Robinson’s Remarkable Claim About Ethics, Accountability

After four years of Adam Nick trying to clean up City Hall, Dwight Robinson sent out a flier last week in which he and running mate Francisco Barajas touted themselves as “Dedicated Public Watchdogs.”

Please, someone hand me a blue plastic bag.

Robinson is no more a public watchdog than he is a starting guard for the Lakers.

Here’s the verbiage: “Dedicated Public Watchdogs who support more accountability at City Hall and tougher ethical standards for city officials.”

Robinson had a chance to vote for tougher ethical standards in 2013 when it was proposed by Nick -- but Robinson voted against it.

He had a chance to support more accountability, fiscal and otherwise, at City Hall – but he voted against it.

He had a chance to ban Council members from taking corporate money – but he voted against it.

He had a chance to require Council members disclose their financial ties – but he voted against it.

He had a chance to adopt a Sunshine ordinance to keep government transparent and honest – but he voted against it.

Robinson had his chance to prove then what he claims now – but he voted against it.

So now voters are supposed to believe him in 2016?

Mistruth in Advertising

Even though he was part of a Council majority during his entire tenure and could have passed any legislation he desired, Robinson didn’t bring any of his verifiable 2012 campaign promises before the Council for consideration, and in some cases voted against his campaign promises when they were introduced by Nick.

Robinson got the vote of the people, and then ignored the promises that got him elected. He betrayed the trust of those who voted him into office.

Now, Robinson is taking credit for supporting more accountability and tougher ethical standards? Is there nothing this guy won’t take -- or steal -- credit for?

Yes, there is.

In all of his campaign literature this election season, Dwight Robinson doesn’t mention that he voted to keep Lake Forest with the notorious high-kill animal shelter, Orange County Animal Care. That decision was one of the biggest issues the Council faced in his four years, but he wants to sweep that under the rug; every other city in South Orange County has tried to get out of using OCAC, and all but San Juan Capistrano and Lake Forest have managed to do so.

But there was political benefit to his vote. Keeping Lake Forest with OCAC purchased an endorsement from four county supervisors, the kind of payback that a real public watchdog should be barking at.

One of those supervisors, Todd Spitzer, is quoted on the campaign flier: “Let’s make a strong statement against corruption by electing two Councilmembers who will treat all residents with the respect we deserve.”

I agree. Elect Adam Nick and Leah Basile. That’s because Spitzer is part of the same good ol’ boys network that Robinson enjoys, where backs are scratched and egos stroked and reputations protected at all costs.

Spitzer probably had no idea that a neighborhood showed up at a City Council meeting and asked that fixing the dangerous arterial through their community be put on an agenda to be discussed – but Robinson refused.

Spitzer probably had no idea that the constructor on that road had money funneled into Robinson’s election campaign.

Spitzer probably had no idea that Robinson suddenly had a change of heart when he was served with recall papers.

Spitzer probably had no idea that Robinson didn’t have the conviction of his decision to insist the road not be changed.

Spitzer either had no idea, in which case one could argue that he’s clueless, or he knew all the facts, thus one could argue that he’s as corrupt as Robinson by providing an edorsement.

The Circle of Political Life

What does it look like from a supervisor’s ivory tower or a simple resident’s seat in the nosebleed section when a city council takes a couple thousand dollars from Athens Services and then awards a $250,000 contract to it? That’s Robinson and the street sweeper in Lake Forest, which got a lot of bang for their 8000 bucks of campaign contribution.

Or what about Robinson’s role in bringing on an outside law firm to defend the City against Nick, and whose partner just happens to be the chairman of the OC GOP, Fred Whitaker. And the firm submitted false evidence against Nick to the court. And Whitaker lied about Nick during the recall and election campaigns. And Whitaker pushed for Robinson to be on the South Coast Air Quality Management District. And Robinson has a business that could benefit from relaxed air quality control. And Robinson voted to roll back years of clean air improvements. And Whitaker gave Robinson an award for local politician of the year.” And Whitaker’s law firm is eyeing the Lake Forest contract to become the City Attorney.

Do you think Spitzer recognizes the appearance of corruption, or is he too blinded by all the zeroes in that contract for OCAC? Ah, the fight against corruption goes full circle.

But what about Robinson’s role over the weekend, skulking about Bake Parkway after midnight, apparently taking down campaign signs belonging to Nick and Basile? After Robinson was told by Adam Nick that he had been observed by an Orange County Sheriff’s Deputy removing a few illegal signs in 2014, Robinson called on Nick to resign the next day. An investigation hadn’t even begun, and when all the information came out, the charges that were made four months later were dropped.

