Thursday, August 26, 2010

MayorSuttleRecall.com

The folks who plan on “forming a committee” for a recall of Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle held their first presser today and fleshed out, a little, their plans for the recall.

Jeremy Aspen, an Omaha property management company owner (who also hosts a Saturday real estate show on KKAR) stood up as the group’s spokesman (sort of).

Also joining were Nicole Jesse, owner of LaCasa Pizzeria (oh yeah) and Rod Tevis, who described himself as a “lifelong Democrat” and spoke very briefly.

The man behind the curtain, it seemed, was John Chatelain, who was the spokesman along with Tom Jizba of the Metro Omaha Property Owners Assoc (MOPOA -- pronounced “moh-poh-uh”, we discovered) when they released their poll recently.

One nugget that Chatelain gave up during the presser was that one questions was left out of the public release of the MOPA poll:
“Considering the Mayor’s intention to raise property taxes by nearly 10%, and his proposal to raise restaurant sales tax by 4%, would you be willing then to go along with a recall?"
Poll showed people would be willing to go along with it.

Now along with the people at the presser, who are apparently on the committee, Aspen stated that they have two political consultants involved -- Jim Cleary and Pat McPherson.

Also, Mayor Suttle Recall has filed with the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission, and shows Chatelain as their Treasurer.

Also on the form are Aspen, Pam Greer (local floral company owner, and active in Republican politics) and Acela Turco (co-owner, with her husband Jay, of an auto repair business -- Jay was part of an ad last December urging Ben Nelson to vote against the Health Care bill), listed as “Controlling Individuals”. In the group, but not speaking, Republican activist Lee Ann Chinn.

But again, from the presser we got the feeling that while Aspen is the spokesguy, Chatelain is the one running the show.

But we could be wrong.

***

In any case, they set out four to six questions for whether to go forward with a recall campaign:

1) Does recall make sense before waiting until 2013?
2) Can the city otherwise survive under the mismanagement of the current Mayor and his governing against the will of the People?
3) Can they reach the level of funding needed for a campaign?
4) Will they have adequate volunteer support?

Well kids, as they say in the courtroom, you only ask the questions you already know the answers to.

1) Sure.
2) They wouldn’t be there if they thought Suttle was OK.
3) We’d say yes. (Note our earlier post listing, for starters, Mike Simmonds as a seed money guy.)
4) Probably yes. (Though Joe Jordan asked a relevant question regarding whether they will use paid petitioners to get the required signatures. We’d guess the answer is “probably”, but maybe not. )

They said they will announce more in September.
We’re guessing that the September announcement will work towards getting the majority of signatures on Election Day - November 2nd.

***

A few other noteworthy points:

Hal Daub was asked what his thoughts were on a recall.

He noted that back in ‘87, he was against the recall of Mike Boyle.
However...
"But today is a very different story," said Daub. "Whether or not I sign a recall position, I just don't know right now. I have never seen it this bad. It's about leadership."
Nonetheless, the Mayor Suttle Recall guys say they are not a front for Daub, or Nabity, or the Republicans or Democrats.

And they may as well throw in, or Vokal or Stothert or Festersen or many others who would be interested in jumping in the Mayoral campaign waters, if and when it would come to that.

By the by, note that if Suttle is out, then the City Council President (Gary Gernandt) would become acting Mayor, and then the Council would vote on the new interim Mayor.

So, until a special election 90 - 150 days later -- could it be... Mayor Pete Festersen?

Could very easily happen.

And could strengthen someone like Festersen.

Now there’s a discussion for ya.

Have at it kids.

***

Oh, and by the way, yes we saw that recall applications were filed for Councilpeoples Festersen and Stothert. While those may slightly throw some mud in the waters, lets not get too excited. Get back to us when the signatures are in.

51 comments:

Anonymous said...

So, recall applications were filed for Stothert and Festersen and it gets a mere mention as the bottom of the post. To quote... "Get back to us when the signatures are in."

And you devoted an entire post to an exploratory committee?

Street Sweeper said...

We devoted the exact correct amount of the post for each topic.

Exactly.

(And if you think otherwise, you're either dense, naive or just a troll.)

(Or maybe all three!)

-Ed.

Anonymous said...

So the landlords are mad that their property taxes went up, so they want a recall? What exactly is their plan to fix the pension system, the potholes, and budget shortfalls? Put someone else in? There's not merit to this other than Daub's crew of sour grape Republicans looking for every chance they can get to scream recall at the top of their lungs. BORING!

Anonymous said...

The recalls against Stothert and Festersen are a coordinated effort by the Suttle team. Lowen Kruse is a huge Suttle supportert and Chris Carithers is an associate of Kruse.

NE Voter said...

The Red Robin soars again.

This will be fun.

Rob said...

