Eric Swalwell |
In fact, he didn’t even enter through the side door to the hall like everyone else, but was led through the back door. Once inside, Swalwell and his team settled into the union’s office presumably for him to gather his thoughts and for the campaign team to commiserate. A member of the union who facilitated the event for the local Democratic Party confirmed Swalwell was holed up in the back and that, yes, the union has endorsed his candidacy this year.
By the time his congressional race was up for consideration, Team Swalwell shuffled into the small hall. He spoke first and then watched sullenly and quite nervously as Corbett made her case for the endorsement. Swalwell stood rigidly, arms folded with his right index finger pressed to his lips. The pose looked strikingly like a lawyer straining to find any weakness in his opponent’s legal argument. When Corbett concluded with her two-minute statement, Team Swalwell ushered themselves back to the office as the public vote was announced and tallied. They returned when the final numbers found he had won a majority of the vote, but less than the 70 percent needed Saturday for the pre-endorsement. That will have to wait until the convention in March.
It’s quite apparent that Swalwell possesses an inherent desire to be famous. He’s pulled a number of publicity stunts in hopes of attracting the national media. Many of them have been detailed here, but now it appears Swalwell is morphing into something more malevolent, a dangerous amalgam of youthful cockiness and vanity. Maybe that’s why he doesn’t believe reporters should hold him accountable for his actions?
Mike Honda |
LANDSLIDE ENDORSEMENT Rep. Mike Honda’s campaign team and party supporters packed the Laborers Union Hall last Saturday. It appeared every other person had a light blue and green Honda for Congress sticker affixed to their shirt. Obviously, it was the campaign’s plan to shock-and-awe Alameda County Democrats. Honda won 122 of 133 votes and the results should solidifying a perception their man is the undisputed choice of the party. After the vote, the team was absolutely ebullient as the apparent rout was clear. Ro Khanna did not show up to address the party faithful, which is not entirely a surprise. However, it was surprising the campaign didn’t even bother to send anyone to speak, even as just a small gesture. Conversely, Khanna losing the endorsement does not run counter to any argument they have made thus far, which is he represents the future of Silicon Valley, not necessarily the future of the Democratic Party apparatus.
Bob Wieckowski |
I HEART HAYWARD Assemblymember Bob Wieckowski, who is running for the State Senate 10th District seat, sported an “I (Heart) Hayward” t-shirt last Saturday. Does he also have similar tops showing affection for Castro Valley, Union City, Fremont, San Jose, Fremont, etc, because he’s going to need it. This is a huge district and huge physical boundaries are quite costly. Mary Hayashi’s $734,000 in campaign donations may be her greatest single asset in such a race. On Saturday, Hayashi told The Citizen she plans on raising even more money this year. Campaign finance reports, however, showed she only raised over $18,000 in 2013. In addition, it appears Hayashi will be much more aggressive in attacking Wieckowski than she was in her 2012 Alameda County supervisors race. Readers of The Citizen know the story and gossip that revolved last year around Wieckowski’s office, which included his former chief of staff. For that reason, it was quite telling Saturday that while chatting with Hayashi outside, standing in the distance was Trisha Tahmasbi, the former Wieckowski aide, who some in Fremont’s Indo American community charged with alienating some of her boss’s supporters. In just these last few sentences, you can almost foresee the abyss voters will be led down during this race.
Sam Kang |
HERE AND THERE The race in Berkeley’s 15th Assembly District is a large one and potentially a close contest among four candidates. On Saturday, the party gave no endorsement, but Elizabeth Echols garnered a majority of the vote. The question now goes to the convention next month. However, she looked nervous and unremarkable during her short speech last weekend. Tony Thurmond, though, is a charismatic little firecracker of a public speaker, but I was most impressed with Sam Kang, an attorney, who according to campaign finance reports, attracted impressive fundraising totals last year. His speech was heartfelt and well-conceived. However, a candidate proffering an All-American immigrant story is always uplifting…Last week, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan said, the more the merrier, when it comes to the growing field in her mayoral race. With ranked choice voting, she believes the additional candidates will scatter support for the rest of the field’s real contenders….Assemblymember Bill Quirk said Saturday he will welcome all challengers and will attend every scheduled candidate’s forum. He is facing Republican Jaime Patino in the 20th Assembly District, but a familiar face is eyeing a rematch from 2012. It’s not Jennifer Ong, who lost by just 900 votes two years ago, but Hayward school district Trustee Luis Reynoso, who ran in the June primary the same year. He told The Citizen he will run as an independent this time around.
