Is Election Interference Happening in the City Clerk's race??
Questions that need answers
NOTE: we don’t take any joy writing this post. We have been enthusiastic supporters of Michael Gates since 2014. HOWEVER certain events over the past year have caused us to ask very important questions that need answers.
We always ask our readers “Connect the Dots” and “Who Benefits”?
Despite “The Fab 4” running on no changes to the City Charter in the Summer of 2023 a Charter Revision campaign was launched that would have lowered the standards to run for the City Clerk’s office. It was widely believed that the City Attorney did so because he wanted his wife Kelly to run for Clerk and she did not possess the educational requirements, per our charter, to run for the office.
From the LA Times AUG. 2, 2023: “The city clerk sits just a few feet from Huntington Beach City Atty. Michael Gates on the City Council dais. Both of these elected positions could be held by people with the same last name, Gates, in a couple of years. Not only that, but Gates and his wife, Kelly, could possibly even campaign together in 2026, if voters approve charter revisions. (HB City Clerk) Robin Estanislau made the rare step of criticizing Michael Gates during public comments Tuesday night. She said that during a council meeting recess in June he told her that his wife was planning to run for clerk. “He proceeded to fish for information on my plans for retirement,” Estanislau said. “I asked if he saw Kelly’s candidacy as a conflict of interest and he said no, suggesting that our positions as attorney and clerk did not interact much. I questioned Kelly’s qualifications, and he said she had run a few businesses.” https://archive.ph/a5Aqd#selection-801.0-805.239
During this time the charter amendments to lower the Clerk’s educational requirements were sneakily added to other charter amendments like Voter ID & Flag Policy. The City Attorney was present, as legal counsel, on the Charter Revision Ad Hoc Committee.
Only one Councilmember’s vote stopped the charter revisions from moving forward to the election. Kelly Gates backed away when she saw how the vote would go.
On February 1st, 2024 The City Attorney’s office sent a letter to City Clerk Robin Estanislau detailing their opinion that former mayor Lyn Semeta does not have the requirements, per the HB Charter, to run for the Clerk’s position.
The letter does not mention Semeta specifically but goes into detail that a Juris Doctorate (law degree) does not qualify one to run for clerk. The City Attorney’s office drew up the 4-page opinion claiming “Our office has received some public inquiries regarding Section 310 of the Charter related to City Clerk job qualifications”. As the only person considering a run for clerk that held a law degree it’s a fair assumption that the letter was directed at Lyn Semeta.
The entire letter from The City Attorney’s office hinges on the term “or a related field” in regards to which particular bachelor’s degrees are acceptable to run for city clerk. We have read the letter multiple times and disagree with the assertion that Ms. Semeta’s BA in Communications from UCLA disqualifies her to run. The subjectivity of the charter language “or a related field” is so large you could fly a 747 through it.
The truth is that Lyn Semeta was always fully qualified to run for the City Clerk’s office.
Previous to the February 1st letter being produced Ms. Semeta spoke with current city clerk Robin Estanislau asking for clearance so that she could run for the clerk’s office. Ms. Estanislau asked Human Resources to vet Semeta’s background. In speaking with sources we understand that multiple emails/documents exist that prove the following points. We sent a FOIA/CPRA request for these emails/documents to the Clerk’s office nearly 3 months ago with minimal response until yesterday, October 2nd. The City Attorney’s office did not provide any of the following emails/documents, contrary to our sources affirming their existence.
A memo from HR that stated Semeta was qualified to run for the clerk’s office.
A memo from the City Manager’s office asking HR to reverse their approval of Semeta’s qualification to run for the Clerk’s office.
Emails sent from Lisa Barnes to the clerk challenging the vetting of Ms. Semeta.
Emails sent from Kelly Gates to the clerk challenging the vetting of Ms. Semeta.
For context, the City Clerk, in conjunction with the City Attorney’s office, is an integral part of the public records request loop, an unscrupulous future clerk and/or city attorney MIGHT refuse to release legally requested documentation contrary to legal & Constitutional First Amendment requirements. Therefore having honest and non-biased persons in those offices is crucial.
When/if these documents are provided we will update the public.
After the battle to run Kelly Gates was lost the City Attorney, Strickland, Burns, McKeon, Van Der Mark and the POA endorsed local realtor Lisa Lane Davis Greer Barnes for Clerk.
