Thursday, February 16, 2012

The Lockyer’s Play “Spin” the Bottle….

Our final installment of 2011 spoke of hope for a better political 2012 and suggested past and present Politicians do a better job of leading Alameda County and the State of California. We made a point of specifically addressing Bill Lockyer and his wife Nadia in that installment. Apparently they were not listening (or reading) our blog.

Well, so much for Alameda County raising the bar in 2012. It took little over a month into the New Year for scandal to unfold…and quite a scandal it is. Paradoxically our opening installment of The Back Story(Welcome) foreshadowed much of what is being disclosed this week. Though we take no credit for the many published and investigative reports regarding the Lockyer’s troubling situation, we can say the situation surrounding Bill and Nadia Lockyer is not new to Alameda County politicians. Strangely as it might seem, the crisis hovering over the Lockyer’s may have been planted decades ago, fueled by the ego’s of the politicians of those days who demanded silence from insiders, and enablers who turned a blind eye in exchange for the benefits of political connections. Has Karma hit home? Many would state, absolutely!

As initially reported in the SF Chronicle earlier this week, and followed up with numerous further independent reports, Bill and Nadia Lockyer are in serious political trouble. Making matters worse, Mr. Lockyer made a classic (disastrous) attempt to spin the circumstances ahead of the most damaging disclosures. As is normally the case with a desperate politician seeking to save his career, reputation and least not forget the nearly 2 million invested to buy Nadia her Supervisors Seat, Bill went with a highly implausible story that even law enforcement hinted was less then accurate. On Tuesday, Bill’s implausible spin story hit bottom when his wife (at least for the time being) released a statement that in many ways contradicted her husband’s story.

What became seemingly apparent in Nadia’s statement is her husband’s spin story was as much about protecting his career and blaming an “ex-boyfriend”, as it was in hiding and/or enabling Nadia’s very troubling situation. Bill’s story implied Nadia had a minor drinking issue and a soft spot for an ex-boyfriend who Nadia went to help through a difficult period at a local motel. In actuality, there is speculation the motel room was Nadia’s and she had been staying there due to her separation from Bill. The minor drinking problem (the bottle) is actually serious chemical dependency which may include prescription pain medicine (a different type of bottle), and the ex-boyfriend is apparently Nadia’s lover for which she is (was) apparently having an affair. As for the allegations that Nadia was the victim of abuse, not even Nadia has actually publicly stated who is responsible. Bill Lockyer’s spin implied the responsible party is the ex-boyfriend/low level drug dealer whom has disappeared, though apparently local media have located him without much difficulty. Surely if the media could fine him, then law enforcement would have long ago found him if they were in truth looking for him. Furthermore, Nadia’s (ex) lover has made a statement challenging the Lockyer’s story (ies) and apparently made himself available to law enforcement, whom he implies does not seem very interested in speaking to him.

We would hate to speculate on what the financial cost to The State of California and Alameda County could be if the Lockyer’s made the grave mistake of attempting to scapegoat an innocent party. Nadia’s lover might have nailed (sorry, had to say it) the trifecta in this trashy and twisted political calamity. This could be a first….a male boy-toy of a female politician gets a big payday from not one, but two government agencies from within the State of California. Again, just speculation…however, not all that far reaching a possibility considering the power players and contradicting stories. We can imagine Gloria Allred having a field day with this love triangle.

Finally, in an all to similar (remember Mary Hayashi) attempt at deflecting blame, Bill Lockyer laid out the possibility that his wife Nadia may have also acted disgracefully not of her own accord, but as a result of a few simple (and perhaps hurtful) words spoken by Bill himself. We believe Nadia is a consenting adult legally capable of making adult decisions and managing adult conversations. Bill’s attempted projection of responsibility for his wife’s actions is just further evidence of how seriously out of touch with reality our elected officials truly are.

Some would argue Bill’s and Nadia’s private life is just that….private. Thankfully this is not the way the system works….and the Lockyer’s just provided lesson 101 on why the public has a right to know, and frankly, needs to know. If an elected public official cannot manage a marriage, a family, a career, prescription medicine and use good personal judgment and common sense, what on this earth makes you believe they can manage a County or State?

For those who question the motivations of the Occupy Movement, which ironically has a solid foundation within Alameda County, you need not look any further then the scandalous stories circling Sacramento and Alameda County politicians.

The voters of Alameda County ought to wake up and dispense with the political trash that is destroying the moral and ethical fiber of Alameda County.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Ms. Hayashi's Disrespect for Journalism Students

Ms. Hayashi’s true colors continue to show. A recent visit to her Sacramento Office by local high school students afforded the public and these students a genuine lesson in just how disrespectful a disgraced public official will treat our future leaders.

A group of Castro Valley High Journalism students prearranged a visit to Ms. Hayashi’s office recently, and did so via an assistant in Ms. Hayashi’s office. Apparently, the assistant was not aware the students were planning to practice their journalism skills…though that would seem immaterial under normal circumstances. Well, these are not normal circumstances for Ms. Hayashi’s…remember, she’s a Brain Tumor survivor….and god forbid she answer any questions from journalism students that might dig into her recent shop-lifting conviction that she publicly (via her attorney) attributed to her medical condition.

Ms. Hayashi ostensibly rebuffed and refused to answer any of the student’s questions, and left the journalism students to speculate and draw their own conclusions….which they did.

The Castro Valley High students gave Ms. Hayashi a textbook opportunity to step up, be a leader by example, set the record straight, and be accountable. These basic principles of good leadership are what every teacher and parent want their student/child to learn in California Public Schools.

Regrettably, Ms. Hayashi provided not only lack of good leadership, but glaring proof that not only do our elected public officials see little value in the public education system in California….currently ranked at or near the bottom, but apparently, Ms. Hayashi also believes she has no obligation to the students in our public schools when it comes to their rights to learn the truth and seek an understanding of what our elected officials are doing while on the payroll of taxpayers.

Ms. Hayashi’s impertinence for the students of Castro Valley High School is just a further example of arrogance and contempt by our elected officials concerning the demands of taxpayers and students in California. Ms. Hayashi’s actions differ very little from those of the Board of Regents when they walked out of a meeting during which pointed questions were asked by UC College students.

We advocate that every high school with a journalism department which sits within Ms. Hayashi’s district demand an interview with Ms. Hayashi. In addition, for those journalism students at Castro Valley High, we recommend you request Ms. Hayashi come to your school to answer all your questions. If you have learned anything from this experience it should be….DO NOT let our public officials off the hook when it comes to accountability. You have the right to ask the questions, so ask them, and seek the truth and accept nothing less!