Just more sour grapes from Jim Lacy, who got whipped by Harkey and can't seem to move on. It will never fly.

Harkey spent an obscene amount of money to buy her city council seat, an obscene amount to run for Senate as a no-experience candidate, yet has a history of tax liens and now faces a recall in her own town. If this is the best the Republican establishment has to offer, no wonder we're losing ground to the Dems and "decline to state" voters.

This is the best Lacy can come up with? Diane isn't my favorite person, but this is pretty transparent.

Diane is a very intelligent person. She works hard and should be given the appropriate credit. I am confident she will fight the tax and spend liberals in Sacramento. She has my 100% support. As to the folks who own complain about being evicted from a "mobile" home park, you purchased a coach knowing you were on a short time lease, but you did it anyways so you could live by the beach. That was your risk. You could leave the park with a short term notice. Now you want a hand out. Shame on you for not taking responsibilty of your own actions.

Looks like money can't buy love!

Although it has bought a council seat, an expensive Senate loss, and endorsements from many who she has donated to.

If enough citizens from her own city think she should be recalled, then she should be.

The prospect of another assemblymember from OC who only knows how to do and say what any party tells them would be no loss. How about someone who sticks to their own principles and works for what is good for OC?

"How about someone who sticks to their own principles and works for what is good for OC?"

We are out there... just not as entrenched and well known as others.

Richard Rios

Will this shake Cassie DeYoung out of the "undecided to run" category? Being recalled by her own city voters would deal a serious blow to Harkey's assembly bid one would think.

This will be interesting to watch.

Finally, all has come home to roost with one who considers herself the ruling class.

Karl- I seriously doubt that she will be recalled--But the idea of starting recalls against city councilmembers who happen to be running for the Assembly is an interesting one. I may look into that.

When Jeff Miller & Diane Harkey are in the Assembly their may be a few other recalls in South OC. Have a great night Karl.

Maybe Diane should recall Lacy? Opps! She already did.

Cassie would be a much better choice for the seat. While I might not agree with her on much, she understands the issues. She does her homework and comes to meetings prepared and informed on the agenda before her. The same cannot be said of Harkey, one only has to sit in on a meeting she chairs to see how lost she is. Not only in protocol which while bothersome, is not really important, but on the issues.

She just doesn't get most of what she is voting on. And before everybody rushes to her defense, go to a meeting then blog away.

I have sat in on a Dana Point City Council meeting and thought Mayor Harkey was brilliant. The council was discussing the budget. Mayor Harkey was very well informed, prepared and explained her position on the City's budget in a very detailed way that any fiscal conservative would be proud of.

This recall talk is nothing more than a desperate pathetic man named Jim Lacy trying to make himself feel important again. What a joke.

Harkey's "budget" speech was a script, prepared for her by her paid handlers. At best it was a long-winded rehash of Econ 101 principles. What is really fun to watch is when she goes off the script! Then her lack of brilliance shows through. Why do you think she was absent to avoid the re-call presenters? Because she did not have her prepared script to cover all the possible twists and turns, so she didn't know what to do. Is this the kind of person you want to send to the Lion's Den in Sacramento?

I can understand why those opposing Harkey have to hide their identity to avoid Harkey's vitriolic rath. Why don't all you proud supporters shout out your name(s)....Diane ;)

So Issa's DD, Phil Paule, is now making veiled threats to recall other "city councilmembers who happen to be running for the Assembly..." What's up with that?

Is he really suggesting if Jeff Miller from Corona wins an assembly seat, Miller will retaliate by instituting recalls against the other republican candidates and their supporters?

That's bad form. With that type of rhetoric I can't imagine anyone in OC supporting Jeff Miller.

First of all, having done the day to day operations on the Recall of former Gov Gray Davis, I do know a thing or two about recalls. I would never suggest that anyone be a target of a recall unless they have done something against the public good.
I was just speculating on how the recall could be used at a time when someone is running for higher office as a political tactic, as aparently being done in Dana Point. Trust me one thing I don't do is make veiled threats.

I have to agree with Just Asking.

