Jill Arthur, one of the most powerful behind-the-scenes figures at Santa Ana City Hall in recent years, is leaving the city’s employ in the wake of an investigation into her actions following a traffic accident, according to several sources with knowledge of the situation, according to the Voice of OC.
The Voice of OC admitted that “Council members have been kept in the dark because the issue is a personnel matter,” so why did Councilwoman Michele Martinez talk about this with the Voice of OC? Her response should have been “no comment.”
Instead, Martinez told the Voice of OC that she was told Arthur retired. “I wish her well in her future endeavors,” she said.
If this is a confidential personnel matter than Martinez blew it.
This is not the first time Martinez has had a big mouth. She got caught talking loudly on a train last year during her Assembly campaign. A reporter overheard her talking about money she would be receiving from a gambling tribe but that was an independent expenditure and she was not supposed to know about it. When the story broke she lost the contribution. And then she lost badly in the June primary.
Just goes to show that with Councilwoman Michele Martinez, she will never learn from her mistakes. At the core, she is fundamentally stupid. You know what they say, “You can’t make a silk purse from a sow ear.”
I am tiring of the whole “Voice Of OC” credibility act.
In the latest article, which you link to here, Adam Elmark again cites “several” anonymous sources, none agreeing to come forward. This is blog rumoring in it’s truest form. Strange how each time Adam does this the piece accompanies a quote by Michele Martinez???
But, dig a little deeper and you’ll begin to notice strange comments like Greg Diamonds referring to the VOC as becoming the “newspaper of record”…really by who’s estimate? Scrape back a few layers and you’ll find shoddy reporting and even sloppier work, take for example the photo accompanying the article you referenced: staged? perhaps. Look at who took the photo and follow the trail.
There is of course the strange coincidence of Adam (and to a lesser extent Noberto) being the straw men set up in the Santoro. No conspiracy theory, just a plan and simple manipulation of the GROWING uneducated, unwashed masses that are todays US babies born to immigrants. (Note: I am one of these, only from a different continent), this is societal manipulation, with ZERO regard for the community.
The Voice of OC is nothing more than a source of propaganda for upwardly mobile democrats.
Look at who covers Santa Ana for the Voice, research the sources and you’ll come to the conclusion that Adam is merely running a commercial for SPECIFIC PEOPLE.
So, from your point of view, the story is not Jill Athur’s corruption – but a rather innocuous remark by Martinez.
The story is that Arthur made a stupid mistake but Martinez compounded the error by outing what should have been a confidential personnel matter.
Don’t forget that the temp city manager that Martinez pushed for, Kevin O’Rourke, and paid $24K a month, promoted Arthur to Deputy City Manager. Martinez must have been quite frosted over that. That the Arthur scandal erupted after the promotion should come as no surprise…
So Jill Arthur made a “stupid mistake” – I say it is the corruption tip of the iceberg – and it was a criminal act.
Seamus
You have no idea if there was a corrupt or criminal act committed, none of us do. We are not privy to the details. What we do know is that the six idiots seated on that council have systematicly gone after most of the senior staff, the well of institutional knowlege, and created an adverserial workplace. They behave like bullies and street thugs, demanding their way. Whether you agree with Pulido’s style of governance or not, at least we were not controlled by the likes of the whiney, slimey six. Gad, they disgust me!
Michele Martinez never got convicted for selling drugsI but she did admit that she did that.
That has nothing to do with the Arthur issue.
If you mean that she has not been found guilty in a court of law – I agree. However, by what we know thus far there is an appearance of corruption and to offer something that is a benefit which is supposed to be available to the public on an equal basis in exchange for a private benefit is a criminal act. I stand by my statement.
Too bad she did’nt crash into Roman Reyna. I hear he needs a new job!
Imagine the strings that guy is pulling to get another government job…
The reality for Roman is, he has but a twelf grade education and is not particularly well spoken. Add to that a weak job history and he is suited for a department store clerk or Del Taco shift manager job.
If he lands ANYTHING more, somebody should look in to that! On the subject of back scratching, someone should follow the trail of Michele Martinez as the director (and sole employee) of the OC Health alliance.
Then again, she may be out of a job too if measure D is overturned.