tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59029459000250801242024-03-08T08:10:19.665-05:00Circle Woods Rake BrigadeTrying to get people to wake up and stop using leaf blowers--as a start to cleaning up our environment<p>
Dedicated to Frank Howard of the Washington SenatorsSteve Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04286097728629952137noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5902945900025080124.post-88455012306780693752009-04-15T21:38:00.000-04:002009-04-15T21:38:47.828-04:00Ringling trial blog: Endangered Species & Wetlands Report<a href="http://eswr.com/ringling/">Ringling trial blog: Endangered Species & Wetlands Report</a>Steve Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04286097728629952137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5902945900025080124.post-29430940479062540482008-07-04T13:23:00.012-04:002008-07-07T18:34:29.776-04:00Circle Woods Rake Brigade marches<span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><br />The Circle Woods Rake Brigade marched in the Takoma Park Independence Day parade on July 4.</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br />Who were those intrepid marchers? Allow me to introduce them: Amelia and Greer Turner, Isabella and Catrina Calingaert. Gwyn Davies (my daughter), and Walter Miles and his two daughters, Zahra and Hanan.<br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >I want to thank the kids who marched and sang, even though the spectators probably didn't hear a word. It was a little noisy.<br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >Parents (Li and Mary Turner, Susanna and Daniel Calingaert, and my wife Lira and son Henry towards the end, walked near us to provide water and support. Special thanks to Susanna for coming up with the design for the T-shirts. And another special thanks to <a href="http://special-tees.com/">Special-Tees</a> of Derwood, Md., at </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=DERWOOD&state=MD&address=15910+Indianola+Dr+&cat=special-tees#a/search/l::15910+Indianola+Dr:Derwood:MD:20855-2169:US:39.11485:-77.15908:address:Montgomery+County/m::10:39.110936:-77.157114:0::/so:Special+Tees:::d::25:::::/e">15910 Indianola Dr</a></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >. The folks there made some shirts at the last minute. I highly recommend them for tee shirts and embroidery and whatever else.<br /><br />I would be remiss if I didn't thank <a href="http://www.strosniders.com/">Strosnider's</a>, which gave us a discount on the <span style="font-style: italic;">materiel </span>used in the parade. Thank you, Jeff, of the Wayne Avenue store.<br /><br />Steve Davies was the leaf blower/rake guy in the tricorner hat who organized the brigade.<br /><br />So if you didn't hear the words and want to sing at home, here are the lyrics to what I call "Yankee Doodle Stinky":<br /><br /></span><blockquote><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >Yankee Doodle went to town<br />riding on a mower<br />Then he went to Home Depot<br />and bought himself a blower<br /><br />(second verse, same rhythm as the first)<br /><br />Yankee Doodle worked and worked<br />to make his lawn pristine<br />There was just one little hitch<br />He made the air unclean<br /><br />Yankee Doodle, don't pollute!<br />Do it for our sakes<br />Instead of all those big machines<br />Why don't you use a rake?</blockquote><br />----<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:Arial;">Here's the handout we gave to folks along the parade route:<br /><br />Hey, kids and grown-ups! Do you feel the need to breathe -- like, every day?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Then you might be interested in perusing some of the "fun facts" assembled below. Read, share with your friends, and then check out <a href="http://circlewoods.blogspot.com/">circlewoods.blogspot.com</a> for more information. And darn it, recycle this piece of paper if you don't tack it on your bulletin board! -- Sincerely, Circle Woods Rake Brigade </span><o:p></o:p><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">--------------<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">"Ground-level ozone and particulate matter are pollution problems created by individuals, as well as industry. The cars we drive account for 30 to 40 percent of the pollutants that cause ozone in the Baltimore/Washington area. Every summer day, gas-powered lawn and garden equipment release more than 100 times the Volatile Organic Compounds of a typical large industrial plant. For every person who postpones lawn mowing on Air Quality Action Days, potential VOC reductions equal the amount generated by a car driving from Baltimore to Raleigh, N.C. "<span style=""> <br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"> -- <a href="http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Apps/News/press/PR_details.asp?PrID=4705">Montgomery County news release, July 2</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p>"<st1:state st="on">Maryland</st1:state>'s suburban <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Washington</st1:place></st1:state> region suffers from some of the worst air pollution in the nation -- and the failure to address this situation is impacting public health and our economy." <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style=""> </span>-- <st1:place st="on"><st1:placetype st="on">County</st1:placetype> <st1:placename st="on">Executive</st1:placename></st1:place> Ike Leggett, <a href="http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/News/press/PR_details.asp?PrID=4544">May 15 news release</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">"Residents can reduce their impact on air quality if they avoid using gasoline-powered lawn equipment, including mowers."<span style=""> </span>-- <a href="http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/News/press/PR_details.asp?PrID=4544">May 15 news release</a> (and, we might add, blowers!)