Update: So now that the Benavides cartel is running the Santa Ana City Council, are they really going to be all about change? If so when are they dumping Dan Griset from the Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors? Don’t hold your breath – they already cut a deal with him. Here is what we had to say on the subject back on Sep. 21, of this year:
Do you remember Dan Griset? His father Lorin was the Mayor of Santa Ana from 1969 – 1973. Dan followed suit, serving on the Santa Ana City Council from 1979-1992. He was our Mayor for a time too.
Why am I bringing him up? Well he can’t get elected to anything in Santa Ana anymore, but for many years he has been our city’s appointed representative to the Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors. Griset was appointed years ago by Mayor Miguel Pulido back in February of 2005, and even though some of our current Council Members have groused about it, he has stayed put for some time.
Griset recently saw the writing on the wall, and he panicked. On August 9 of this year he signed on to the ballot argument in favor of the fraudulent Measure GG – the lastest flawed term limit measure to be put forth by our City Council. This Council extended their term limits last time around, with Measure D, to 12 years. This time they are trying to limit the Mayor’s term limits to 8 years while keeping their own 12 year terms. And Griset signed on to that.
That was of course a slap to Pulido by Griset. But the implications are broader than that. If Pulido’s Council challenger, David Benavides, somehow prevails, Griset has put himself in a position to stay on the MWD Board – and apparently Benavides and his colleagues – Council Members Michele Martinez, Vince Sarmiento and Sal Tinajero, are OK with that.
They are OK with Griset even though the state Fair Political Practices Commission fined him $10,000, the maximum possible penalty, for five improper campaign mailings sent during his 1988 bid for reelection, according to the L.A. Times.
According to the FPPC, Griset’s campaign committees sent out four mailings that were identified as coming from the “Santa Ana Progress Committee.” Each mass mailing reached about 29,000 people and contained such titles as “Meet the Real Rick Norton,” “Beware of Tricksters” and “7 Lies.”
A fifth mailer, sent to 300 people, was on the letterhead of the Washington Square Neighborhood Assn. Griset lives in Washington Square.
None of the five mailings identified Griset or his campaign committees as the sender.
This was of course supposed to be a “Santa Ana Spring” but instead it is more like business as usual as crusty corrupt politician Griset will survive and continue to serve on the MWD Board – unless of course Pulido wins, in which case Griset’s days will be numbered. Pulido will eventually get his four votes, even if he has to wait two years to take out Benavides and Martinez.
When you look at the Benavides cabal it is full of old dogs like Griset, including Alfredo Amezcua, who used to be Pulido’s hatchet man; John Palacio, who was fired from Santa Ana’s city administration (and ironically held that against Griset!); John Acosta, who left the City Council in disgrace; and Art Lomeli, the wealthy dentist who lives in Orange Park Acres and like Acosta belongs to the Republican Party. This is no revolution of the young – it is a bunch of Mexpendables!
If you are expecting change from Benavides and company, guess again…
And don’t feel too bad for Griset. He also served as Director of Orange County Sanitation Districts, Chair and Commissioner of the Orange County Transportation Commission, Director of the Orange County Transit District, Director and Advisor of the National League of Cities. That’s a lot of pensions!