This has nothing to do with Daub and sour grapes. I am a Democrat, I voted for Suttle and I will sign the petition, volunteer to help and give some coin to the effort. Many Omahans realize now we made a mistake. Suttle is not listening and not competent.

Haiku Master said...

Suttle recall planned
The Voters will shall be heard
Mike Boyle not alone

Anonymous said...

Chris Jerram is behind the recall efforts of Stothert and Festersen.

He's been saying he is going to be the next Mayor. Maybe the Kruse effort to recall Suttle is on Jerram's behalf?

Anonymous said...

Hal seems to keep a well employed vineyard with many of the same faces. Perhaps a few of their grapes are a bit sour.

Anonymous said...

What's the over/under on how long before Matt Samp comes back to the playground?

Anonymous said...

Republicans don't care how they get power. Remember Florida 2000. Omhaha has a lot of problems. They have to be paid for. But it is so much easier to blame some one(Suttle) and get the pitch forks out and go looking for witches than to solve those problems.

Anonymous said...

2:15

Every independent recount using every standard imaginable after the Florida elections in 200 came back with the same result. Bush won.

Nice try though. Want to see real voter fraud change an election. I give you Senator Al franken...democrat.

Anonymous said...

Is anyone else wondering if the law was broken by Lowen Kruse? He checked out petitions to recall Suttle and Festerson, but has said her really wants to recall neither, but to highlight our budget woes (apparently because they've been largely undiscussed as of late?). Is that some kind of abuse of process, or fraud? It seems, at a minimum a tad dishonest.

Anonymous said...

No No No Anon 2;22 maybe on FOX news or right wing radio. But National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago examined 175,010 ballots that were in dispute. They were the only one to do this. Repeat the only one too do this. Their studies showed that Gore won by 115 votes. Not much. But an honest win. It does not matter though. The Bush damage is all ready been done. It will take Obama and the democrats many years to clean up the Bush Republican mess. Lets hope that Omaha has more sense to keep a democrat than to give up the ship to a republican. I hate to think Omaha is re named the Titanic

Anonymous said...

Anon 1:36

Actually, I watched the City Council Budget. Jerum was the only one who said is on the council who is not and will not run for mayor. Nobody else denied they were running for mayor.

Anonymous said...

Ha! Jerram has been running all over saying he was going to be the next Mayor. He has a big mouth.

Anonymous said...

2:15 incorrect. There were several different media outlets that examined them all. You can only come up with one to say gore won? And what standard did that one use?

Anonymous said...

Does anyone remember the Allen Iverson press conference several years back where he says something like... "We're talking about practice. We're not talking about the game. Not a game. Not a game. We're talking about practice. Practice."

All I could think about reading this post was... "We're talking about an exploratory committee. An exploratory committee? We're not talking about a recall. We're talking about a committee."

Anonymous said...

Anon 1:36/2:59:

I doubt you're right and suspect you're pushing an agenda since Jerram publicly stated he's not running for mayor and that problem with the council is that too many people on the council are acting like they are. You are obviously pushing an agenda for one of the council member-mayor wannabees.
Nice try.

Nathan said...

In Omaha politics "it never rains but it pours". Things should get interesting around here!

Anonymous said...

More information surfaces on recall extremists:

Rodney Tevis, Mr Harvey Oaks, I sued over my property taxes, but was too cheap to hire a lawyer and lost, appears to be just another property tax crybaby.

Just look him up in the TERC public records widely available on the internet.

Anonymous said...

Sweeper -- the City Council does not select the mayor if the sitting mayor is recalled with more than two full years left in his term. There is a special election, just like the one that was held when PJ Morgan quit.

Meg said...

Anon @ 2:38 and 2:15 -

It's been ten years and two elections. Time to get over it!

Anonymous said...

I agree with Meg. It has been 10 years and two election defeats. It is time to get over Daub.

Sour Grapes of Wrath said...

Been longer than that. Hal Daub hasn't won an election since 1997.

Anonymous said...

327, did you not read what Sweeper posted? An INTERIM Mayor will be selected by the council until a special can be had.

Jerram (and let's spell it right if you are such a fan as to defend him), is vying for the interim Mayor position since he is "the only one not running for Mayor", as if he were the boy calling out the Emporer. Then he can give the labor unions whatever they want and get that UFO, uh, I mean, satellite tax that he's been jonesin' for since he quit jogging.

Jeesh.

Street Sweeper said...

3:27

Wrong.

It's as I put it.

Immediately after vacancy (by recall vote), Council Prez takes over.

Then not less than 30 days, Council picks an Interim.

Then 90 - 150 days after, there's a Special Election.

From: Section 3.06. Filling a Vacancy in the Office of Mayor.

I'll be happy to post the whole section later.

SS

Ambigious said...

Gary and Ace are on the case!!! Suttle's Dynamic Duo I'm sure are on retainer!

Anonymous said...

Is the same Pat McPherson that grabbed the ass of the young lady in the Red Robin costume?