ONE MORE THING Read Mary Hayashi’s quote from last Saturday one more time. “You all know my positives,” said Hayashi. “You also know my negative, which I am very sorry.” There was no typo there. Isn’t it amazing what the omission of a single letter does to the last half of the statement? She said, “negative,” as in singular, not plural. Hayashi has only one negative, she believes. This is true, at least, in terms of severity. However, it is simply fascinating how many of these Alameda County Democrats are simply unwilling to let it go. It’s no longer about the shoplifting incident, it’s about much more and we’ll examine this later. In the meantime, a counseling appointment needs to be scheduled for all.
**The Campaign Insider column appears every Friday from now to the end of the 2014 election cycle in November.
Ellen Corbett will come in first in the primary with well over 40% of the vote. With a credible Republican in the race your candidate will be lucky to come in second. If the Republican can get in the high twenties your candidate could easily come in third.
Then what good will all that big business and corporate money do him. It will be good for the economy though. Voters in our district don't reward people who try and buy the election. They also don't reward candidates who flip flop on issue after issue.
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Mrs. Miller and I will be supporting our outstanding CONGRESSMAN ERIC SWALWELL. We can't support novices who have no idea what they are doing and would be in above their head. We also would never support anyone who whores for the unions. The public knows that teachers and nurses' unions are nothing but whores for the special interests. They resonate with special interests only.
We'll be supporting a breath of fresh air, CONGRESSMAN ERIC SWALWELL 2014!
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Well I see the Swalwell staffer troll is posting lies about his opponent again. When you post on taxpayer time/property you are violating the law. Ellen Corbett will win because she is more trustworthy than you or your boss. Release the poll you took showing Ellen ahead.
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Ellen Corbett should be able to win over Swalwell because she's not Stark and already represents most of the voters in the District as Senator. We also trust her more than your man.
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Ellen Corbett should be able to win over Swalwell because she's not Stark and already represents most of the voters in the District as Senator.
Honda should win his district easily according to the new poll that came out and has him winning by over 60% in head to head races with his 2 challengers.
Wieckowski will win because everyone knows Hayashi is a crook and no one else has the money and/or supporters to win or even be a viable candidate.
Tim Sbranti will win because he has all the support and money he needs from CTA(teachers), Police, Fire, Joan Buchanan, Eric Swalwell, Mark Desaulnier, etc.
Richard Valle will win because no one is running against him and he is very popular.
Elizabeth Echols will win because she has the support of the current Assemblywoman and Senator that represents that area.
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The voters will support our new Congresswoman….Ellen Corbett
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The president supports our congressman, which is more than good enough for us. Oh yeah!
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Ellen Corbett should be able to win over Swalwell because she's not Stark and already represents most of the voters in the District as Senator.
Honda should win his district easily according to the new poll that came out and has him winning by over 60% in head to head races with his 2 challengers.
Wieckowski will win because everyone knows Hayashi is a crook and no one else has the money and/or supporters to win or even be a viable candidate.
Tim Sbranti will win because he has all the support and money he needs from CTA(teachers), Police, Fire, Joan Buchanan, Eric Swalwell, Mark Desaulnier, etc.
Richard Valle will win because no one is running against him and he is very popular.
Elizabeth Echols will win because she has the support of the current Assemblywoman and Senator that represents that area.
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I think the winners will be Honda, Wieckowski, Echols, Bowser, Valle, Sbranti and Corbett. The voters will decide in June and November. Love the top two system and how it backfired on the Republicans.
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You live in LA LA land and need to read the post above yours for why that won't happen
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Ellen Corbett should be able to win over Swalwell because she's not Stark and already represents most of the voters in the District as Senator.