Diane is clueless when it comes to anything that she has not been prep'd for. She doesn't get the issues on her own and if her facts change, it is a darn good show to watch.

She pays for good counsel, but on her own, it is like watching a good old fashioned train wreck happening in slow motion.

Phil, that's not what your post at 8:35 said.

You said, "...the idea of starting recalls against city councilmembers who happen to be running for the Assembly is an interesting one. I may look into that. When Jeff Miller & Diane Harkey are in the Assembly their may be a few other recalls in South OC..."

How is that comment "just speculating" -- it sure reads like a veiled threat to me...but maybe I'm just slow.

Could you please explain why you would "speculate" there would be a few other recalls in South OC if Jeff Miller is elected? Who would be the target of those recalls and why? What difference does it make whether Jeff Miller is elected?

"""but maybe I'm just slow"""

You are correct !!!!!!

Although a recall against Frank Ury may be fun.

Enough already.

Back to your corners.

Democracy is not well served when paid political professionals try to "drum up" business by threatening recalls, etc.

It is particularly troublesome when out-of-town paid political professionals or people who have been unsuccessful at the ballot box try to sew discontent in our localities simply because they have time on their hands and need something to do.

Mayor Diane Harkey came into our home and presented me with a letter composed by herself for Colleen and me to sign as our own. It was designed to break our attorney/client relationship with our attorney Patrick Evans, who has been handling our grievance with the developers of our former home site, and to accept a settlement not in our best interests. This action of handling me the letter was witnessed by my brother(who is an attorney and an officer of the court). Being that she is the main represenative of the City, the Mayor`s action was totally unethical, not to mention manipulative and calculated.....YES

Robert and Colleen Traphagen

Apparently, there are still those out there who have been so blindsided by soon-to-be ex-Mayor Harkey that they wish us just to move on and look the other way. You may rest assured that the initiative to recall her did not emanate as Jim Lacy's revenge, but rather from a broad and dissatisfied spectrum of Dana Point's constituents.

Without the existence of serious charges, based on documented evidence, the initiative would have gathered no proponents. As it was, room on the page for such proponents ran out long before those constituents eager to sign it. Already, countless people have asked when they will be able to sign the recall itself.

On another note, it is interesting indeed to see how many observers in this blog have commented on the cluelessness of the Mayor in addressing matters which have not been scripted. Just imagine how far she would swim amongst the real sharks up in Sacramento! Hopefully, we'll never have to see that.....

As a long time resident of Dana Point, a recognized author of many books sold around the world, some becoming movies, a former member of the Board of Directors of a major corporation in New York, a president of an international corporation and a director of non-profit foundation to preserve the holy sites of Israel, I do not need to hear malicious attacks against me by one Dana Point Mayor Diane Harkey who had spread rumors that I was a criminal and spent time in jail. This was said in front of residents and the city attorney, Patrick Munoz. Her statement was proven false!

That is defamation of character and represents one of many serious problems that we have with our mayor.

If this was said about any of you as it was about me, you too would be expressing your right to recall the mayor as are thousands of residents who reside in Dana Point. There are dozens of other reasons why this person should be recalled and be disqualified to run for the California state assembly next year.

We need honest people who have integrity and will display ethics at all times to run our government, not arrogant people who have millions of dollars and feel that they can buy their way into leadership positions.

As the saying goes..."Judge not lest you be judged."

This is nothing but a circus act. Diane Harkey is the best thing to happen to the Dana Point City Council in years. Jim Lacy is poor loser. He is a man completely devoid of ideology and has made it his sole mission to exact revenge. That is what this is about, nothing more and nothing less.

- Lacy is a Cry Baby

This is nothing but a circus act. Diane Harkey is the best thing to happen to the Dana Point City Council in years. Jim Lacy is being poor loser. He has made it his sole mission to exact revenge. That is what this is about, nothing more and nothing less.

The only circus act in town is Diane Harkey, who self-serving dog and pony show is almost done. Thank God. It's been torture to watch.

Hmmmm.... another anonymous letter in favor of Diane. How brave. You must really support her or is it you Diane??? Diane Harkey told myself and a group of neighbors what a great person the developer of the Doheny house was. What a great guy. So great she appointed him to the building height task force. Then he allowed her to hold a fundraiser for herself at the Doheny house. How convenient.