<o:p></o:p><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">------<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">"Ozone can irritate the respiratory system, causing coughing, throat irritation, and/or uncomfortable sensation in the chest. Ozone can reduce lung function and make it more difficult to breathe deeply, and breathing may become more rapid and shallow than normal, thereby limiting a person's activity."<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p>"Ozone damage to plants includes visible injury to leaves and a reduction in food production through impaired photosynthesis."<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>-- Environmental Protection Agency <a href="http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/07-1998.htm">proposed rule, May 18, 2007</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">------<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">"The potential health impacts of leaf blowers on workers from noise center on noise-induced hearing loss. Two factors contribute to an increased risk of hearing loss in typical career gardeners: the high sound pressure levels emitted by leaf blowers at the level of the operator's ear, and the infrequent use of hearing protection." <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p>"For the average 1999 homeowner-type leaf blower and car data, we calculate that hydrocarbon emissions from one-half hour of leaf blower operation equal about 2,200 miles of driving, at 30 miles per our average speed. The carbon monoxide emission benchmark is significantly different. For carbon monoxide, one-half hour of a homeowner-type leaf blower usage would be equivalent to about 110 miles of automobile travel at 30 miles per hour average speed."<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>-- <a href="http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/mailouts/msc0005/msc0005.pdf">California Air Resources Board report (2000)</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p><span style=""></span>"Perhaps 99 percent [of leaf blower operators] are untrained." <o:p></o:p></span></span></p></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style=""> </span>-- Larry Will, former Vice President of Engineering, Echo Inc., <o:p></o:p><br /><span style=""> </span><a href="http://www.eswr.com/leaf/larrywill.htm">personal communication</a> with Steve Davies, Circle Woods Rake Brigade<o:p><br /></o:p><br />Gas-powered lawn and garden equipment emitted 81.6 tons per day of volatile organic compounds (second-most of 10 sources) and 12.6 tons/day of nitrogen oxides (fourth place) in the Washington area in 2002. Both VOCs and NOx are ozone precursors. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style=""> </span>-- Data from <a href="http://www.eswr.com/leaf/SIP_052307.pdf">Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments report (2007)</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Steve Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04286097728629952137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5902945900025080124.post-36544612902002840292007-08-06T22:25:00.000-04:002007-08-06T22:25:27.540-04:00CM/ECF - U.S. District Court:cod<a href="https://ecf.cod.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl?316537106932181-L_835_0-1">CM/ECF - U.S. District Court:cod</a>Steve Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04286097728629952137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5902945900025080124.post-35311962401681347562006-09-05T13:08:00.000-04:002006-09-05T13:10:01.746-04:00On Raskin - response to Bruce Williams<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">See below -- <a href="http://circlewoods.blogspot.com/2006/08/saturday-aug.html">http://circlewoods.blogspot.com/2006/08/saturday-aug.html </a>-- for a story on lawn-sign theft allegations made by Ruben campaign.<br /><br />Hi all--</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> I don't want to politicize the listserv, but I felt I should stand up for Jamie Raskin (and Lucinda Lessley) because Bruce has provided his analysis and listed his recommendations.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> I'm not sure if the listserv was the appropriate way to communicate your choices, Bruce, but it certainly was the most efficient! I think we're all intelligent enough and interested enough in the many races to consider your comments along with everything else, and then vote for the candidates we feel will best represent our interests. I actually appreciate your stating why you're voting the way you are (or are more or less undecided in some cases).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> First, re: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Lucinda Lessley</span>. She didn't rate a mention in Bruce's post, but she's thoughtful, smart and experienced (she's worked in the Legislature and on Capitol Hill, for Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings), and really wants to listen to all points of view before moving forward. She's also the only delegate candidate to come to my door! So, retail campaigning makes a difference. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> On the Raskin-Ruben race, I urge folks to check out Jamie Raskin's web site at </span><a style="font-family: arial; border-bottom-style: groove;" href="http://www.raskin06.com/" eudora="autourl">www.raskin06.com</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> and read as much as you can on both candidates. Sen. Ruben has been around a long time and has seniority, but I don't think her record is so stellar that she should be automatically rewarded with another term. The advt. in the latest Voice, signed by TP supporters including Mayor Porter and Bruce, says that she's been there for us and now it's time to be there for her. But this election isn't about rewarding her for years of service. It's about doing what's best for District 20. I'm voting my interests, which I hope coincide somewhat with those of the community at large. Raskin, by the way, <span style="font-style: italic;">lives </span>in Takoma Park.