Honda should win his district easily according to the new poll that came out and has him winning by over 60% in head to head races with his 2 challengers.
Wieckowski will win because everyone knows Hayashi is a crook and no one else has the money and/or supporters to win or even be a viable candidate.
Tim Sbranti will win because he has all the support and money he needs from CTA(teachers), Police, Fire, Joan Buchanan, Eric Swalwell, Mark Desaulnier, etc.
Richard Valle will win because no one is running against him and he is very popular.
Elizabeth Echols will win because she has the support of the current Assemblywoman and Senator that represents that area.
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Winners will be Reed, Echols, Swalwell, Green or Briones, and Glazer. They're all for the public and not the union whores!
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I think the winners will be Honda, Wieckowski, Echols, and Corbett. The voters will decide in June and November. Love the top two system and how it backfired on the Republicans.
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Back when I was in grade school these back and forth taunts would end when the recess bell would ring and everyone had to run back to the classroom.
Seems there is no bell here.
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Above: “LIvin' in a dream world…!”
Duh, duh, duh….
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The peoples congressman wouldn't have cut off benefits for millions of Americans. Read 3:33 PM
Ellen Corbett will be the peoples Congresswoman after the election. We don't like our current heartless and insincere one.
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Swalwell takes it. Got the brains, the pains of work, and the gains of $$ and support.
The people's congressman who slew the beast!
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Shame on Swalwell for cutting off benefits for 1.7 million Americans. The extension of federal benefits was started by Bush and continued by both parties when the unemployment rate was this high.
It's about real people, people with families struggling to meet mortgage payments, struggling to put food on the table, to make ends meet, and includes 200,000 military veterans among those folk who are losing their benefits.
This is why my friends and I will be voting for Ellen Corbett this year….she has a heart and cares about the 90% of us who aren't rich too.
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Saw Swalowell in CV doing a walk on the Boulevard for the new streetscape, small group of a handfull and he jumps up on a bench to talk at them, got the impression he likes to hear himself speak. Maybe he was just up there to see how the wind was blowing.
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There IS no funding. That's the problem. Who says I refuse to say anything? Nice try.
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And by soon, I mean when he wakes up, prior to going to his dayjob at a bank, since no actual journalistic outlet will allow him to spew his hate.
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Wow, another legislative mulligan by the deceiver. Keep the stories coming Steven. I'd like to see one about the million dollars he's raised by catering to vested interests. I know he got money from pharmaceutical companies and other corporations that are sticking it to the middle class.
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Good chance he erases my comments soon
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Called you out at 10:31. If you can't come up with anything better than Swalwell staffer, go home. Nothing more pathetic than calling out your argument before it is even made. My issue is not I with you( you are not worth my concern, having anticipated your comments and rebutted them before you made them). My concern us with Steve Tavares who claims to be independent and yet refuses to tell who funds his blog. Those who care, pease join me in demanding he reveal which candidates are funding this blog
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Last 5 comments were from a Swalwell staffer. Don't you think we can tell you wrote all five of the posts above this? You and the congressman are both jokes and according to the latest story you and Swalwell both lie and try and mislead the public. You and your boss will soon be gone when Ellen Corbett takes the congressional seat this year.
You have now posted 12 of the 17 posts above this. What a loser.
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Hey Friends,
Who pays for this blog under anonymous sources.. Steven, release your list of donors, so we can see who you are beholden to..
Thanks,
A friend.
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Crap, that should say debate. Dam autocorrect.
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P.S. I am not calling out the obvious Corbett/partisans (I would say staffers or volunteers, but based on her FEC filings, she can afford neither). I am calling out Steven Tavares to debTe the credibility of his so called journalism.
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Per the above, called it. The only rejoinder you can make is Swalwell staffer. Pathetic in the extreme. Actually dispute my comments and show yourself able to make original arguments please.
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Last 4 comments were from a Swalwell staffer. Don't you think we can tell you wrote all four of the posts above this? You and the congressman are both jokes and according to the latest story you and Swalwell both lie and try and mislead the public. You and your boss will soon be gone when Ellen Corbett takes the congressional seat this year.
