There are a thousand ways to be dishonest without actually telling a lie.
Tuyo Realmente
A very clever campaign attack postcard dropped in Scottsdale voters’ mailboxes over the weekend. Using cute cartoon sheep, a group called Scottsdale United has portrayed Kathy Littlefield as, “a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” “a power-hungry liberal disguised as a conservative,” and a union puppet.
For starters, you need to know the folks behind Scottsdale United.
William Lally is listed as the chairman. Judy Eisenhower signed the organizing documents as the treasurer.
Lally is a graduate of the poorly-ranked “Florida Coastal School of Law,” and he’s a zoning attorney in the employ of Tiffany & Bosco law firm in Phoenix. His specialties are (as listed on LinkedIn):
Representation of private property owners, developers, homebuilders and business owners before County and Municipal commissions and elected bodies.
Mr. Lally has taught numerous legal education seminars on land use, zoning and utility regulation topics. His past experience includes work as a staff member to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and legislative aid to the Director of the Department of Administration, as well as work on many local and regional political campaigns. Mr. Lally’s practice areas include land use, zoning and municipal/administrative law.
Specializing in zoning and land use entitlements throughout Arizona. Development services including post entitlement permitting and infrastructure planning. Resolution of code violation matters. Real estate transactions related to development issues, easements, deeds, dedication instruments and CC&Rs. Real estate research and due-diligence for real-estate purchase or management. Local and state administrative matters, including liquor license applications and water rights matters.
Mr. Lally was member of the now-defunct “North Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce,” and has advocated on behalf of “entertainment district” cases, like this one in Phoenix.
Judy Eisenhower is the chair of the Arizona Rail Passengers Association, a light rail lobbying group.
Ms. Eisenhower appears to be connected to council member Virginia Korte, who has for some time expressed support for light rail. She’s also connected to incumbent council candidate Linda Milhaven, and candidate Jennifer Petersen. Connections have been made to light rail shill Jim Derouin and dark money darling Susan Bitter-Smith.
As for the misinformation: Kathy Littlefield is a long-time Republican, active member in Republican womens’ groups, and leader of the effort to constrain–and ultimately defeat–millions of dollars of government borrowing (taxpayer-funded) to benefit developers and other trough-feeders.
Scottsdale doesn’t have any recognized government employee unions, and no collective bargaining. And the consistency with which Scottsdale’s public safety salaries lag those of our neighboring cities clearly demonstrates the folly of the statement that your support for Kathy, “will move a police union one step closer to controlling the Scottsdale City Council.”
Kathy’s husband, Bob Littlefield, has a long track record as the most (if not the only) fiscally-conservative member of the Scottsdale City Council, joined by freshman Guy Phillips.
And in a supreme irony, a supporter of candidate Bill Crawford seems to have been spreading a rumor that Guy and I are behind the Scottsdale United postcard! I have no proof that Crawford is behind the rumor, but clearly this is ridiculous. Guy and I have individually made no bones about our support for Kathy and our opposition to Crawford. I published my council endorsements ten days ago, including my unequivocal endorsement of Kathy (and Cindy Hill).
Mr. Lally and Ms. Eisenhower, you are dishonest. And the fact that you knowingly made false statements makes you liars as well.
Crawford on the other hand has a history of contradictory statements about his support for light rail, which leads one to wonder if he may have some support from Eisenhower and the Arizona Rail Passengers Association.
9 Comments
Mr. Washington you have your facts very wrong…….Stop with the attacks on the Bill Crawford. Yes, Judy Eisenhower is behind Scottsdale Strong and Scottsdale United. Haven’t you followed the Scottsdale Republic for the last several weeks – I’ve disclosed those facts…….You need to stop these postings that make no sense and accuse the wrong people of the wrong situations……You could be sued for this type of misinformation.
What’s with you constant “Liking” of Jennifer Petersen on f/b???
What facts do you dispute?
As regards Facebook, Ms. Petersen and I became Facebook “friends” a couple of years ago. Obviously, I have not endorsed her council campaign, nor have I “shared” any of her posts. Any “likes” you may have seen are generated automatically by Facebook.
I love this time of year when people come unhinged.
