a longtime – no Cash on Hand, why?
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Deception at a Price, who Quoted? Can happen, but to Whom, Wait and See.
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Alright, to the little gutless chump who decided to copy and past my phone number from the comments below into an anonymous comment on a political site. You show a lot about yourself and your character adding into my group to try and bash me. On November 7th it's gonna be on punk..thats real!! I know who you are aint sH#8 gonna protect you.
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Crow, Marga, Dillman are ducks.
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Nate Miley definitely needs to go he is a quack.
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1:34 Tell Chris Crow along with Marga go ahead say that to Nate Miley.
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Crow's buddy Dillman “Partners in Crimes” is living “where” in D2, or D1?
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Let's get rid of the entire Alameda Sups. They are all lousy.
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Everything we need to know about deceitful Chris Crow he has already told us and everything we need to know about his contradicted Campaign Manager Marga, she has told us (do what I say, don't do what I do).
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Chris Crow and Marga along with Morgan Mack Rose have run extremely dirty campaigns slandering others to try and mask their own dirt! I am extremely disappointed in what I have seen from San Leandro in this election
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Chris Crow Patterns of character:
**Betrayal – runs against the person appointed you, make fun of grandma's english, take bribe against residents.
**Stupidity – switch from D2 to D4 think might score, made offensive comment while running for a seat, no proven records of any executed business projects by you (you are clueless in real business), partnering with Marga adding more enemies.
**immaturity – your articles are evidence, all of your Ideas are increasing taxes, burden to taxpayers.
**Integrity – Continued lie/fake Supervisor Wilma Chan's Endorsemet until proof on video , Initially denied a warrant for pot possession disallowed him from a ride-along with San Leandro Police then later went to Patch point finger to his opponents and the police were out to get him.
Pretty sure Chris Chow's stupidity will continue – stay tune!
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Do you see any Chris Crow sign in District 4?
We refuse you representing us in District 4. He is “ignorant jobless bigot”, who has no place representing our city in any fashion. He should move again, this time OUT of San Leandro.
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After Chris Crow made such racist comment on his own Facebook post, Chris Crow not only has no re-morse but also instead pointing finger at Benny Lee. How Benny Lee bait or concoct you – did someone forced you to write: “Chinese are cheaters and/or sorest loser in the world”. Chris Crow is not man enough to take on his own consequence!!
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Unemployed and makes racist comments on FB. How would one generate jobs if they themselves cannot hold down one?
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Why Chris Crow not working?
After Chris Crow was dismissed/fired by Reed as planning commissioner, why/what are his intention moved from District 2 to run city council in District 4?
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i hate Mac-Rose cause she did not vote to have 9 grade campus have my name!!!! Oh I'm mad! can wait for Mr.Lee to win he will name me to a very important comite!! soon we can sell more hot dogs.
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Not suprised Mac-Rose would question non opponent about texting. With her it's always been do as I say, not as I do. She's always been a mean and very rude b–ch.
Maybe he former husband left her. Might be the man needed peace in his life. That woman has no heart.
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Marga blasted Mary H. “stick fingers” after Neiman Marcus.
Marga repeatedly twist the facts Chris Crow has “integrity”.
Righteous Crow denied pot possession warrant – blamed on U.S. postal.
Lied endorsement he never had – caught on tape.
After making offensive racist comment on FB – blamed on his opponents.
Moved from D2 to D4 hope to score – blamed Reed fired him from planning commission.
Took bribe money from Halus – see canidate financial reports.
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Thats nothing, Mary Hayashi was (according to her) texting and checking email as she walked out the door of Neiman Marcus with $2,450 worth of merchandise hidden in her bag.
But for all that busy busy texting and such she says she surely would have paid for the goods.
As she put it, it was nothing more than “a honest mistake”
Gosh, its almost like Mary was “framed” by her own cell phone. What rotten luck, huh?
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Chris Crow was busy texting,checking email and walking on and off stage during the first debate,all the while making false endorsement claims
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9 of 10 campaign managers run campaigns with brains, this ONE runs Chris Crow campaign like a broken record.
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Anyone else with Lisa Dummer sitings? I had one yesterday and it was awful!
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Texting messages during debate forum indeed not repectful to the audience aka voters.
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