Politics is often filled with daggers, darts and dynamite.
Politicians often keep these volatile charges contained, unless of course, you hire a loose cannon like Robert Haugh.
Haugh is the blog mouth insert for Mayor Lisa Gillmor. His instructions are to take any topic or person and convert the mundane into the sensational, headline-grabbing, distasteful topic of the week
He fits into that role like jelly on a croissant roll.
There is something colorful about Haugh’s approach to journalism. It is bright yellow.
He was “inspired” by the Mayor and Consultant Jude Barry to do a dirty job and he happens to fit that requirement like a glove.
Haugh has no problem looking for truth because the absence of such is his trademark. He wouldn’t recognize truth if it tromped on him like a Tasmanian devil.
However, when it comes to following orders, he follows the Mayor’s direction well.
Whenever Gillmor wants to get rid of a City employee or make something from nothing, watch his/her blog.
Any twist or turn that translates into a tantalizing tale of ugly, fits right into his repertoire.
Haugh’s job is to write what the Mayor tells him, with the green light allowance to embellish the story with any contrived actions of evil he can create. The guidelines are simple:
- Always make the subject look bad.
- Take arguments and examples to the ridiculous.
- Paint the object, organization or person with the stain of disdain.
- Draw conclusions that imply transgressions and be sure to ask questions that create prejudice, disgust and doubt.
You would think that twisting the truth about a good person, business or organization would have an impact on his conscience. Of course, that would imply he had one.
Like a butcher whacks up meat, Gillmor wants her stories to brutalize whoever opposes her.
The Mercury News called Gillmor’s reign “…a scorched earth policy of governing.”
“My way or the highway” could be her theme song as it certainly has that familiar melody.
There was a time, not long ago, you could walk into City Hall and feel welcome. Now, not so much. If you kiss the ring of the Queen, you may still be welcome. If not, you could likely become a mincemeat target in Haugh’s blog.
This retaliatory behavior by the Mayor probably explains why dollars, by the tens of thousands, ended up in her favorite Political Action Committee last Friday…all from developers.
As she directs, Haugh’s blog erroneously attacks fine people and good organizations. Oh, that’s right, it’s just orders.
Haugh’s attacks on the Santa Clara Chamber and the Chamber PAC were so full of misinformation you would think he was the front-runner of fake news. Oh, that’s right, he is.
Short-sighted citizens seek the shock of this Santa Clara scandal sheet blog to satiate their sanity or, lack thereof.
Frankly, these forged and phony facts reflect the sham being circuitously delivered by our Mayor. It may not be dynamite, and the daggers are deliberately damaging.
Happy Halloween.