You can't post on This Just in so I will post here... The Sunroad press release shows some serious contempt (I don't know if the word cajones is allowed: Scott?) for a company that does millions of dollars in business with San Diego Citizens every year. I would think it would SOOOOOOOOOOO cool if Mr. Lewis and his band of crafty writers posted a list of all the retail establishments that Mr. Feldman owns so San diegans could decide what they think of his regard for the law (by not shopping there, so don't do anything crazy people). Because I'd be willing to bet that if people stopped buying his cars or whatever, he might take a different position and stop being so well... difficult.

Posted by Basic Civics | reply to this comment
June 21, 2007 9:10 am

Indeed. The UT's coverage is abysmal, although so far on this issue much more indepth than Evan's, which isn't saying much (again, so far). They can always blame the headline writer, but the lead paragraph is even worse, and suggests either a bad motive or journalistic incompetence. Sanders has a rough go of it with the press in this town, at least the "journalists", whether its the UT or the Voice. The big story today is Sanders' rebuke of Aguirre, but one just can't be bothered, I suppose, when there are personal agendas at work in the newsroom.

Posted by Ronald Truman | reply to this comment
June 21, 2007 9:27 am

The mayor must believe that he will definitely recall all the erroneous statements and actons he took concerning SunRoad and his association with Aaron Felder. There is not doubt he is going to lay this entire mess on Mike Aguirre bu I opine that tactic is going to backfire. I believe he is falling right into Aguirre's web; this is exactly what Aguirre wants because he has documents backing up his contentions that there is/was corruption emanating from the mayor's office. If perchance the AG investigation convenes a State grand jury, Tom Story, Feldman, Sexton Escobar-eck, Jim waring, Ronne Froman,et al. will be placed under oath and believe me, these folks will not perjure themselves for Sanders. If he did, Sanders should never have listened to anyone in his office.

Posted by Peter D. | reply to this comment
June 21, 2007 9:41 am

Sanders hasn't realized he has an easy solution to the whole Sunroad fiasco. He should just let Lansdowne measure the building and give a report. I'm sure it would come in far less than even 100 feet. PROBLEM SOLVED.

Posted by Larry | reply to this comment
June 21, 2007 9:48 am

Evan has done more now, but I guess the money quote from Sanders about Aguirre was just too hot for him? "It is fine to disagree on issues and on the decisions that each of us make in the discharge of our responsibilities. The city has a number of issues that are contentious and on which people of good judgment can disagree. Such disagreement is proper and is healthy. It is entirely another thing to abuse the authority of your office in order to intimidate and/or silence those who disagree with you; to abuse the authority of your office to achieve your political objectives--no matter how high-sounding they are."

Posted by Followup | reply to this comment
June 21, 2007 11:02 am

Wait, I thought I read somewhere that the mayor of San Diego is corrupt... So? Isn't that obvious? Hasn't that always been the case? Haven't all the little local politicians been easily bought since Spreckles and Horton began tossing pennies at their feet to make politicians do their bidding? Most telling is the outrage that Aguirre elicits from the ruling class establishment and their minions in city government. They must be in really awful shape if they are freaking out so bad! What's up with the screaming and crying about Aguirre -- he is on to something. Froman leaves, Jay Goldstone is weighted down like the doggy in the Grinch x-mas story, Sanders is flip-flopping worse than ever, and the PR side of the mayor's office now seems to be filled with infighting, is perceived as crumbling. Municipal Earthquake!

Posted by Christopher Hall | reply to this comment
June 21, 2007 11:02 am

Scott, This is about Aguirre's ethics (or lack thereof); not about the Mayor's politcal status. What has Aguirre actually accomplished? It's my understanding that the claim he's made about what he has accomplished (de La Fuente) was work actually done by others before Aguirre came along. What is really important here is that Aguirre is using intimidation tactics the same way that Elliot Spitzer has done in New York. Aguirre's ethics (at a minimum) are to be questioned; not the Mayor's politcal posture on this.

