The following letter to the editor was published in the Beach Reporter newspaper (TBRnews.com) on Thursday, March 15, 2012 in the Letters section. The Beach Reporter has a 250-word limit.
Settlement scheme?
It appears that former City Manager Doug Willmore has engaged liberal news organizations in a smear campaign against Carl Jacobson and Chevron, to get Carl unelected. Carl has been an honest, hard-working, selfless council member for many years. So why would Willmore smear Carl? Is this Willmore’s revenge against the only council member who voted to fire him who is also running for re-election?
It may be far more sinister than revenge. Willmore has two supporters and allies on city council – Mayor Eric Busch and Councilman Bill Fisher. Busch is not running again, and Fisher is Willmore’s only ally guaranteed to be on council after the coming election. If Willmore can get two more allies elected to the council in April, then he can get a multi-million dollar payoff in the guise of a “settlement” to his frivolous lawsuit against the city.
A new majority on City Council can legally give Willmore any amount of money as a gift of public funds or hush money, merely by calling it a “settlement.” So who are Willmore’s supporters and allies running for City Council?
Scott Houston and Marie Fellhauer. Both opposed Willmore’s firing at the Candidates Forum. Both are allies of Busch and Fisher, who voted against firing Willmore. If this campaign analysis is correct, and I believe it is, then the taxpayers may save up to several million dollars by voting for candidates other than Scott Houston and Marie Fellhauer. It sounds like a good deal to me.
Jerry Wellfonder
El Segundo
El Segundo Police Officers' Association (ESPOA) Exposed