Friday, October 19th, 2007...1:31 pm
Character Assassination Counts
Lori Oien’s supporters have been struggling to circulate attacks on Rodney Glassman and his family, but they haven’t been too successful getting them into the local press. This hasn’t stopped local political provocateur Emil Franzi from circulating them by e-mail. I won’t print the e-mail here, but here is the money quote:
Tucsonans need to ask if they really want someone this self-centered, over-bearing and unethical as a public official.
For those of you who don’t know Franzi, let me tell you that Franzi calling someone “self-centered, over-bearing and unethical” would be a little like Britney Spears calling someone an irresponsible, drug-addled exhibitionist.
The e-mail includes a littany of charges against Glassman, many of which seem to stem from his being born into the wrong family. Apparently, being born into a wealthy family disqualifies you for office, a principled stand that Republicans only adopt on those occasions that rich Democrats run for office.
In one particularly amusing bit, Franzi tries to speak for the environmental community. Since I am up for tortured metaphors today, this would be a bit like Larry Flynt speaking for Pentecostals.
Franzi also criticized Glassman for his fundraising. Given the guy didn’t take more than $20 from any contributor, I am unclear why I have seen such handwringing from Oien’s supporters about how he raised his money. Franzi claims that Glassman strong-armed folks in California for contributions. There are a smattering of Californians on his finance reports, but given the low amounts of money involved, and the fact that only local contributions count toward city matching funds, flying out to California to squeeze twenty bucks out of people hardly seems worth it.
(I suppose Emil wouldn’t find fault if say, Glassman had tried to defraud the city’s public financing system and then framed a couple of college kids for it…)
Coupled with these are bizarre allegations regarding a chauffer and paying a babysitter. Excuse me, Glassman has no children, why on Earth would he need to hire a babysitter?
Unfortunately, this sort of thing is typical of the way Franzi plays his politics, and the way some of Oien’s supporters have been playing too. It hasn’t gone unnoticed that posts here and on the Star and Citizen message boards that have made personal allegations against Glassman just happen to have screen names similar to Oien’s campaign manager. It certainly doesn’t speak well for a campaign that has been sloganeering ”Character Counts.”
20 Comments
October 19th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
They are desperate…and showing their colors again. No biggy. Glassman wins.
October 19th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
Damn, you’re even sloppier than I was told.
Rodney’s family wealth is an issue over how it was gained and is presently maintained. I don’t have to be a member of Green Peace to point out the hypocrisy of pretending to be environmentally concerned and claiming bad things happended long ago when they in fact are happening now. I invite anyone to check the Glassman - Britz record in California and tell me that massive pollution and predatory lending are not present.
Rodney’s hypocrisy on this issue has conceded when he told the Star that he doesn’t choose to be involved with his family’s business because their actions conflict with his environmental positions. This was after it was conceded that he owns 960 acres which he is free to sell and receives over $160,000 in annual farm subsidies for.
Well, isnt that special. He just takes the money and doesn’t get involved. That is the hypocrisy Lori charged that you and others seem unable to grasp.
The bundled California contributions from corporate employees (33 that we could identify) are hardly evidence of a grassroots campaign as he claims. And yes they ARE matched - learn the law before you belch about it.
The babysitter in question wasn’t hired by him, it was hired FOR him. Why he needed one at 12 is something you can ask him about.
You seem to have bought the delusion that all of this has been invented by Lori’s campaign and sent to blogs under phony names. While that seems like a tactic you would be familiar with, please note that most of the facts on Rodney have been delivered under REAL names - mostly Democrat - including but obviously not limited to her own campaign folks who have not spoken from hiding. The anonymous turd throwers with sloppy claims seem to eminate from Rodney’s side.
And yes, character does count. Mine has been vetted in about a million or so words published in CITYMAG, the STAR, the TUCSON WEEKLY and the EXPLORER over the last 20 years and a decade or so on the air. You don’t have to agree with me, but attacking the messenger isn’t buying you a whole lot of credibility.
