publicly failed countless challenges, McConkey's seat will be taken by
David Pirolli. He's one of the familiar crew lecturing the council during
public comment periods at most meetings.
The day before Rothenbach's letter, a band of Measure A opponents
agreed to ask like-minded council members to speak at the forum, and
Stacey Murphy was ultimately chosen to accompany Bruehl. She's a member
of the City Council's subcommittee that has studied airport issues for
years. Many Measure A supporters endorsed Murphy's reelection this year,
and she easily beat then-candidate Rothenbach. Now they must paint Murphy
as yet another secret agent of conspiracies, but they've made bigger
U-turns in the past.
Maybe we've seen previews of how Measure A's fans will respond to
Murphy's opposition. In council meetings, they ask questions heavy with
implications of corruption and illegal acts, stridently demanding public
answers. But when officials -- Murphy and Councilman Dave Golonski chief
among them -- give answers inconvenient to the inquisitors, the officials
are promptly accused of abusing the meeting and city facilities to
illegally lobby against Measure A.
When Murphy condemns Measure A today, perhaps we'll be told elected
officials can't express opinions on ballot measures, and that doing so
somehow constitutes a violation of law or ethics as interpreted by
Rothenbach, McConkey and their ilk.