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Just to respond to some of the points</span> -- Ruben is for the death penalty in very limited circumstances, Raskin's against it. Yes, he worked for Doug Gansler, who's pro-death penalty. But I think it's unrealistic and unfair to hold him to the standard Bruce laid out. If every politician were judged based on the company he kept (or whom he worked for in the past), and only those who were 100 percent consistent were considered worthy, I think the halls of legislatures and council chambers would be empty.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Registration:</span> Actually, 17-year-olds who will turn 18 by the general election are allowed to register and vote in the primary. Raskin's idea may seem pie-in-the-sky, but I'm not sure what's wrong with trying to get young people thinking about their civic duty. I think you still have to register with the Selective Service at 18, so why not have to register to vote as well?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Ida brings home the money:</span> I think Raskin would fight hard for dollars for our district, and given his smarts, affability and energy would have as much success. By most accounts (even those of her supporters), Sen. Ruben is not an easy person to get along with. Raskin is a very personable, backslapping kind of guy who will hit the ground running. Will he accomplish everything he sets out to do? Of course not. But the idea that he doesn't know how to build coalitions or horse-trade with out-of-district legislators is, I believe, wrong. He grew up in D.C. steeped in politics -- his father, for example, was on the staff of the National Security Council in the Kennedy Administration before founding the Institute for Policy Studies, a liberal think tank. Raskin (the candidate) is a constitutional law professor and is passionate about education, democracy, health care and a host of other issues. I think he'll bring fresh energy to Annapolis.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Raskin stands accused of being thin-skinned.</span> I don't think so. I think he's simply tried to respond to misleading criticism lobbed at him by the incumbent, the most notable being her claim in a flier sent out a few weeks ago that he's not a real Democrat because he supported the right of pro-life groups to protest outside abortion clinics, as well as the right of Ross Perot to appear in the 1996 presidential debates. Even Rep. Chris Van Hollen, who has given money to Ruben, denounced her tactics. I wrote a letter to the Gazette complaining about their coverage of the race that went into some of these issues.</span><br /><a style="font-family: arial; border-bottom-style: groove;" href="http://www.gazette.net/stories/082306/montope160838_31963.shtml" eudora="autourl">http://www.gazette.net/stories/082306/montope160838_31963.shtml</a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> Ruben, however, called up the principal of Montgomery Blair High School to complain about the school newspaper's endorsement of Raskin, prompting the Washington Post to editorialize that she looked like "an ill-tempered rookie" compared to the newspaper's editor </span><a style="font-family: arial; border-bottom-style: groove;" href="http://www.raskin06.com/news/posteditorial06-06-17.php" eudora="autourl">http://www.raskin06.com/news/posteditorial06-06-17.php</a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Lastly, on the issue of campaign tactics </span>and both campaigns' complaints about the other, let me simply say that a supporter of the senator went on a local blog (Gilbert/Granola Park at the Voice) to claim that the Raskin campaign had stolen hundreds of Ruben lawn signs from her neighborhood in Hillandale. Insignificant and petty, perhaps, but I decided to look into it because I simply couldn't believe the allegation. Turns out the charge originated with the Ruben campaign, even though the campaign manager feigned ignorance. I posted the results of my reporting at http://circlewoods.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_archive.html<br /><br />Much ado about nothing? Maybe. Politics as usual? Probably. But the experience left me wondering what Ruben </span><i style="font-family: arial;">won't </i><span style="font-family:arial;">do to win.<br /><br />I think it's time for a change.<br /></span></span>Steve Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04286097728629952137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5902945900025080124.post-83908358554772460602006-08-26T13:16:00.000-04:002006-08-26T13:30:28.527-04:00Ruben campaign's story of lawn-sign theft looks like politics as usual<span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-size:85%;">originally posted Saturday, Aug. 26th - Last update Sept. 4</span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >RUBEN PROVIDES NO EVIDENCE THAT RASKIN CAMP<br />BOOSTED LAWN SIGNS FROM HER NEIGHBORHOOD<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Takoma Park supporter of incumbent senator says campaign manager<br />Phil Olivetti told him of thefts, but Olivetti refuses to "engage" on the issue<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >By Steve Davies (steve@eswr.com)<br /></span><br />On Friday, the 25th of August, I decided to investigate the claim made on a blog hosted by the <span style="font-style: italic;">Takoma Voice</span> that the the campaign of challenger Jamie Raskin was responsible for the theft of "hundreds" of lawn signs from Senator Ida Ruben's neighborhood in Hillandale.<br /><br />What I found: The person who made the allegation had no evidence that it was true; the allegation was relayed to him by Ida Ruben's campaign manager, Phil Olivetti, and Olivetti himself offered nothing to back up the claim (and still has not). Lastly, Montgomery County police have no record of a complaint made by Ruben about missing lawn signs.<br /><br />Most people would say -- why waste time looking into charges and countercharges made by political campaigns? After all, it's only a bunch of lawn signs.