Politician of the Year: When I started thinking about this award in early December, I couldn’t settle on a winner. Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, Congressman Scott Peters and Mayor Kevin Faulconer were in the mix, but I didn’t feel like anyone had locked it down. What a difference two weeks, and two votes, can make….
Yes, last week’s back-stabbing political coup against former interim mayor and council president, Todd Gloria was led by Republicans but had the help of some weak and unprincipled Democrats. In my view, the coup’s chief organizer was Councilman Scott Sherman, the new “Dick Cheney of San Diego.” In one of the biggest betrayals and back-stabbing…
First District Councilmember Sherri Lightner was elected Tuesday as City Council president in a 6-1 re-vote after the Council was told the re-vote was necessary to “cure” violations of the Brown Act that alleged some councilmembers met secretly to oust Todd Gloria as Council president. The re-vote was held following the 7-2 vote on Dec….
At her first meeting Monday, newly elected Council President Sherri Lightner called for a re-vote on who should be elected Council president on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., saying there were concerns that councilmembers discussed who they would vote for before the Dec. 10 vote that ousted Todd Gloria for a third term. The Brown Act…
The reports of Todd Gloria’s political death are greatly exaggerated. Let us begin by unpacking the current narrative. Council Republicans feared that returning as Council President would give Gloria the power and profile to launch a challenge to Mayor Kevin Faulconer in 2016. So they conspired with new Council President Sherri Lightner to elect her…
I felt sorry for Councilwoman Sherri Lightner yesterday. What she thought was going to be a triumphant rise to become the first woman City Council president turned into an outpouring of support for Todd Gloria. So much so that Ms. Lightner was visibly shaken and refused to speak to the press. She appeared to tear…
The packed room was clearly with 3rd District Councilmember Todd Gloria for a third term as City Council president Wednesday, but he lost it by one vote and the new president is 1st District Councilmember Sherri Lightner. All four Republican Councilmembers and Lightner voted against Gloria for a third term, causing the motion to re-elect…
Dec. 1, NBC reported that Sherri Lightner was running for San Diego City Council president against Todd Gloria. Lightner would get the votes needed to become the first woman council president from four Republican council members. City Beat and LGBT Weekly reacted strongly with articles I found, in turn patronizing, entitled and strategically misguided. Dave…
The San Diego City Council voted 7-0 April 16 to donate $77,000 in funds from councilmembers’ district budgets to The LGBT Community Center in support of its many core programs. Council President Todd Gloria thanked all the councilmembers for the donations and said The Center has “touched the lives of thousands.” The funds will go…
The City Council voted 5-3 Monday to not override the veto by Mayor Bob Filner over the appointments of attorney Rafael Castellanos and businessman Marshall Merrifield to the Port Commission. Six votes were needed and Councilmembers Marti Emerald, David Alvarez and Sherri Lightner voted to accept Filner’s veto Jan. 18. Council President Todd Gloria…
