A Sonoran Truth Editorial Opinion, January 10, 2014.
It seems the recall candidates want to run their campaigns on fallacy and beliefs without any challenge or objective analysis.
Vice Mayor Adam Trenk suggested a face off which the wimpy recall candidates declined. Adam wrote:
“Attention Recall Challengers and Council Members:
In anticipation of the recall vote the citizens of Cave Creek deserve to hear from the Challengers and Council Members. Before unilaterally setting a date, I wanted to extend the courtesy of giving you the opportunity to check your calendars and give some feedback in hopes of finding an agreeable time. I can take the lead on finding a suitable venue in Town based on availability once a date is determined. Any who wish may help coordinate the event, but if need be I will do it myself. As far as date and time, here are a few options that make sense since ballots come out the second week of February:
-Tuesday, February 3rd at 7:00pm
-Wednesday, February 4th at 7:00pm
-Thursday, February 5th at 7:00pm
-Monday, February 9th at 7:00pm
-Tuesday, February 10th at 7:00pm
-Wednesday, February 11th at 7:00pm
-Thursday, February 12th at 7:00pm
I suggest Challengers & Council People be given two minutes for an opening statement. Questions from the audience would then be fielded on each of the subjects detailed below with each candidate having the opportunity to respond unless a question is directed at a specific individual or one of the “slates”. In the interest of time answers would be expected to be a maximum of one minute in duration. An additional two minutes would then be granted for concluding remarks.
1-Justification for/Reaction to the Recall
2-Transparency, Accessibility, & Accountability of Government
3-Fiscal Responsibility
4-Infrastructure
5-Misc. (Time Permitting)
Upon receipt of feedback I will collaborate with anyone who decides to step up. I anticipate finalizing a date and time not later than Thursday, January 15th, to allow ample time for planning. Once a date is set and a venue secured, I will circulate a notification Town wide inviting citizens to attend at the expense of my campaign committee and I will ask the Town Clerk to publish a notice seeing as a quorum of Council is likely to be present, but you are encouraged to solicit attendance on your own.
Your prompt response is appreciated. I look forward to hearing from you.
Best,
Adam Trenk”
John Hoeppner, who is not running as a candidate, shot back a disingenuous email to Trenk, to which Trenk replied:
“Hoeppner:
I called for a debate, nothing more. The Sonoran News Slate can decide to engage and help the public make an informed decision, or not.
I thought about a point by point retort but I find it senseless to play chess with a pigeon. Regardless of the validity of any facts offered or the strength of my arguments highlighting the absurdity and malice evident in your missive, you would undoubtedly proceed to knock the pieces down, take a dump on the board and flap around triumphantly.
“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Enjoy your weekend.
Adam M. Trenk”
Steve ‘light in the loafers’ La Mar chimed in on the insinuations, prompting Adam to respond as follows:
“Hey Steve,
Considering you sent out virtually the same email twice, I figured there was no harm in taking the liberty of a second installment to my response to pepper you with a few more thoughts. After all, this may be my only opportunity since you have now made it clear you don’t want a live action public debate with me.
First, as for my signing James Gandolfini, lets lay out all the facts. I did not violate any election law. Although, my signing the petitions as a joke did serve as a “place maker” to evidence that Hani Saba broke the law, resulting in the first recall attempt being thrown out in court. The statute reads in relevant part “A person who knowingly signs any name other than his own to a petition…with the intent to commit fraud, is guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor” (emphasis added). I signed “James Gandolfini” the name of a famous dead guy who was never registered to vote in Cave Creek, I told the petition circulator that I was Adam Trenk, and I then reported on the action publicly. I did not sign the name of some registered voter in an attempt to add seemingly legitimate signatures to the petition, nor did I conceal my identity. Where is the fraud? You are or were a lawyer, and likely know there are several elements necessary to establish fraud. Based solely on the report of the Sonoran News my conduct fails to satisfy at least two of those elements, and when you consider what really happened more elements fail.
The petition circulator could have and in fact should have stricken the name from the form since he knew James Gandolfini didn’t sign it, and then signed and had notarized the attestation on the back himself. Instead, however that sheet (and ultimately the entire recall effort) was tossed by the court because the circulator’s affidavit was fraudulently executed by Hani Saba, who did not actually circulate the petition. If you are so appalled by my writing Gandolfini’s name as a joke, where then is the outrage over Hani Saba signing the petition sheet he did not circulate? After all he attempted to pass that off as genuine. So please, share that transcript with us…You are a hypocrite.
Second, you have feebly attempted to paint me as disrespecting the Cave Creek populace. In your words I must believe “that the hundreds of citizens who have signed recall petitions, and nomination petitions are ignorant and stupid”. It is in fact you who have have been consistently disrespecting the majority of our community for at least 18 months. Together with your co-horts you have been posturing for a recall to redo the election you lost in 2013 prior to our taking our first official act. Lest you forget, the so called Trenk “Slate” prevailed with a record turn out at the polls and an overwhelming majority. But as early as June 5, 2013 a recall was promised by the Sonoran News, and virtually every writing of yours since then has echoed that sentiment. Your actions and your words demonstrate that you have no respect for the will of the people, that you think they are too stupid to think for themselves, and that you have so much contempt for those that support us that you would seek to undo their vote. Again, you are a hypocrite.
Last, you say it is disheartening to see me “denigrate a citizen who dare disagree with me” yet you run with the Sonoran News pack, whose modus operandi is to do just that. Yet again, you are a hypocrite.The public at large is wise to this. They recognized the detriment of having do-nothing leadership that answered to the beck and call of Sorchych heading into 2013. They are tired of the constant negativity. I am confident they will again demonstrate that for you this March.
Running the Town is big boy stuff. Personal attacks don’t help make the government more accessible, ensure our water security, manage the Town’s affairs efficiently, mitigate the impact of commercial encroachment on residential neighborhoods, support our business community, protect property values, etc… This council has attended to all of these elements while cleaning up the mess created while you and your colleagues were asleep at the wheel. That mess included deferred infrastructure maintenance, abandonments of easements for the benefit of the Town Manager’s property, running secret tabs with service providers, Town staff to use public resources for personal gain, selective enforcement of ordinances, ignoring failures at the wastewater treatment plant, allowing the perpetuation of a failing local court system, and oh so much more. Just because the Sonoran News refuses to report on the Cave Creek’s march forward does not mean it is not happening.
I hope you will reconsider a public forum. It would be nice if you would stop hiding behind the stale misinformation endlessly recycled by the local tabloid and stand on your own merits. In the mean time try wiping the hubris off of your mirror and taking a good look at yourself. Four years on the council without a single policy proposal of your own, and a rubber stamp in favor of a property tax later rejected by the voters is a pretty bleak record. Granted, it warms my heart to know that you feel you have to call out my name to be relevant, but there are substantive issues to deal with here. Grow up.
Adam Trenk”
Our View: There is no substantive issue upon which any of the recall candidates can produce to argue for a change of elected officials. The Sorchych Slate will denigrate Durkin, Spitzer, Monachino and especially Trenk with an attempt to emotionally appeal to voters. It’s classic Sorchych, and frankly, it doesn’t require the Sonoran Truth to expose it any more. Cave Creek voters are sick and tired of the Sonoran News antics. The recall is an unfortunate waste of time, but it is providing our Vice Mayor an opportunity to show his erudite humor.