<br /><br />To that I say, what about fairness? And what about the truth? An elusive, if impossible-to-attain commodity, to be sure, but one that is worth pursuing through the collection of confirmable facts -- and a whole lot of circumstantial evidence.<br /><br />Perhaps more vexing -- why would a longtime incumbent make up such a ridiculous charge and funnel it through someone known to support her?<br /><br />First things first, because you should know the source of this post. I'm a journalist by trade; I edit and publish a newsletter, <span style="font-style: italic;">Endangered Species & Wetlands Report</span> (<a href="http://www.eswr.com/">www.eswr.com</a>). It's a for-profit operation that has been around for 11 years.<br /><br />My family is concerned I'm tilting at windmills too much, not paying enough attention to my business. They're right. So after this baby is scrubbed and put to bed (Tuesday morning, 8/29, and I have already edited it -- not for substance -- a number of times, trying to find the right tone), I'll be out of the local political blog biz. I can't wait for Sept. 12!<br /><br />I've lived in Takoma Park, on Poplar Avenue in the Circle Woods neighborhood, for about 13 years. <span>I named the blog </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Hondo Homers</span><span> in honor of </span>old Senator Frank Howard, who hit a lot of roundtrippers at RFK. (Also, because that's the first thing that came to me.)<br /><br />I support Jamie Raskin. I even have one of his signs in my front yard. But the reason I did this was because I hate sloppy journalism (I admit I've occasionally been a perpetrator myself throughout 20-plus years of it). And, I get tired of seeing outlandish claims accepted as truth.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Our story begins...</span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">On Aug. 14, Paul Chrostowski, Takoma Park resident and staunch supporter of incumbent Sen. Ida Ruben (D-Dist. 20), posted the paragraph below on a blog hosted by the Takoma Voice and known either as Granola Park or "Gilbert," a pseudonym for the author. </span><span style="font-family:arial;"><a style="border-bottom-style: groove;" href="http://www.takoma.com/granola/">http://www.takoma.com/granola/</a><br /><br />The comment</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> didn't appear until sometime after that date, perhaps as many as 10 days. The Voice had a technical problem and the comments were lost for a while in computer limbo, and then retrieved.</span><blockquote style="font-family: arial;" face="arial">"Jamie Raskin has run one of the most negative campaigns in Maryland history. He has called Senator Ruben a 'conservative right winger' a 'supporter of Bush's war' and a 'corrupt back room politician.' At the candidates forum, his supporters called Senator Ruben an 'old hag.' The Raskin campaign has twice stolen hundreds of lawn signs from Senator Ruben's neighborhood. When are people going to wake up to what this campaign is all about?"</blockquote><span style="font-family:arial;">When I saw that, I thought, wow, can all that be true? But no sources were cited for the quotes or the lawn-sign claim. And "Gil" simply accepted the comment at face value, saying (on the main page of the blog, <a style="border-bottom-style: groove;" href="http://www.takoma.com/granola/">http://www.takoma.com/granola/</a>):<br /><blockquote>"This IS depressing, Dear Readers! Usually yard sign hooliganism happens in the campaign’s last week - most often in the last few days. This must be an indication of the high emotions the Raskin - Rueben [she's still not a sandwich, Gil] race is generating. Gilbert hates this “Feud-al Phase" and is disgusted that it has started so early. Forget about issues, from now on it will be all about allegations of dirty tactics, outrageous acts, and fighting words that serve only to crank up the ire of already-committed voters. Bleh!"</blockquote></span><span style="font-family:arial;">Oddly, at his special Ruben-Raskin page, "Gil" removed his own comment and added one from "James," which is a good response and effectively rebuts/refutes the notion that Raskin didn't say any of those things publicly</span><br /><a style="font-family: arial; border-bottom-style: groove;" href="http://www.takoma.com/granola/2006/07/ruben_vs_raskin.html">http://www.takoma.com/granola/2006/07/ruben_vs_raskin.html</a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">But getting back to our story, Raskin's not even alleged to have said those things publicly. As I learned, Chrostowski relies completely on anonymous sources -- including (he says) -- a Ruben operative who "infiltrated" Raskin's campaign.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">As the kids say, whatever. In the original posting and still, no sources have been cited for the incendiary charges.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hey, "Gil," can you spare a post?<br /></span><br />I sent a comment in to "Gil" on the 24th or 25th of August, soon after I read the Chrostowski comment on "Granola Park." I don't recall exactly when -- I used the comment form on the site and have no record of it (it hasn't been posted). In it, I asked for substantiation of the charges made by Chrostowski.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />[Addendum Fri. morning, Sept. 1: I believe Gil has posted everything now.]<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fri., Aug. 25:</span> After I sent the comment, I spoke on the phone with Takoma Voice publisher and editor Eric Bond, urging him to tell/implore "Gil" to vet comments before they're posted. Later in the day, after noticing that "Gil" had not posted my entreaty, I decided to go ahead and check into the whole mess myself.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">["Gilbert" has now responded to my report, kind of, and explained his perception of his role, in a follow-up post. "Gil" believes it is not his job to vet comments and/or investigate their veracity. Fair enough. But I would argue that it is his job to keep his antennae up when people write in with off-the-wall stuff, and offer skeptical commentary.]