I read the articles to recall and Mr. Grunor's post. It really seems like he is using the public policy avenue while and burdening the taxpayers of DP with the costs associated with administering a recall election just because he has a personal grievance with Diane Harkey. I suggest he hires a lawyer and sues her personally—I understand that she and Mr. Harkey have some coin. (Chances are one DP attorney has told him he has no case and the recall would be more embarrassing--gee I wonder who the lawyer was?)
Mr. Grunor, there is a very simple way to "disqualify her from running for the Assembly". Pull papers and run against her in the primary. This primary is ill conceived and not likely to succeed.

Pam Stone's comments are nearly as incoherent as they are contradictory. So Grunor is "administering" a recall? What about all the other proponents on the initiative, and all the other grievances? Does she think if Grunor hires a lawyer it's a good idea or a bad one? And on it goes. Who can tell anything from what she writes? And I wasn't aware until now that the Republican primary next year was ill conceived and not likely to succeed, even though she thinks Grunor should run against Harkey in that primary!!

I could appreciate Martin Wiskol's making fun of this Recall Action of Diane Harkey by indicating that I am either Moses or a Village Idiot. Needless to say, I am only one of thousands who would like to see Mayor Harkey resign and leave politics. I am neither the one who started this 'Recall' nor the only one who had to bite the bullet from Ms. Harkey's malicious attacks.

I am just the messenger who stood before the city council and hoped to present the Recall Papers to the mayor. But she defiantly and blatantly decided to call in sick and not face the music as she has done in the past.

I cannot speak for others in the city who oppose or support Ms. Harkey. It is up to them to stand up and sign the Recall Petition and vote the mayor out of office.

We do not live in a perfect world, but it is our right to stand up against anyone who uses his or her power to threaten and attack us without due cause. As long as we live in a free society, we are able to voice our opinion as others in this column have done, and that is our freedom of speech.

I don't proclaim to be Moses nor am I a Village Idiot as that inexperienced 25 year old Brooke Adams who ran for the job of governor had stated. I am just a resident of Dana Point who wishes to live in peace and harmony without having our elected officials use their new powers unethically to run our cities, our states or our nation. We must fight for our freedom and our rights, always.

If you want to see the parting of the Red Sea, then come to the Recall Election in February.

As my Jewish mother used to say at every Jewish Holiday..."They tried to kill us...we won...let's eat!"

Jerry A. Grunor
Dana Point

There seems to be a pattern with Harkey. She uses us (twenty dedicated people to help get her elected into City Council)...She tells us that she is our friend and is going to help us...And then stabs us in the back by taking big money from developers and other special interest groups to get her elected into State Assembly and tells us that there will be "back lash" to our group. This sounds like a threat to me. She also tries to be a friend to Kathy and Malcom Wilson and others regarding the "Historical Doheny House" and stabs them in the back as well. She uses a felon developer to attempt to tear it down. But thank God that residents saw thru her manipulative ways and will save the Doheny House. Want more? Go to a Google search and punch in : RW Hertel/Point Center Financial. Ron Hertel is also a convicted felon and a developer, and borrows money from Harkey as reported in topix, Lompoc,CA. This paticular developer did shady construction on a new homes project at Nipomo Homes up North. Why does Harkey have dealing way up North with a felon developer. I recommend you do your homework. SO...YES WE SHOULD RECALL THE MAYOR HARKEY AND LET THE VOTERS DECIDE ABOUT HER ETHICS.

Most interesting, Point Center Financial, Inc. is Diane Harkey's and her hubby's business whom by the way has been mentioned as a un-indicted suspect's in the Corona matter, and RW Hertel has a long History of secret loans and donations to Harkey as long as he keeps getting his loans from Harkey and Point Center she should be recalled and both with Hertel are in the eyes of the Gov't it is only time before they come crashing down... as well RW Hertel & Sons has and is the ongoing subject of many investigations from defective home building, Fraud, Threats, Intimidation, child porn etc..