EF
October 20th, 2007 at 12:35 am
Daniel, I am a life time Democrat, and I am supporting Lori Oien. I am also one of the original members of Tucsonans For A Clean Environment, (TCE Group), and former Chair-Woman of The Toxic Waste Investigative Group. I have been involved in environmental issues and organized communities across the United States to resist toxics for over 2 decades. A lot of my investigative efforts on toxics is what helped the litigants win the $185 million dollar law suit against Hughes Air Craft.
The email with links that you are speaking of was put together by me, not Emil. The links I provided are the proof, take off your rose colored glasses and read the truth.
I do not go along with the flow because it is the popular thing to do, or because I might get blessed with grant monies. I never comprise a community. Many Tucson grass root environmentalists are very concerned that we have no leaders only followers.
October 20th, 2007 at 7:21 am
So, Emil condemns Glassman because his parents made money the nasty way. Also, horrors of horrors, his parents hired someone to watch over the kid when he was 12.
Clearly that disqualifies him to be a member of the Tucson City Council.
October 20th, 2007 at 7:23 am
Myra-
I’m not Daniel.
I’m not sure what e-mail you are writing about, the e-mail I saw was clearly written by Emil Franzi, as it had his name on it. The one I got contained no links.
October 20th, 2007 at 7:52 am
I can certainly understand how someone who gets 160K/yr income from farm subsidies would get the attention of some voters.
This whole thing is kind of reminiscent of the Kennedy family on a much smaller scale, of course. Forget how the family got it’s money, the kids are totally awesome.
I
October 20th, 2007 at 8:54 am
Precisely because there are not huge differences between Glassman and Oien on the issues they will confront if elected and also because partisan issues rarely arise at the municipal level, this race (the only competitive one on the ballot this year) will be fought over so-called character issues, or at least how they are defined by the candidates.
On that score, I know how I would vote if I lived in the city (which I don’t) and it would definitely be in favor of Glassman. He has primarily stuck to discussing what kind of councilman he would be and has not dredged around for dirt on Oien’s family. It also sounds like he has spent time learning the job and all that it entails.
Candidates give a clue as to the kind of officeholder they would be by the sort of campaigns they run. When someone spends an inordinate amount of time slinging mud and calling names, that tells me a lot about their capacity as a leader. Glassman will win because of the classy campiagn he has run and because Oien has tarnished HERSELF by employing some tawdry tactics, thus looking like someone who will do whatever it takes to win.
By the way, I like Emil’s radio show and Ted’s blog. Ted should be a guest on Emil’s show. Danehy can bring his referee shirt, whistle and bulk to keep them apart.
October 20th, 2007 at 9:13 am
Emil,
33 out of thousands of contributions? Fun to create some fun in what will be an otherwise boring race…but that is as lame as it can get. I know a lot of folks who raised funds for Rodney and it was quite grassroots…and the vast vast majority are from here in Tucson.
As for family…so what he is rich. So what about the family business? I have known him for six years. He has been here longer. Donates his time to kids and music. He is ambitious, bombastic, a gladhander, and will be all over the city. He is also nice, kind, funny, and fun to be around. He has spent a lot of time in public service…yes between and durning degrees…but he has done it.
I am not seen a lick about why I should vote for Lori Oien…and that is sad. All I am hearing is slime on Glassman. If she had taken the high road on this, some might have considered her campaign…and her…to be honorable.
Its an easy choice now, Emil.
Cheers to you!
October 20th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
After watching Glassman pander to all the different crowds I have reached an opinion. If you think he cares about anything but himself you are very foolish. If you think you are his friend you are very foolish. If you realize he will help you if he can gain or get something from you then you are very wise.
Slinging mud, tarnished, dirty campaign, these terms are used by supporters of one side trying to smear the other side.
October 20th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
“Slinging mud, tarnished, dirty campaign, these terms are used by supporters of one side trying to smear the other side.”
That is just RICH. You can’t say that with a straight face now can you? The words slinging mud, tarnished, and dirty campaign, are pretty clearly used here in response to what the opponent is slinging.
In fact, one reader of the weekly blog reported that little baby dolls with signs were going up underneath some of his. They say “Trust Fund Baby”. Sounds a little like slinging to me.