<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">I called Raskin's campaign headquarters. Luckily, </span><span style="font-family:arial;">he was right there and willing to talk. His initial reaction was to say he had not uttered the quotes attributed to him, but </span><span style="font-family:arial;">he wanted to go back and look at the record before completely disavowing them</span><span style="font-family:arial;">. He couldn't very well speak to the veracity of the alleged quote from a supporter(s), because, well, he's not alleged to have said it. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">(As you'll see below, however, Chrostowski says the quotes </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >aren't </span><span style="font-family:arial;">public record.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">On the more serious charge of the lawn signs, however -- remember, Chrostowski said unequivocally, "The </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Raskin campaign</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> has twice stolen hundreds of lawn signs from Senator Ruben's neighborhood" -- he responded directly and forcefully:</span><br /><blockquote style="font-family: arial;" face="arial">"The claim that our campaign has stolen any of Ida Ruben's signs, much less hundreds, is a baldfaced lie. It is pure fiction and fantasy--I challenge anybody to come up with a shred of evidence for that.<br /><br />"This is reflective of the desperation tactics of a losing campaign," he added.</blockquote><span style="font-family:arial;">I left a voice mail for Senator Ruben; I haven't heard back from her yet. An email from her campaign (voteruben@aol.com) this morning (Aug. 25) said:<br /><br /></span><div style="font-family:arial;"> <div> </div></div> <span style="font-family:arial;">"Mr. Davies,</span><br /><blockquote style="font-family: arial;"><div style="font-family:arial;"> <div><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <div> </div> <div>"This is to acknowledge a voice mail left with Senator Ruben at her home phone number. </div> <div> </div> <div><br />"Please direct all future communications to her campaign office at 8719 Colesville Rd. 301 562 2052 or via this email address.</div> <div> </div> <div><br />"Thank you.</div> <div> </div> <div>"Philip Olivetti</div> <div>Campaign Manager<br /></div></span></span></div> </div> <div style="font-family:arial;"> </div> <div face="arial"> <div><span><span pt="" family="SANSSERIF" lang="0" style="font-size:100%;"><span pt="" family="SANSSERIF" lang="0" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">8719 Colesville Rd<br />Silver Spring 20910"</span></span></span></span></div></div></blockquote><div style="font-family: arial;"><div><span><span pt="" family="SANSSERIF" lang="0" style="font-size:100%;"><span pt="" family="SANSSERIF" lang="0" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">(I have sent a follow-up email to the campaign).<br /></span></span></span></span></div></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><div face="arial"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >No evidence of Raskin involvement<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >During my fact-gathering foray, I have made no secret of the fact that I'm supporting Raskin, which is not uncommon in Takoma Park. But I wanted to find the source of the quotes and see if there was anything to the sign-boosting charge -- certainly the most explosive of the allegations, especially since it is alleged to have happened (twice!) in Ruben's own neighborhood.</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">In a voice mail to me, Chrostowski backed down, saying he had "no direct evidence that this is the Raskin campaign doing this." But, he added, it certainly wasn't the Ruben campaign, and "it wasn't public officials trying to clean litter off front yards."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">But the MoCo Police's Hillandale station said they have no record of a complaint of yard sign theft from Ruben's address. (They said they could not check unless they had an address, so I provided Ruben's and only Ruben's. I suppose it's </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >possible</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> that others complained, but neither Chrostowski nor Olivetti has provided any names of aggrieved neighbors.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Chrostowski said some residents had sent letters to the <span style="font-style: italic;">Post </span>and the <span style="font-style: italic;">Gazette </span>but they had not been printed. Let's see them.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Campaign manager refuses to "engage"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I talked to Olivetti after getting Chrostowski's voice mail, but before I had been able to speak with Chrostowski directly. When I asked Olivetti for Chrostowski's phone number, he said he didn't have it, even though Chrostowski and his wife were scheduled to co-host a fundraiser for Ruben in Takoma Park the very next day. When I asked about the lawn signs allegation, Olivetti said I should ask the man who wrote the comments.<br /><br />Olivetti didn't say much in our brief conversation, but his demeanor (even over the phone) called to mind the Martin Short character on Saturday Night Live -- the sweating, bespectacled guy in the black suit, puffing on a cigarette, the ashes dropping onto the table as he says to the camera, "I didn't say that. You said that. Why would I say that?"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Except Olivetti didn't even go that far. He simply pawned the whole thing off on Chrostowski.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">"You're not going to get me to comment about something someone else wrote," he said. "The gentleman doesn't work for me. He's not connected with the campaign. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">I'm not going to get involved."