Anonymous said...

When you check out petitions, I believe you attest that you want to remove someone from office. If you aren't REALLY seeking to do so, a crime may have been committed.

Anonymous said...

Actually, I think that's the same Pat Mc who was aquitted of wrongdoing, to be clear.

Anonymous said...

Actually, I think that's the same Pat Mc who was aquitted of wrongdoing, to be clear.

Anonymous said...

It still hurt him though, he lost his job as the Election Commissioner over the matter if I recall.

Ricky said...

I wonder about that; Festersen getting voted Mayor by the council if and when the recall happens.
I bet Gernandt would get the nod.
But boy those Repubs are sore losers. Can't win a Mayorship and so they take it out on the guy who is doing the hard work.
What did Stothert do to get recalled again?
The whole thing is a waste of time. It won't happen unless they pay signature gatherers.
And that takes a lot of cash. Maybe Ricketts will throw in a bunch?

Ricky From Omaha

Millard Resident said...

Vote Mike Kennedy off Millard School Board.

Nathan said...

Ricketts doesn't mind throwing his money around for lost causes. See Campaign, 2006 for reminder.

Anonymous said...

I smell sexism and fear regarding the Stothert "recall". btw: why isnt the Omaha Public school board being recalled? Sandra Jensen and Mary Ellen Drickey have ruined OPS and need to go before their 2012 elections.

Anonymous said...

1:03 PM, August 26, 2010 is right. Plus Kruse is a very suspect person in the christian community in Omaha. more of a Jim Wallis than a Charles Stanley type of christian.

Anonymous said...

To 2:09: I think Samp never left the sandbox

To 5:10: He allegedly played with a robin

Laughing said...

Recall Jean Stothert...lol...lol....lol....lol....lol...lol...lol. She has the highest approval rating on the council. Good luck guys, Remember no ladies at the fire station after dark.

Anonymous said...

Stothert is always making a fool of herself.

Anonymous said...

Actually the fools are mulligan and jerram. Now you guys go back to polishing your hoses.

haiku master said...

Firefighters on net
Sending comments on L Street
Pathetic spikers

Oh mander said...

Anyone see Mulligan's quote from the council meeting the other day. When talking about the police contract he said,
"These contracts are not like treaties with the Indians that we can casually tear up and ignore."

WTF?

Anonymous said...

Why did my comment about Lazyman Brent Smoyer get deleted last night? It's totally relevant to Nebraksa politics, wasn't obscene, and didn't have a hyperlink. You want to complain how state employee Ian Russell shouldn't be working for White's campaign on taxpayer dollars, why should Lazy Smoyer be working on his own campaign on taxpayer dollars?

Anonymous said...

9:28 PM, August 26, 2010 is right about Mulligan and Jerram. both have been a joke since day one

NE Voter said...

David Nobody having a psychotic breakdown on KFAB this past hour.

IMO, of course.

Have a great weekend, ya'll!

Anonymous said...

When isn't David Nobody haven't a breakdown of sorts somewhere on the air.

That's another thing. What kind of rate is he getting to have his name put out there so many times?

I'm sure that he is nowhere near the recall of the mayor even though he's been paving the way and carrying the water for it all these many months.

Anonymous said...

Did Tom White really block the reforms to the CIR last session in the legislature? I only caught a few minutes of KFAB last Friday, but I think someone mentioned that another State Senator tried to level the playing field for local municipalities at the CIR and Tom White blocked the measures.

Anybody got anything on this?

Anonymous said...

Meg - since when does personal responsibility have a time limit? Are criminals not guilty of their crimes forever? Why should we stop pointing out that the main cause of all the economic woes happening right now pre-dates this president?

George Bush set the country on its current path. He and his super rich cronies made huge profits off the rest of us - how's your 401K doing? It was his wars that were off budget, his tax cuts for the wealthy that bankrupted the nation, his Medicare program that ignited health spending, his Party that partied with the lobbyists to get it all done.

I just wonder why we need to stop pointing out history just because an election has come and gone. I think most people are over the stolen 2000 election - they just can't recover from what it started.

Can anyone imagine what our country would be like if he were never president? Any other person - D or R - wouldn't have done what he did with the wars and the budget and the deficit and the debt. Is anyone out there still defending his legacy? (I mean, besides the legions of liars trying to blame Obama for the eight years of Bush's leadership.)

Anyone who denies that our current fiscal crisis is 100% the responsibility of George Bush and the Republican Congress is just turning a blind eye to reality.

DadAspen said...

We will NOT be using paid petitioners. I think that's important to mention.

The rationale is that if it's not grass roots it's not real. If it's not real we don't want to bother w/ the recall. And that, friends, is because there is no hidden political agenda.

Should the recall move forward then candidates will present themselves...have at 'em and make sure, this time, they are capable.

Jeremy Aspen