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Cue the predictable comments about the last two comments being a Staffer of Swalwell.
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You like Fox News are infotainment, if you wonder why you have so many page views, it is because the majority of us can't wait to see what you come up with next.. It's like listening to right wing talk radio. We don't take it seriously… It is entertaining pablum
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Steve,
Swalwell doesn't run from you. I would guess he has no interest in engaging a partisan blogger masquerading as a journalist. If you could show that you learned anything from your journalism professors at CSUEB, about impartiality, journalism, fact checking, or grammar, I'm sure he would answer your questions. Instead, your Fox News-esque gotcha style, keeps you from ever being taken seriously.
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Winners will be Honda, Reed, Glazer and of course, Swalwell. Voters sure will decide in November.
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Winners will be Honda, Wieckowski, Echols, and Corbett. The voters will decide in November.
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Once people get to hear from Jaime, they will hear him out. He's very charismatic and knows the issues.
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Glad to learn that Bob has let Trisha go. He now has my support because of that excellent decision and leadership that he has demonstrated.
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Regarding Mary Hayashi's statement
““You all know my positives,” said Hayashi. “You also know my negative, which I am very sorry.”
“Hayashi has only one negative, she believes. This is true, at least, in terms of severity. However, it is simply fascinating how many of these Alameda County Democrats are simply unwilling to let it go.”
She says, “for which I am very sorry” about her shoplifting conviction.
The problem is that Mary has never admitted she did the crime. She continues, to this day, to say it was only a “absentminded”, “unintentional”, mistake.
She has steadfastly continued with the same story she gave in January of 2012.
January 9th, 2012 press release from Hayashi–
“The simple fact is I unintentionally walked out of a store with items I had not paid for.”
“There were a number of personal factors that led to the situation where I made this absentminded error.”
Mary wants to be forgiven when the reality is that on several occasions, and in several interviews, she has refused to admit that she intentionally committed the crime.
Her ” I am very sorry” rings false.
A reading of the actual police report shows the real facts in the case. It indicated that Mary planned the crime well in advance.
The crime as charged and even as pleaded out, included the “element' of “intent”. Had Mary made any case that it was really “absentminded” or “unintentional” , she would, under the law, have been found innocent.
That point, straight from the mouth of George Gascón, the District Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco, when he appeared on KGO radio back in October of 2012.
He said the case was well established and that they would have proved “intent”… In fact they MUST prove intent for a conviction.
Instead, knowing the strong case against her, Mary took a plea deal and is now on 3 years probation.
Bottom line, she has never come clean about her crime.
She continues with the false claim that it was all “unintentional” , merely a “absentminded” event.
The voters are not fools regarding this issue.
They read through it in 2012 and will do so again in 2014, not matter that she spends $800,000 or more.
Her only hope, is to quietly in some small venue, come clean. Put it on the record that she admits guilt and her intent in the crime. She may gain a little sympathy from some.
Admitting a weakness, yet going on with life.
As in so many of these cases, its not the crime, its the cover up.
Mary is still hanging onto the cover up. The false story.
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You have to wonder why he ran away from me? Should I deliver bad news in writing and give him 10 business days to respond?
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Perhaps Congressman Swalwell just doesn't like stalkers, Steve…
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Tavares – I have to laugh at your editorialized account of Swalwell – when did you get a psychology degree? LOL – come on! The Congressman, I guess you could say is already famous for being – say a Congressman. Nothing about Corbett's nervousness, fake smiles, “very, very” – the drinking game? It's funny how it's bad for Swalwell to be like an attorney, nothing about Corbett being an attorney, and yet Sam Kang is great because he's a fast talking attorney. This casting of Swalwell as some villain is real old almost malevolent!
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Mary was strongly supported by progressive democrats during her time in office because of her voting record. I don't believe her political philosophy has changed. I don't buy the idea that her arrest is the reason for animosity toward her, it is her personality that turns people away. Her votes in the Senate would likely be no different than her Democratic opponent .
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