<br /><br />"I'm not going to engage you in this discussion," he said, losing patience.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">That, of course, made me more curious. I pressed Olivetti until he sputtered, "This is campaign headquarters and we're running a political campaign!" A campaign which Chrostowski was not "connected" with.<br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">For his part, Chrostowski said he is not "associated" with the Ruben campaign. Yet he and his wife, Lorraine Pearsall, co-hosted a get-together/fundraiser on Sat., Aug. 26, in Takoma Park at the home of Susan Gilbert and Ronald Schechter. (See <a style="border-bottom-style: groove;" href="http://www.senatoridaruben.com/">http://www.senatoridaruben.com</a> for the invite: "Please Join Senator Ruben For a Midsummer's Night Jazz Featuring Marcus Johnson, Jazz Pianist." Suggested donation is $25-$40.) [Tuesday morning add: I haven't checked the Ida Ruben website in a couple days, because I assume the invite has been taken down.]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The phone number to R.S.V.P. was Ruben headquarters.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">[Tuesday, Aug. 29 addition: Jonathan S. Shurberg, a Silver Spring resident and Raskin supporter, </span> <div style="font-family: arial;">notes in an email to me that in addition to hosting the fundraiser, Lorraine Pearsall has been identified in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Washington Post</span> as the "Takoma Park Coordinator" of the Ruben campaign. Pearsall tried but failed to get an endorsement from the Montgomery College Democrats removed from Raskin's site. See this entry at the Washington Post site.<br /></div><a style="font-family: arial; border-bottom-style: groove;" href="http://blog.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2006/07/the_rubenraskin_endorsement_da_1.html" eudora="AUTOURL">http://blog.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2006/07/the_rubenraskin_endorsement_da_1.html</a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">[Pearsall contacted the college's vice president and provost about the logo on Raskin's site, saying, "she thought the Web notice looked like an endorsement from the college and that 'Sen. Ruben has done so much for education,' " the Post said.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />[When </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Brad J. Stewart, </span><span style="font-family:arial;">VP and Provost of the TP/Silver Spring campus, emailed Raskin to say , "</span><span style="font-family:arial;">The presentation on your website implies that this is an official endorsement by the college, something we do not allow," he cc'd Pearsall.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">[The college backed down when it became obvious that the logo could not be confused for an endorsement by the college, which of course cannot endorse candidates.</span>]<br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">By the way, Chrostowski, who claims he is not "associated" with the campaign, nonetheless knew enough to say the lawn signs had been put up "at the great expense of the Ruben campaign."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Sounds to me like he's pretty involved with the campaign, actually.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Full disclosure: Shurberg's wife is Raskin's Political Outreach Director.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Finally, the lede</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">But here's the kicker, folks (I buried the lede): <span>When I asked Chrostowski for the source of the sign-stealing allegation, he said it was the Ruben campaign. And with no prompting from me,</span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"> he said it was Phil Olivetti.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">By the time Chrostowski dropped that bombshell at about 6:45 p.m., giving me a sorely needed shot of adrenaline, I had already had my SNL moment with Olivetti, who had refused to answer any questions, which included whether Ruben had ever reported the thefts to police.<br /><br />In between these phone calls, I spoke to the Hillandale station of the MoCo police, waiting on hold for a good five minutes until I was told by an officer -- I have her name, but I see no reason to publish it -- that there had been no phone calls from the Rubens' address in the last six months. If the police have a record of a complaint from the senator, I wasn't able to get hold of it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I have sent a follow-up email to voteruben@aol.com -- It says, "Chrostowski says you [Olivetti] told him about the signs."<br /><br />In the body of the email, I said," Please, can you comment?<br /><br /></span><div style="font-family: arial;">"Thanks</div><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">"Steve Davies"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Monday morning (Aug. 28) update: No response yet from Olivetti or Ruben.<br /><br />Tuesday morning (the 29th): Still no response. Today I will send this post to voteruben@aol.com. Yesterday I sent it to a few Maryland political blogs but no one else in the media seems to care about it yet. Maybe they will, maybe they won't. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Friday morning: Haven't heard from Phil or Ida<br /><br />Labor Day: Nothing from Phil or Ida addressing this issue<br /></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Those nasty quotations</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">As for the quotes, here's where they came from, according to Chrostowski:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Raskin allegedly called Ruben "a supporter of Bush's war." Chrostowski said that came from "an internal Raskin meeting" that had been "infiltrated" by one of Ruben's supporters.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">"Corrupt back room politician" -- He supposedly said this after the candidates' forum in Takoma Park in July.