Posted by Mike L. | reply to this comment
June 21, 2007 11:34 am

Mike Agguire asked the Attorney General to investigate this matter weeks ago, then asked the Governer to have the A/G investigate. I don't think the Mayor is corrupt, but I do think Sunroad was counting on Tom Story's influence on the Developement Services Dept. and the City of San Diego's "climate of corruption" to get this project through.

Posted by Steve K | reply to this comment
June 21, 2007 10:35 pm

Basic Civics, somebody else posted this list of Sunroad businesses in the UT comments: Pacific Honda, Toyota Chula Vista, Scion Chula Vista, Kearny Mesa Ford, Kearny Mesa Infiniti, Kearny Mesa Subaru, Kearny Mesa Hyundai, Kearny Mesa Kia and Toyota California in Tijuana Maderas Golf Club in Poway. Sunroad Resort Marina

Posted by Larry | reply to this comment
June 21, 2007 11:33 pm

Thanks Larry... Now I guess that we can see whether sunroad is a real or manufactured politcal issue. I am curious to see if the public really cares or if this issue is one of political sport than anything else.

Posted by Basic Civics | reply to this comment
June 21, 2007 11:53 pm

If the mayor has been poorly served by incompetence in the Development Services Department, perhaps its time to identify those individuals who screwed up and fire them. Then reorganize all the city's land use planning and development approval functions in one department more accountable than DSD has proven to be.

Posted by Watcher | reply to this comment
June 22, 2007 12:06 am

I wouldn't be so quick to blame staff for "misleading the mayor". I think they just gave bad advice, that is a different situation. The fact that the Mayor didn't consider/or give enough weight to other opinions is probably what did him him. I think that everybody loses sight of the fact that this was just one of many judgement calls the guy makes and unfortunately for him he really made a bad call on this case.

Posted by Baisc Civics | reply to this comment
June 22, 2007 12:32 am

Watcher, I fully agree with you!

Posted by Wonderful | reply to this comment
June 22, 2007 5:44 am

Mark my word, Mayor will be cleared by the cover up that the local attorney general will do in the investigation of the aguirre alegation. What you will see happen is mayor will be cleared, then the AG will go after aguirre and get him debarred, then mayor sanders will walk out of the whole thing squeeky clean. Thats the republican american dream!

Posted by LMG | reply to this comment
June 22, 2007 12:31 pm

LMG..you seem afar too jaded to offer any meaningful comment. First, we don't have a "local" attorney general. We have a state attorney general. That person, Gerry Brown, is a democrat, just like Aguirre and unlike Sanders. So much for your arguement.

Posted by Jack | reply to this comment
June 23, 2007 12:44 am

Ahh...Jack, we do have a local Attorney General office - downtown San Diego. Inside that office works many Assistant Attorneys General, and yes, they would be considered local. Hope this helps.

Posted by Billy Bob Henry | reply to this comment
June 23, 2007 10:12 pm

Jack- My apology, but It is being investigated by the San Diego Branch Attorney Generals Office, Yes I know Brown is a democrat and he's not doing the corruption investigation, his san diego OFFICE is, which will give him the report. Brown Hates aguirre so trust me it will be covered up in Mayor sanders favor.

Posted by LMG | reply to this comment
June 24, 2007 12:12 am

Oh, give it a rest BBH. No, you don't help. It seems you never do. I know there is an AG office in San Diego. They work for Brown, who is ultimately responsible for the investigation. So much for the REPUBLICAN conspiracy to which LMG refers. It doesn't surprise me that Brown can't stand Aguirre. Nobody can...except for you that is.

Posted by Jack | reply to this comment
June 24, 2007 5:26 am

Jack-I was pointing out your mistakes....as for no one liking Mike A but me, well, lets just see what happenes when Mike is RE ELECTED!

Posted by Billy!! | reply to this comment
June 24, 2007 10:18 pm

I expect no corruption will be found by the AG. They have already sort of taken a position by siding with the DA and Police Chief on the search warrant issue awhile back.

Posted by MO | reply to this comment
June 25, 2007 9:07 am

That's not a Union-Tribune story. It was the work of City News Service. Here's the U-T story that ran in the next day's paper: link

Posted by Tom | reply to this comment
June 26, 2007 10:57 pm

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