But that’s the knee-jerk reaction Robinson has to things that rub him the wrong way.

Consider the Stater Brothers incident and whether Robinson is the arbiter of justice you want at City Hall.

Respect for the People

When a senior citizen collecting recall signatures outside Stater Brothers Grocery was sucker punched, the attacker posted a video on social media claiming she had been victimized by the man who came to Merijoe Axelrod’s defense. Robinson and Andrew Hamilton both sympathized with Cindy Hamilton and accused Axelrod and Josh Vizcay of being thugs. Yet Axelrod was the victim and Vizcay the defender in a situation that never should have happened.

An article published almost immediately had the story correct at the time, and video eventually proved it. But Robinson, the “dedicated public watchdog,” got it wrong from the outset. He never apologized to those he defamed despite holding the honorable and respected position of councilman. He abused the authority of his opinion.

It’s hard to know what corruption Spitzer, a former district attorney who hopes to eventually be the county’s No. 1 prosecutor, is talking about. With an endorsement of Robinson, it’s hard to know if Spitzer would even recognize corruption. He certainly doesn’t recognize “the respect we deserve.”

Just as Axelrod and Vizcay were dismissed as villains and the quest for truth shown no respect, Robinson showed no concern for the community in Portola Hills last October.

That’s when he turned his back on the community when they showed up at City Council meetings pleading for help on the Saddleback Ranch Road issue. On one hand, Robinson says his primary function is to protect the public safety, but on the other hand, he wants to ignore a tragedy waiting to happen.

That’s not a show of respect, but a show of contempt.

Robinson’s failure to break ranks with Hamilton and Scott Voigts – collectively, the Gang of 3 – and cast a vote to simply discuss Saddleback Ranch Road at a Council meeting triggered the recall against them. Not even one time has Robinson ever broken ranks to vote with Nick or Gardner against his other two gang members.

The recall, Spitzer should be told, was a nasty affair. Hamilton created copycat Facebook sites in an effort to deceive residents and hijack them while looking for the original information sites. Hamilton also secretly videotaped citizens, edited video for his personal use, and posted it on the internet to embarrass some, misrepresent others, and to prove whatever “point” he was trying to make.

Not once did Robinson try to hold Hamilton accountable for the ethical missteps. Yet perhaps Spitzer could help us define whether Hamilton’s actions treated “all residents with the respect we deserve,” and whether Robinson’s the leader to do that.

“Integrity We Can Depend On”

Robinson, who is claiming “Integrity We Can Depend On” in this flier, financially supported the anti-recall Nick is Nuts smear campaign. In it, fliers, mailers, and fake “newspapers” were created – not to defend the record of those being recalled, but to smear Nick for being a bad guy and (incorrectly) being behind the recall. At least, that’s the way it started.

By the time the Nick is Nuts campaign ended, it had smeared Nick, Gardner and the residents of Lake Forest. It mocked immigrants and those who legally changed their names to fit in better in America. It played fast and loose with the truth, focusing on lies and half-truths to build a culture of hate toward Nick and to a lesser degree Gardner. It created imaginary content from imaginary sources to prey on the fears of residents, whether they be concerns about terrorism, finances or their public safety.

Perhaps worst of all, the campaign that Robinson financially supported and publicly endorsed, called residents who supported the recall “thugs” and pedophiles.

Spitzer condoned such an action and attitude. Even though he apparently believes government should make a strong statement against corruption and elect Councilmembers who will treat all residents with the respect they deserve, not once did the supervisor speak out against such reprehensible behavior.

And this guy wants to be the district attorney?

Apparently, protecting a Republican brother was more important than standing up for what is decent.

Robinson knew how bad the Nick is Nuts campaign was. He told a reporter after the recall period – thus ensuring he got the full benefit of its racist, hateful message – that he thought it was “over the top.”

Yet Robinson has the audacity to print on glossy card stock that he has “Integrity We Can Depend On” but didn’t have enough integrity to condemn a campaign of hate during the many opportunities he had to do so. Residents showed up at City Hall asking, “What the hell is this?”

And Robinson sat in silence.

The one thing you don’t see in Robinson’s political fliers is his record of achievement. It’s because there is none. He’s a champion of nothing with a lot of hollow endorsements built on four years of political opportunism.

He betrayed the trust of the people with his broken promises.

He dismissed their fears with his apathy.

He cheated them with his condescension.

And now, he wants another four years of your time.

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