I’ve been thinking about this for a while. The words of my confidential informant (who was also interviewed by the LA Times) are ringing in my head, “I’d love to let you use my name, but it could hurt my business”
Then there were others I spoke with – so many it seems like a blur…
“Yeah, Aaron, check in to _____ and _____, but keep my fingerprints off of this. If my boss found out I was talking to you, I’d get fired.” He paused. ” Bill Brough doesn’t just drink man, and I am sure you know what I am talking about given your past, he gets f—ed up.”
“Hey Aaron, you are dead right about Bill Brough, I’ve been to his apartment when they have had the kitchen sink full of ice.”, then there was a pause, “Dude, it’s a bad scene, like almost every member has a portable bar in their office.” When I followed up in partial shock, “Yeah man, keep my name off of it. I would be in deep s–t if the “Third House” found out we talked. There are a whole bunch of these guys that think being an Assemblyman is a vacation to Animal House”.
This has been my life since 2003 when I started blogging. One anonymous source after another. Being smeared in the local media. My wife getting threatened and harassed. Anonymous packages. Anonymous emails. Text Messages. Faxes. People who are outraged about what is going on whose voices are quivering when they talk to me. Women, one after another telling me about being grabbed, cornered, leered at, catcalled, etc. People like former Senator Ted Gaines (and others) doing nothing while their employees are on a rampage. (Gaines’ Chief of Staff was involuntarily terminated for his repeated issues with women)
For every sordid tale written on Right on Daily, there are at least 5 more I have not written about because I simply don’t have enough proof and can’t protect myself from a libel lawsuit. Since 2003, I’ve received 27 legal demand letters and counting, yet I’ve never actually been served with a lawsuit.
If I did not believe my involvement in politics was a calling, I’d be an NPP and out of it all together. Don’t kid yourself, the democrats are worse than the Republicans as their lack of morals is encoded in their party platform, however, with few exceptions they are all corrupt regardless of party label.
The quivering voices, the code of silence, this is why Lisa Bartlett’s story rocked me to my core. People had to have known about this in 2018 when Bill Brough drew a primary opponent. Yet, they retaliated against the Primary Opponent. (BTW as an unrelated – I’ve learned more about Don Wagner’s situation and it makes far more sense to me what has happened since he won his race as some of the events before and during the campaign are absurd)
Many people in Orange County were righteously angered when the leadership of the OC GOP asked everyone present to keep Lisa Bartlett’s gut-wrenching story “In the Family” after she bravely released in public what she had been holding in since 2011. Right On Daily broke the story in public about 40 hours after Lisa Bartlett went public in that meeting.
Yet, the narrative I’ve seen from the OCGOP has been all about Bill Brough, and people’s motives. What about the women?
Let’s compare Lisa Bartlett to the political operative that accused Brett Kavanaugh or any of the political operatives that accused President Trump.
Lisa Bartlett told people when the event happened. The others did not, in some cases the elapsed time was over 30 years.
Lisa Bartlett had corroboration. The others did not. Many of their stories came apart quickly.
Lisa Bartlett attempted to seek redress for what happened, WHEN IT HAPPENED. The others did not.
Bill Brough lied about the existence of previous complaints related to sexual misconduct that were filed by others. There had never been complaints or lawsuits over unwanted sexual advances against the President – just legal agreements after consensual sex that were uncovered by Mueller and crew then leaked to smear the President. Brough set himself on fire when he sent proof that the 2018 complaint to the assembly rules committee had been dismissed on a technicality, a complaint he denied the existence of.
The woman that spoke to me is someone I know and I know what she has been through. Where is the regard for her? Where is the regard for the Realtor that went on the record? Where is the regard for the others that filed complaints?
When I was single, after I got sober and started getting my life together I went to a seminar that was basically about how to be a man worth marrying. There were a lot of concepts about self-discipline, praying, eating right, etc. The key thing I took from that seminar that I have not forgotten 15 years hence is that men are supposed to protect women that are within their sphere of influence.
Regardless of the PC assault and deliberate confusion of gender roles – this is the truth. Men are supposed to be a source of stability and security. Men are supposed to protect their employees, spouses, and children. By extension it is an easy logical conclusion that Men are supposed to protect volunteers for the CAGOP, OCGOP and political staffers.
The leadership of the OCGOP has failed to do any of this. Instead we got this:
“The Republican Party of Orange County has no tolerance for sexual misconduct,” Whitaker said in a statement. “We are not aware of any pending investigations. All claims of sexual misconduct should be reported to and investigated by law enforcement or state legislative ethics committees to allow for a fair and thorough investigation, so that victims can be heard and an accused can present a defense. If an investigation is initiated, any request for endorsement would be dependent on the results of the investigation. There is no request for endorsement pending at this time.”
In effect, Fred Whitaker, the OCGOP Chairman re-injured the victims by refusing to acknowledge the reality of a revolt against Bill Brough. Rather than acknowledge Lisa Bartlett or what she says happened to her, Fred Whitaker tried like so many other failed leaders in the GOP to avoid conflict at all costs. It does not matter weather Bill Brough has a pending endorsement request or not, it matters what the OCGOP is going to do about what Lisa Bartlett (and others since) have come forward with.
The news stories related to Bill Brough are full of cowards refusing to comment. They know what happened.
Then of course there are Technicalities, such as women’s complaints against Brough being dismissed because they did not want their names revealed to Brough. (but not dismissed on the merits of the complaint itself) Still another complaint was dismissed for lack of a second witness.
People wonder why it is so hard for women to come forward?
This is why I wrote about Lisa Bartlett’s story. Women that help the CAGOP and the OCGOP deserve to be protected. I’m happy to do it from 450 miles away if those in Orange County won’t. The next move is yours OCGOP leadership.
P.S. The quotes I started this story with are almost verbatim what I was told on the phone by sources.
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