The Standard Examiner Blows Its Top

Don Porter viciously (and unjustifiably) attacks a long-time Emerald City citizen-activist

This morning's ridiculous Std-Ex" editorial" was the Standard-Examiner's worst "hissy-fit" yet. (We believe you coined the term, Curm, in reference to the Std-Ex). It was in fact a full-blown bull-goose loony temper tantrum, wrongfully directed toward one of the most community-minded folks in Emerald City.

Ms. Littrell was making the news, and effecting substantive change in Ogden, long before anyone in this town had ever heard of Susie Van Hooser, Curmudgeon... or even Rudizink for that matter.

This half-baked article is littered with gross mis-statements, false conclusions and exaggerations:

Std-Ex accusation #1: "The lawsuit is ridiculous and a waste of time. Like a similar, meritless complaint filed by Littrell against the mayor in September, it will be dismissed."

Fact: No previous lawsuits or other court actions have been ever been previously filed in this matter. The Std-Ex just flat-out lied about that.

As for the merit of this lawsuit... that's for the court to decide, innit?

Std-Ex accusation #2: "Some of the 61 plaintiffs in the lawsuit say they had no idea they were taking Godfrey to court. They told Standard-Examiner reporter Scott Schwebke they thought they were signing a petition".

Fact: The prefactory language on the authorization document that each of these plaintiffs signed clearly disclosed that each of these prospective plainiffs were signing a document authorizing their names to be used for specific purposes in a legal proceeding to remove Boss Godfrey's name from the ballot. The language (IN BOLD TYPE) is crystal clear:

"I HEREBY WISH TO INCLUDE MY NAME AS AN OGDEN CITY REGISTERED VOTER AS A PLAINTIFF IN THE PROCEEDINGS DOROTHY E. LITTRELL HAS INSTITUTED PURSUANT TO OGDEN MUNICIPAL CODE 1-8-5D FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY WRIT TO REMOVE THE NAME MATT GODFREY FROM THE BALLOT IN THE OGDEN CITY ELECTION TO BE HELD NOVEMBER 6, 2007 FOR THE FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE OGDEN CITY MUNICIPAL CODE BY THE PEOPLE TO RE-ELECT MATTHEW GODFREY."

Here's the "legal definition" of "petition," by the way:

Petition

Robert Cato, who's the Standard-Examiner's "case in chief" ADMITS he didn't read the document he signed.

We're still wondering why he even talked to the Standard-Examiner.

Sheesh!

Accusation #3: Heres' the worst of all:

"But there is another reason we condemn these political obsessions. This lawsuit feeds into an assumption that many of Godfrey’s opponents are motivated by a dislike, even hatred, for the mayor. That assumption is untrue, of course, but small-minded, petty actions by a few, such as the lawsuit, provide oxygen for the stereotype of the “angry, obsessive anti-Godfrey” activist.

"And that’s not good for Ogden. What the city needs, in this final month of the campaign, is a full discussion of the issues and differences between the mayor and his challenger. There are many points to discuss: economic development, bringing more businesses to Ogden, protecting the environment, the future of Historic 25th Street, the future of the gondola, construction around The Junction, how to most effectively fight gangs and crime, the higher rate of poverty in Ogden, effective community policing ..."

Nobody that we know of in the Ogden city activist community truly "HATES" the erstwile Mayor, as the Std-Ex editors suggest.

To invoke a quote from our own patron Saint, St. Augustine, one of the top five revered saints who've provided wisdom to Christian society within the last 1500 years:

"Love the sinner; NOT the sin."

Oust Boss Godfrey in November! We'll "give him our St. Augustine love" later.

And to the editors of the Standard-Examiner we say this: Why not just go and do what you've already decided to do -- endorse Boss Godfrey?

Update 10/7/07 11:08 a.m. MT: Emerald City Gang of Six holdover councilmember Rick Safsten "one-ups" yesterday's Std-Ex editorial hit-piece, with this morning's hate-filled and venomous Guest Commentary Op-ed screed, steering the sheer nastiness of the 2007 municipal election campaign into heretofore uncharted waters. We haven't seen good old Rick this far out of control since March of 2006, when the moderator of The Senate Site suggested that Mr. Safsten enroll in an anger management course.