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">"Raskin said that when he was talking to some people right after the official meeting was over," Chrostowski said.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Here's "James's" take (I was not at the debate, nor did I watch the online recording, but I did talk to people who were there).</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><blockquote>"At the <span style="font-style: italic;">Voice </span>debate, back-room politics were discussed. At one point, Ruben herself talked about getting things done in the back rooms. At no point at the debate did Raskin call Ruben a 'corrupt, back room politician.' I challenge you to watch the tape and find him saying that. You won't."</blockquote></span><span style="font-family:arial;">My take: </span><span style="font-family:arial;">If </span><span style="font-family:arial;">he did say it afterwards, it may have been said incredulously, as in, why would I want to be known as a corrupt back-room politician? For anyone who hasn't been watching American politics for oh, the last 100 years, the words "back room" have a negative connotation, and for Ruben to tout her "back room" abilities in Takoma Park just shows she did not know her audience. It went over like a lead balloon and was quickly seized upon by Raskin, who is a smart guy.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">"Conservative right-winger." -- Chrostowski says the source for that quote is a "highly placed Takoma Park official" whom he cannot name. When I mentioned two "high-ranking officials" who are Ruben supporters (Mayor Kathy Porter and Councilman Bruce Williams), he wouldn't bite. So who knows who it is. If anyone wants to own up to the hearsay, let me know (steve@eswr.com). Or let "Gilbert" know. I'm sure he'll get the truth out.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">On Sen. Ida Ruben's long career</span><br /><br />Another aside -- I'm not trying to judge others who have given to Ruben or support her. She has been around a long time, gathered plenty of accolades, and doesn't deserve some of the calumny heaped upon her -- including by me. I don't know the woman, but I think that needs to be said.<br /><br />On the MoCo Politics blog <a href="http://mocopolitics.blogspot.com/">http://mocopolitics.blogspot.com/</a>, for instance, I mocked her for saying to the <span style="font-style: italic;">Gazette</span>, "I brought home millions and millions of dollars to the county and I have the scars to show it.”<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"> "Scars? What the hell is she talking about? Did someone beat her up?" I asked.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">That comment was way out of line. </span><span style="font-family:arial;"> I wrote before thinking. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">To Sen. Ruben, her family and supporters, I sincerely apologize. On reflection, I think I know what she was talking about.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Ida Ruben has been in Annapolis for 32 years, first in the House and then the Senate. </span><span style="font-family:arial;"> It's only been in recent years that the Montgomery County delegation has attained some semblance of power in the historically male-, Baltimore-, and Eastern-Shore dominated legislature. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">For most of those years, especially at the beginning, it cannot have been easy being a woman there. I'm sure Sen. Ruben has put up with more than a lifetime's worth of stupid sexist comments and more, which, frankly, stinks. She deserves kudos for sticking it out and dealing with the old guard.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">But her years of service and well-deserved accolades don't give her right to spread misinformation about her opponent. If there is <span style="font-style: italic;">any </span>evidence of theft of lawn signs, she should produce it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Back to the quotes.</span>..<br /><br />"Old hag": Chrostowski reiterated to me his comment on "Gilbert" that the remark was said by a supporter (or supporters), </span><span style="font-family:arial;">b</span><span style="font-family:arial;">ut who cares? As "James" notes, "Rather than question whether or not this is true, I question the relevance. Supporters say a lot of things. I've heard pretty nasty things about Raskin from Ruben supporters (actually far more than the other way around). A candidate needs to rein in supporters, and needs to denounce unsavory behavior, but it is inevitable that some supporter says something stupid. I imagine that your experience, Paul, is anecdotal and not indicative of Raskin supporters, and certainly not indicative of Raskin--just as I draw the same conclusion about what I have heard out of the mouths of Ruben supporters."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I have to agree. Politics in America has always been a rough business, and holding Raskin responsible for what his supporters say is a bit much.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I think that's finally it. I have a couple more things I can add, but I have a day job that needs my attention.<br /><br />You may repost this and comment on it wherever you want, but I'm not allowing any comments here, except in the context of what I post. I'll try to at least make mention of the various comments I receive. I might even post some in their entirety. But I'd rather this whole thing just gravitate to another site that is more religiously maintained.<br /><br />If you do have something to add, send me an email at steve@eswr.com and I'll check in later.<br /><br />My only personal message is, can we stay away from the unsubstantiated charges and dirty politics? As Paul Chrostowski himself said to me, "I wouldn't be unhappy if both candidates were to [forswear the use of] this type of rhetoric." (</span><span style="font-family:arial;">I couldn't read all of my notes on that one, but that's what he was saying.