• Late-filing Ogden candidate David Phipps disqualified, 'embarrassed'Phipps argues that he was confused about the drop-dead Thursday filing deadline, (even though it had already been extended by one full day, and none of the other council candidates seem to have had any trouble making the deadline.) Phipps also readily admits that he's "... struggled with focusing on details," and remarks that explaining to his campaign contributors this latest campaign blunder (in a long string of campaign blunders) "hasn't been an easy thing."
Notably, Mr. Schwebke contacted one of Mr. Phipps's most generous campaign donors and elicited this delicious quote. Let's just say that Mr. Ostermiller is a true master of understatement:
Mike Ostermiller, chief executive officer of the Northern Wasatch Association of Realtors, which gave $1,500 to Phipps' campaign, said he is disappointed Phipps has been disqualified over the missed deadline.For some odd reason, we're conjuring up this psychic image of Mr. Ostermiller and the rest of Mr. Phipps's real estate development donor-friends, gathering together and gently urging Mr. Phipps to "get his head together" and find some way to get his bumbling derriere back into the race:
"I hope he can figure out a way to stay on the ballot," he said Thursday.
We'll be standing by watching for the latest effort of the ever-inept Mr. Phipps to again make a comic public spectacle of himself.
Rules? Rules are only meant to only apply to the little people. As everyone ought to know by now, all loyal Godfreyites are exempt from the rules.
And the beat goes on...
Update 10/30/09 10:03 a.m.: For the benefit of our gentle readers, Elected Official has submitted a comment and a statutory citation to applicable provisions of the Utah Code:
• Utah Code, Title 20A -- Election CodeUpdate 10/31/09 11:27 a.m.: A day late and a half-dollar short, the Salt Lake Tribune has now picked up on this story too:
•Phipps disqualified in Ogden Council raceTo the Trib's credit however, this morning's story does however provide this interesting new information:
"After speaking with attorneys, Phipps said there is little chance to appeal the ruling."What the heck. Phipps coulda thrown himself on the mercy of the court, and pleaded the "I'm an Idiot" defense, right?
And so ends the short political career of perhaps the greatest political screw-up in Ogden history.
19 comments:
Two points:
First, once again, the wisdom of that great American vernacular philosopher, Yogi Berra, is illustrated: "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings."
Second, Mr. Phipps' statement to the SE in this morning's story removes the last possible doubt that he is on the Godfrey Rubber Stamp Council ticket: we have in the story a lengthy accounting of Mr. Phipps' incompetence [posted banners listing him for the wrong race; claimed endorsements he didn't have; established residence in Ogden, then voted in Salt Lake; didn't meet filing deadline every other candidate met], followed now apparently by his asking that the laws all other candidates had to obey be suspended in his case and that he receive special treatment accorded to no one else.]
Yup. A Godfrey man. No doubt about it.
I think Phipps would be the ideal addition to Boss Godfrey's Gang That Caqn't Shoot Straight. He's even a bigger screw-up than John "Pureheart" Patterson.
I'm suspicious. Phipps raised no money over the last month and I've seen almost no indication that he's even been campaigning. Seems to me he was probably headed to a big loss and he knew it. Hardly surprising that he would then get careless with deadlines.
Folks, we need to turn our attention to the other city council races. They're hotly contested and their outcomes will determine the future of our city.
Curm,
I always wondered who originally said that!
TLJ
Utah Code, Title 20A Election Code
Chapter 1 General Provisions
Section 402 Election officer to render interpretations and make decisions.
20A-1-402. Election officer to render interpretations and make decisions.
The election officer shall render all interpretations and make all initial decisions about controversies or other matters arising under this chapter.
When looking at this part of the code I believe that the city recorder should make the determination as to the fairness and correctness of the law without any fear or favoritism of anyone applying pressure in anyway. Who said a judge needs to interfere here. Isn't the law good enough.
Curmudgeon, a correction is in order. "it's not over till the fat lady sings" was uttered by Grace Idaho's own, Dick Motta, while coaching in the NBA finals.
Your beloved Yankee, Yogi, is known for stating the more obvious,"it ain't over till it's over".
Bill:
Ah.
Well, I shall fall back on the defense I use in class when telling a story I am not absolutely sure is true, and may in fact suspect is apocryphal. "If this isn't true, it should be. So I'll tell it anyway."
In any case, "it ain't over 'til it's over" works just as well in this instance, and as High Vernacular Philosophy both.
It funny that Phipps is going to apologize to the people who gave him money - as though he thinks they gave the money to him.
They were making an investment - and one they expected to be repaid 100 fold, by Phipps' votes.
They will not be interested in an apology.
Mr. Phipps campaign for office was going down in flames; this is a fact, as he was eying the foothills.
His late filing was purposeful; this also is a fact, as he staged a fairly graceful strategic retreat.
A lot went on behind the scenes between Sunday morning and today.
We wish Mr. Phipps and his family well; and we will see about next time.
Phipps wouldn't even make a pimple on an average Ogden boy's ass. If he can't even follow the simple rules of the campaign game, how the hell would he ever be an effective member of the city council? Things up there get a hell of a lot more complicated than this simple financial filing deadline business.
My hat is off to Bart Blair who has run a decent and honest campaign focused on his own qualifications and attributes. I wish him well in his next four years on the council.
I still can't quite figure out why any one would want the job, hell if you do it right and put in the necessary time to do so,it only pays about two bits an hour and it comes with a shit load of head aches to boot!
Power; people do it for the power.
Some do it because they want to make Ogden a better place to live or at least keep the status quo.
Rudi's article associated with this thread is hilarious.
And Ozboy, yes, the city council is a hard, thankless job that a lot of smart people stay away from.
Thank goodness though, for the smart people who do step up to serve in this sometimes vexing job.
Without them, we would all be lost.
Truth Justice and the American Way
OgdenLover:
Making Ogden into whatever version suits the Maker, is certainly Power.
One can ascribe the gravitating to this locus onto any human emotion currently in vogue, be it the good-guy badge of civil service or simply collecting your nemeses skulls; no need though, as power brings its own justification.
I'm thinking we are prob eligible for at least one psych credit for reading this thread.
Before the disqualification, I sent a letter to the editor regarding Phipps.
TLJ
Vote Phipps!
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