I don’t understand, why is it when a group is ‘Strong’ or ‘United’ the result for Scottsdale is ‘rip out what makes Scottsdale special?’ These groups are the slash and burn of change. Scottsdale must change right now or else! Scottsdale is like some patient on life support. Radical surgery must be done, don’t get in their way! Oppose us and we will get dark and nasty, we are the beacons of change and the saviors of the city! Behold our wondrous visions for tomorrow! Really?
If someone is trying to say listen to the people, they are in the way! You must burn the heretic! We need more bars and light rail! That is the future! More apartments! Demolish the homes and neighborhoods, we need change! Change needs to be done now! You see we are ‘Strong and United!’
Oh brother, how about you get that ‘Strong and United’ movement to your neighborhoods? Then you put up with the construction of light rail and bars up there? Not to mention all the trappings those bring. Do you think your local businesses will love that? I bet you guys would just love some apartments too, come on we have a few to spare, we will even throw in a few dozen bars. The bars have live entertainment and the drunks are free! You know we put up with them, so why can you?
I know why, because you like where you live. Where do you live ‘Strong and United?’ Where ever that is, you don’t want the changes you want to implement. How nice of you. There is a word for that – NIMBY.
NIMBY – Not In My Back Yard. So as long as the ‘Strong’ and ‘United’ can slash and burn everyone else’s homes and neighborhoods, it is fine, but leave them alone. Hey Scottsdale needs to change for them, not for the people already living here. Don’t forget to pay them for that privilege. You need not forget, Scottsdale is dieing and they are here to save it.
Bill Crawford, is a resident of the southern part of Scottsdale. He has a very popular and successful business there where he has helped many physically challenged people regain their health. He is concerned that the south of Scottsdale has no voice. Services in this area, where I also live, are always far less than the North of the city. Anyone who thinks this city can survive the number of bars and useless business models that are in this city is fooling themselves. Slander is rifle in this campaign. And Mr. Washington repeats rumor as fact is just another insipid action added to the cost of this campaign. Cities face a lot of issues in the future. A successful local businessman, who is i [lives and works] the eye of the storm, is a welcome addition to the city government. Light rail is being planned now, more condos, more bars, and unions for the public sector and service will soon follow … who will stop it?
Welcome to the conversation, Mr. Baxter.
First, I do not and have never disputed the facts contained within your first five sentences, or the last three.
“Mr. Washington repeats rumor as fact is just another insipid action added to the cost of this campaign.”
However, with regard to that statement, the “rumor” that was the genesis of this article (that Councilman Phillips and I were to blame for the anti-Littlefield mailer, which was plainly labeled as having come from the Lally/Eisenhower group) was spread by a Crawford supporter. It was told to me directly by one of the people to whom it was stated. I subsequently had a lengthy conversation with another person to whom it was stated and confirmed the source.
The purpose of my article was to clearly refute that rumor, and to shed more light on possible sources and motivations for it. I believe my statements about Mr. Crawford are either factual or obviously speculative.
With regard to your conclusory question as to “who will stop…more condos,” etc, Mr. Crawford public statements in support of, for example, the Mercedes dealership and the Blue Sky project (both of which were clearly opposed by neighboring residents) are a matter of public record. I have no reason to believe that Crawford will represent my interests on council any more than he represented the interests of those citizens.
If light rail is ever put to a vote, it will be crushed. Anyone who is the least bit cognizant knows it is an expensive boondoggle that would destroy businesses in its wake and tie up traffic. Don’t vote for anyone who wants it. As preposterous as a sky walk over McDowell sounds (and is), it would make more sense than light rail.
Now, I see where the Red Lobster on Scottsdale Road is being demolished for (a) A modern grocery store (b) A high end restaurant (c) A medical building (d) A five story apartment building. If you said (d) go to the head of the class to receive your prize of an autographed photo of Virginia Korte. If you were wrong you get TWO photos.
I agree with Monsieur Richard’s comment about light rail and bars. We don’t need LR and we already have too many bars. Eventually Downtown will look like a ghost town when Glendale or Tempe or some other local burg comes up with BETTER bars and the always hip young crowd scurries to the new action in those cities. I’ve seen it happen in Kansas City and St. Louis and it can happen here. If I had to use a one word definition to describe the young bar crowd it would be “fickle.”
As far as Bill Crawford running for Council, not to worry. He always runs and he always loses. I think he is a good man but lacks charisma. Unfortunately, charisma is what usually sells.