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I completely agree. Except in this case, there's no evidence Raskin said what he supposedly said, nor any evidence of the sign-boosting allegation. And rhetoric is different than outright lying.<br /><br />Here's hoping the campaign will be all about the issues from this point forward.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Steve Davies<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The above was originally posted Aug. 25, but has been edited and scrubbed (for typos) since then</span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Editor's notes:</span> Jonathan S. Shurberg, who lives in Silver Spring, was misidentified as a Takoma Park resident in an earlier post. 3:30 p.m. 8/29/06<br /><br />Also, Sen. Ruben's home is in the Hillandale area, but I believe it is more accurately referred to as Cresthaven.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Here's "James' " response to Paul Chrostowski, reposted from</span><br /><br /></span><a style="font-family: arial; border-bottom-style: groove;" href="http://www.takoma.com/granola/2006/07/ruben_vs_raskin.html">http://www.takoma.com/granola/2006/07/ruben_vs_raskin.html</a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I've put it in italics to distinguish it from what I wrote. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Paul,</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Your first comment is so hyperbolic that I am left wondering about the veracity of your other statements. I've lived in Maryland my whole life, and I have seen some pretty nasty campaigns. In my view, Raskin has not run a particularly negative campaign. He has run an "unseat the incumbent" campaign, which inevitably focuses on the record of the incumbent.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >I think that blogs are really great for getting to information that doesn't come out readily in the mainstream media.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >On the other hand, Paul's post makes a number of assertions that cannot be readily fact checked.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >1. "called Ruben a 'conservative right-winger.'"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >I'd like to see the exact quotation and context. In all of my months following the Raskin campaign, I've never heard those words come out of his mouth. When and where? Proof? (And if you find proof, fine. I'm just registering my skepticism of an unsubstantiated charge until then.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >2. "supporter of Bush's war"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >This I can buy a bit more--but I don't see it as negative. It all goes to how you interpret Ruben's record. She introduced a bill to "support the troops". You can spin that one way or the other, but I certainly see that as a vote in favor of the war, particularly given the timing and symbolism. I can also see (but not agree with) the other side on this one, the side that says that it was literally just a shot in the arm for the troops and not support for the war.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >So, as far as I'm concerned, Raskin's comments on this are not negative. He raises a point, a common interpretation of such votes. You can agree with him or not. Ruben can choose to address it or not.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >3. "corrupt back room politician"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >At the Voice debate, back room politics were discussed. At one point, Ruben herself talked about getting things done in the back rooms. At no point at the debate did Raskin call Ruben a "corrupt, back room politician." I challenge you to watch the tape and find him saying that. You won't.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >So, when did Raskin say this? You may be extrapolating based upon several things that Raskin has said. But that is not the same thing. When did Raskin utter those words?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >4. "supporters called Senator Ruben an 'old hag'"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Rather than question whether or not this is true, I question the relevance. Supporters say a lot of things. I've heard pretty nasty things about Raskin from Ruben supporters (actually far more than the other way around). A candidate needs to rein in supporters, and needs to denounce unsavory behavior, but it is inevitable that some supporter says something stupid. I imagine that your experience, Paul, is anecdotal and not indicative of Raskin supporters, and certiainly not indicative of Raskin--just as I draw the same conclusion about what I have heard out of the mouths of Ruben supporters.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >5. "hundreds of yard signs"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >?????????</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >That would require a coordinated effort--vans going through the White Oak neighborhood in the dead of night. Whatever you may think about Raskin, do you really see this constitutional law professor organizing a campaign to suppress speech? Surely this would be a huge scandal if true. Do you really see Raskin taking that risk?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >And most importantly, where's your evidence?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >As I said before, it blogs provide a good link to POSSIBLE information about issues, but no one is vetting that information. So commenters (and bloggers) can only prove that they are reliable over time--just like a columnist in the newspaper. And readers need to be careful about unsubstantiated information--like these charges.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Show me the tape.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:arial;">(Dated Aug. 25)</span><br /><br /><br /></span>Steve Davieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04286097728629952137noreply@blogger.com