October 20th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
Dear informed reader, you are full of it. I have dealt with Rodney on a project for the past two years. His efforts to support children and education in this community are to be commended.
Yes, he comes from a rich family, but he has made a name for himself on his own. Yes, he can come off as brash, but I feel that his heart is in the right place.
All that Oien has to offer are ad hominem by proxy attacks.
Disclosure: I am one of Rodney biggest contributors!
October 21st, 2007 at 8:24 am
I do not think it’s irrelevant when someone investigates the financial background and/or financial backing of a political candidate, even if it’s just a city council race that not many people seem to care about. I think it’s a mighty long shot to try to classify that sort of thing as “attacking” or “smearing” or “sliming.”
If those of you who are so determined to defend the honor of Mr. Glassman even gave it a thought, you might see the reasonableness of such action.
If Tim Bee were getting farm subsidies, some Democrat would be all over it.
Glassman will win, easily, and by a lot.
Give it a rest.
October 21st, 2007 at 8:44 am
I gave you the advantage of the doubt on “assisination” in the headline and figured it was a typo you’d correct.
That you haven’t indicates you’re even sloppier than I thought. I don’t particularly object to being attacked by I do object to a turkey who can’t spell doing it.
EF
October 21st, 2007 at 8:55 am
I agree, Liza, that we should investigate the financial backgrounds of individuals who run for office. But this has gone farther, into trying to turn Oien into some kind of environmental master and making Rodney out to be something he isn’t.
I would just end by saying this, if Oien is such the Democrat then why isn’t she running as one. She has sent out mailers with herself and Janet Napolitano, mailers without her party affiliation, etc etc etc.
Glassman is by far a Democrat and has the values. Oien knows the registration advantage…and is pretending.
October 21st, 2007 at 10:01 am
It’s ironic to criticize someone’s spelling as being an indicator of sloppiness while being idiomatically incorrect while doing so, and also using “by” instead of “but” in the third sentence.
Of course, that’s all a distraction from more relevant points, and people who criticize posts or comments on the grounds of spelling or grammar generally are doing so because they can’t make any significant criticism of the actual substance of the post (or comment) …
I’m in agreement with Kral above - I have no real issue with a candidates finances being subject to reasonable investigation. On the other hand, Oien has, to date, given me no reason to consider her as a choice other than she isn’t Glassman, and some reasons she thinks that’s a good thing.
I’m not sure I agree with her on that point.
October 21st, 2007 at 11:41 am
Emil -
Yep…I missed the fourth “s.” Thank you for your concern.
Although…I didn’t add the second “i” the way you allege…sloppy indeed.
October 21st, 2007 at 12:56 pm
If the Oien mailer is the problem, then you can just as easily say that her banner statement, “Action Not Promises” is intended to slam Trasoff and Uhlich who didn’t like the garbage tax prior to their election but have since grown quite fond of it. That’s what I saw in that statement.
I guess we could argue that the mailer is full of all kinds of messages, but I fail to see how it’s a whole lot worse than most of them. I’d say it’s about average. I had already recycled it when I read this post.
BTW, Tedski, leave Britney alone.
October 22nd, 2007 at 7:57 am
Unfortunately for Oien, campaigning “negatively” against Glassman has hurt her campaign. Too bad she didn’t just stick to her qualifications and the issues affecting the City.
October 22nd, 2007 at 10:54 pm
It’s funny that the lefties on this blog are all on “Oien attack” mode. If this is such a lopsided race why would you worry. I’d think Napolitano would be happy having her picture with Oien–it would be good for her reputation to be seen with such a fine person as Lori. Just like it’s good for your reputation to have Emil posting on your website. Brings some class to the joint.
October 23rd, 2007 at 7:51 am
Flipper,
We are just vagrants and have little else to do. Not worried at all, this is just boring as hell election season (with no offense to the candidates). In fact, I would ask the same about the crowd that is fighting proposition 200 with what is reported to be about 3/4 of a million bucks. It is isn’t passing, are they just bored too?
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