I was called last week by two people in connection with Mia-gate. Each of them explained that they had been asked to attend tomorrows City Council Meeting and decry the Public Records Request for Councilmember Gregerson’s e-mails. Both said they were supportive of my request and simply wanted to let me know of the artificial furor that was going to be generated.
The City Council has no authority to stop my FOIA request. Not only that, those opposing the request know that there is nothing that will convince me to drop the request.
So why are they doing this? Simple. The politics of distraction. They would like to shift the focus onto the request itself instead of on the pending results.
Those opposing the Public Records Request may parade a few people up there decrying the request, but their arguments are easily batted aside. They will say how Mia apologized to Leonard Luna umpteen times and try to make this an argument about Leonard. The truth is that this request was not initiated by Leonard and will go forward no matter how that situation is resolved. They will talk about how much this costs. Remember this. The city just bought a superfluous building for $12 million because it was “a good price.” That purchase generated two huge Public Records Requests – far larger requests than mine. If they want to cry costs hold them accountable for the costs they generated.
The public expects a certain amount of maturity and decorum from City Council Members. The Council should be ecstatic for the request, right? IF they were acting as they should and as we should expect there would be nothing to hide. Instead, they fear the exposure of who they really are.
True character is shown by how you act when you do not think anyone will know about it. We will soon know.
-Mike
I sat through the city council meeting tonight. I had hoped that Council member Gregerson would do the right thing and resign with her dignity intact.
She did not.
sigh
Time to return some calls and file a FOIA request.
-Mike
Over the last few weeks I have thought carefully about what my personal goals are for the City of SeaTac and this blog. I care deeply about the city and have no wish to air the city’s or the city council’s dirty laundry unless it serves as a vehicle to better the city.
Because of this, I have delayed returning calls to the downtown television station about the untold story of Mia Gregerson. I have also delayed submitting my FOIA request on the untold story.
What am I waiting for?
Tuesday night.
Ms. Gregerson, I am calling on you to resign from the city council on Tuesday night. I know why you should. You know why you should. I am hoping you do the right thing.
-Mike
I received a call yesterday from a Seattle television station (yes, a station that begins it’s call letters with a ‘K’) about the as-yet-unreported Mia Gregerson story. The Highline Times is also aware of the story.
I am filing the Public Records Disclosure Request today about it also.
You deserve to know and will know all the details soon.
-Mike
The following is my response to the Highline Times and is posted here and after the article. It is linked here.
On March 31, the e-mails were exchanged between Councilmember Gregerson and Mr. Leonard Luna. I was informed of the e-mails and, after talking to several people, found that the Councilmember had been rude and insensitive to other people, even so far that one person had her e-mails automatically sent to the trash folder.
Because of this, I felt it important to find out just how bad the problem was. On April 1, I filed a Public Disclosure Act request for her e-mails. I was told it would take some time as I was behind two other significant requests.
I originally thought I would drop the request had Councilmember Gregerson resigned. But since that time, I have been strongly pressured to drop the request. This leads me to believe there is far more to the e-mails than a few “witty” comments disguised as clumsy insults. It is best for all of us to know what the e-mails contain, even if it costs the councilmember and some city staff their jobs. This story is now about the contents of the e-mails, no matter how the issue is resolved with Mr. Luna.
By the way, a very large and telling part of the story has not yet been publicly told, but will be soon.
Tony Anderson has decided to assist Councilmember Gregerson. The truth is that his statements are simply a political diversionary tactic. He seems unusually adept at being a politician. For example, he claims to speak for the whole council (really?). He throws a red herring that this has something to do with people wanting a strong mayor. He claims that a city that just bought an unnecessary building for $12 million is going to lose money by putting some e-mails on a CD.
What do the e-mails contain? That is the key. Everything else is just Slick Tony’s Sideshow.
Wow, really?
The Highline Times published an on-line story about Councilmember Gregerson. Link.
Witty definately would not have been the word I would have used.
A heck of a lot more to come.
-Mike
Tonight, Ms. Gregerson made the politically expedient move and staged an apology to Mr. Luna at the city council meeting. She then failed to show character by following her words with any action – like resigning from the council.
There is much more to the story of course. I am waiting to verify one very large part of the story before posting it here. I had hoped she would resign and save me the need to do so. As soon as I get the verified information I will post it here.
The rest of the story goes like this. Fixseatac has been in semi-hibernation. Then one day I get a copy of the e-mail Ms. Gregerson sent to Leonard calling him a “lunatic.” Her response to Leonard can be seen one of two ways. One, she was arrogant enough to think she could call a SeaTac voter a “lunatic” with impunity. Or, two, she was calling Mr Luna a “lunatic” to someone else and accidently sent it to Leonard. If that is the case it is very revealing of her true nature.
After some investigation, I became aware there are other e-mails from her floating around. Because of that, I filed a Public Records Request for all e-mails sent and received by her since taking office. I am becoming more and more convinced that those e-mails will cost her her office and possibly some city employees their jobs. It will take some time for me to get them but when I do so will you.
More to come.
-Mike
In light of the latest incident, many are calling on Mia Gregerson to resign from the SeaTac city council. Those who have dealt with Mrs. Gregerson over the years know that she is not cut out for being on the city council. She is a bad combination of uninformed, entitled and abrasive.
So, what was the latest? Leonard Luna sent the SeaTac City counsel an e-mail. The e-mail was simple. Here it is.
Seems pretty tame right? A concerned citizen looking for answers from an unresponsive city government. An e-mail that was not specifically addressed to any specific council member. The response? One word.
Lunatic? Really? There is no excuse for a city council member to act like this. Ever. SeaTac deserves better. This is not the first time for this type of behavior from her.
More to come.
-Mike
I have taken a break from the blog since the election. But, the vacation is over.
Tonight the city will take some actions on the farce that is the eminent domain of the Cassan property. A city that spends next to nothing in the budget to add sidewalks is looking to spend $25 million to put ANOTHER parking lot next to the airport – an one that cannot even be used for people going to the airport.
The Seattle Times agrees. Their editorial supporting common sense is here. I imagine that people like Ralph Shape are thickheaded enough to ignore common sense and the wishes of the residents and try to push it forward anyway. Without a doubt he is one of the worst SeaTac city counsel members that have been elected.
I doubt that Shape and company have been to Burien to see how that downtown has turned out so far. Drive around. See for yourself. The business space is sitting vacant. Vacancy rates in Seattle are 22%. Knowing this you want to squeeze more money out of the residents of SeaTac to create more empty space? And why? Who is going to go there, Pay for Parking, and visit some shops when they can head to Southcenter?
This should be put up to a vote.
-Mike
