That was a well-orchestrated attack against council members Fimia, Ransom and Way at the last city council meeting. The lineup of speakers led by former council member Kevin Grossman stayed “on message” and then wrapped up with their candidate using the podium to get it across that she’s running for council.
It’s troubling that viewers may not understand this amounts to nothing more than one episode in a mean-spirited campaign using the worst kind of tactics. It seems to have begun when Shoreline voters replaced Grossman with Maggie Fimia. Now she’s up for re-election, and that’s what this is really all about.
During the last election, citizens voted for a new direction through changes on the council. Apparently unwilling to accept this, Grossman, et al brought a lawsuit against the new majority on the council with whom they disagree. They and their supporters tried to deny those council members their right to legal counsel to defend themselves (which failed). They attempted a recall vote (which failed). They moved for summary judgment for their case (which failed). They tried to bully the defendants into confessing to something they did not do (which failed).
As the election gets closer, their campaign of attacks is intensifying. They’re using council meetings, the newspaper and direct mail to blame the lawsuit they started on the defendants and to state unproved allegations as facts, knowing the defendants can say little in their own defense while the case continues. They seem to have no interest in waiting for the court’s decision in the lawsuit they brought because it can be so effective to simply smear their opponents for its cost. They already win the prize for running the lowest, dirtiest campaign we’ve ever had in Shoreline.
Since the July 27 issue of The Enterprise had an entire article on the lineup of speakers at the council meeting and then essentially printed Grossman’s speech via his letter, why was there not one word of Fimia’s response to her detractors?
Jan Stewart
Shoreline
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