'James Ross' Lies About City Clerk Comments to Protect Robinson

The Dictator of Deceit, Mayor Andrew Hamilton, once again writing as blogger “James Ross,” has used an 11th hour ploy to try to protect Dwight Robinson as questions about his integrity take center stage as the election nears.

And it’s an absolute lie.

In his latest article, “James Ross” responded to the story that the Fair Political Practices Commission was investigating Dwight Robinson for not disclosing his financial interests.

In doing so, “James Ross” – there are no registered voters in Lake Forest by that name -- wrote about City Clerk Stephanie Smith: “I feel she thinks the FPPC complaint against Dwight Robinson has ZERO merit and the FPPC will find it completely baseless.”

The article was published in time for Lake Forest resident and former City Council candidate Col. Tom Cagley (ret.) to call Smith on Monday, about 4:30 p.m., and ask her directly.

The “James Ross” blog is untrue, according to Cagley and, apparently, Smith.

“I don’t know how he could interpret my feelings because I don’t have any feelings,” Cagley recalled Smith telling him. “I don’t know where he got the word ‘feel’ from.”

An attempt to reach Smith before closing time at City Hall failed.

"James Ross" said the Smith attribution was based on his "personal opinion and my discussion with the City Clerk."

According to Cagley, Smith was called Monday “by three gentlemen, none of whom would leave his name. She told them all the proper forms had been filed and on time by all candidates. She told me she had read the ‘James Ross’ post.”

“She said she never said a word about the FPPC and Robinson, that’s not her job, that’s up to the FPPC,” Cagley said.

The investigation into Robinson was sparked by a sworn complaint, unlike those leading to investigations of Council candidate Leah Basile, Councilman Jim Gardner in 2014, and former Council candidates Cagley and Liz Miller, also in 2012. All those complaints were made by the same person, “James Huston.”

It’s believed that “James Huston,” like the pen name “James Ross,” is one of the many aliases used by Hamilton.

Such deception is in character for Hamilton, who refused to answer a direct question from the public, “Are you James Ross,” during the last City Council meeting. Twice Hamilton tried to give the public speaker the bum’s rush from the podium rather than answer yes or no.

During the recall of him, Robinson and Scott Voigts, Hamilton created two Facebook sites that were copycats of existing sites in an effort to confuse residents and hijack visitors; on the copycat sites was information opposing to the recall.

Hamilton also secretly videotaped citizens, including women, while talking to them and manipulated the interviews for his own purpose before posting to those copycat sites. Hamilton has endorsed Robinson.

Unlike Robinson, who financially backed the Nick is Nuts smear campaign that targeted Nick, Gardner and residents who were called thugs and pedophiles, Hamilton oversaw the daily operations behind the messaging that played fast and loose with the truth, focused on lies and half-truths to build a culture of hate toward Nick and to a lesser degree Gardner, and fabricated content from imaginary sources to prey on the fears of residents whether they be concerns about terrorism, finances or their public safety.

And now, more fabricated content: That the respected City Clerk had somehow cleared Robinson of wrongdoing though it’s clearly not part of her job description and she told Cagley – a real person with a real identity – that “James Ross” put words in her mouth.

According to the complaint against Robinson (FPPC Case No. 2016-19771), it is alleged that:

• On August 11, 2016, Robinson submitted a Form 700 Statement of Economic Interests for his candidacy, as required.
• He previously filed Form 700s prior to his election in 2012.
• He filed annual reports for 2013 an 2014.
• He did not file a report for 2015.
• In the reports he did file, he failed to list two firms he has been affiliated with, Harbor Heavy Haul LLC of Long Beach, and Export Expediters LLC of Long Beach; he is the corporate officer and the agent for service for Export Expediters.
• Robinson violated some or all of Government Code Sections 81004, 87203, 87204, and 87207 as a reportable office holder when he submitted his Form 700s.

Robinson, who is an Orange County representative on the South Coast Air Quality Management District that oversees urban Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, has voted to relax air quality that would benefit his trucking business on the Long Beach Pier as well as oil refineries.

Robinson is running for reelection for one of two seats. His primary opposition is fellow incumbent Nick, who is trying to clean up City Hall and increase transparency and accountability, and Basile, who plans to help Nick. If Nick and Basile are elected, they would join Gardner to provide the three votes necessary to eliminate the perks and leeway that protect Robinson, Hamilton and Voigts and the power they use to cozy up to the County’s Board of Supervisors.

It would also break up the voting majority that ignored concerns about dangerous Saddleback Ranch Road, and voted in favor of committing nearly $1 million to the high-kill Orange County Animal Care and a 10-year commitment to pay about $500,000 annually for services even though all but one other South County city has broken away from the county animal shelter.

On Saturday, 12:35 a.m., a Lake Forest resident thought Robinson was stealing campaign signs belonging to Nick and Basile. He took video of the exchange.

About the author: Martin Henderson won several Los Angeles and Orange County press club awards while an editor at Patch in 2012-13.