Lets compare resumes between Lisa Lane Davis Greer Barnes and Lyn Semeta to see who between them was better suited to be the HB Clerk:
Who is Lyn Semeta? She served with distinction on the planning commission and city council. Ms. Semeta has always enjoyed a reputation for honesty, integrity and no drama. It’s known that the city attorney harbors antipathy towards Ms. Semeta for choosing not to run in 2020 after she fully completed her elected term on council. After seeing the politics being played against her before she even began her campaign Ms. Semeta chose not to seek the clerk’s office.
Who is Lisa Lane Davis Greer Barnes?
Lisa Lane Davis Greer Barnes and her husband Steve appeared out of nowhere in June of 2022 and moved quickly to establish themselves in the political community by joining many groups simultaneously, right when that year’s election was in full swing.
This is the Chamber of Commerce infiltration method pioneered by former mayor and convicted federal felon Dave Garofalo. After his 2002 conviction Garofalo’s criminal record did not allow him to hold office ever again. Garofalo must have seen his conviction coming because he inserted his dear friend Joe Carchio as his surrogate into local politics when he could no longer legally be part of it. Carchio was finally elected after 3 attempts and served 2 terms during which he approved the notorious Elan and other debacles.
Here’s video from the recent Bolsa Chica Conservancy Barefoot Ball. Convicted felon Dave Garofalo, who has mysteriously fronted for the HB Beach Blvd. car dealers for years, doing what he does best…giving away other people’s money. Notice the camera focusing on Steve and Lisa Barnes at the end. Nothing to see here, move along….
Here is a conversation with Annette Eliot, President of the Huntington Harbour Republican Women's Federated, regarding Lisa Barne’s role in attempting to co-opt the HHRWF and turn it into a PAC supporting Tony Strickland’s campaign ambitions.
It makes us wonder, are Steve and Lisa Barnes Garofalo’s latest political surrogates?
and, Did Tony Strickland collude with Dave Garofalo to insert their people into key spots at the city? remember when we wrote about Strickland giving away keys to the city to Garofalo, the unions and developers in 2023? on September 24th, 2024 Strickland’s planning commissioner Rick Wood was the deciding vote to approve the contentious Bolsa Chica Senior HDD building, Connect the Dots.
Back to the item at hand..
“The City Clerk may, subject to the approval of the City Council, appoint such deputy or deputies to assist them or act for them, at such salaries or compensation as the Council may by ordinance or resolution prescribe.”
This charter language means that The City Attorney, with a compliant council behind him, could install an experienced clerk to run the office while the inexperienced Ms. Barnes would be the titular head. It also means that The City Attorney could install his wife Kelly Gates in the office that she sought earlier.
Our belief is that the unqualified Ms. Barnes is a surrogate candidate that will do the bidding of others while “in charge” of the clerks office. She must not be elected.
We are in the unusual position of endorsing Barnes’ Democrat opponent Regina Blankenhorn, whose qualifications for the clerk position far exceed Ms. Barnes.
Regina Blankenhorn Resume’
Endorsed by former HB city clerk Joan Flynn and current clerk Robin Estanislau.
Tustin City Government: Executive Coordinator to the City Manager
BA Business, Summa Cum Laude, Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society
Member of City Clerk Association of California
Member International Institute of Municipal Clerks
Chairperson, Enterprise Board, Coast Community College
State of California Credentialing Commission:
Credential: Supervision & Coordination
Credential: Full-time, Professional Clear – Vocational Education
“Being endorsed by the two esteemed city clerks of Huntington Beach should say a lot about my character,” Blankenhorn said Thursday. “They trust that I will be neutral, transparent, fair and competent as the city clerk of Huntington Beach.”
Obviously Ms. Blankenhorn is the only rational choice for HB Clerk.
To recap: There has been much speculation about The City Attorney and the appearance that he is actively trying to control the clerk’s office either by first the election of his wife, then attempting to stop Lyn Semeta from running and now backing the very unqualified Lisa Barnes. All roads lead to The City Attorney in this matter.
So, the question that needs an answer is “does The City Attorney want to control the Clerk’s office…and if so, why”?
Abuse of office means acts or omission on the part of the official when the powers granted to him are exercised not in accordance with laws and other legal acts but for self-seeking purposes or for other personal considerations (abuse of official position, revenge, envy, careerism, provision of illegal services, etc.) as well as actions of the official whereby he exceeds his authority or his arbitrary actions.
Such a disappointment that the big 4 rolled over for SHOPOFF/tank farm.