Cohen Lays Down the Law, One He Opposed

Dearest Historics:

As you know, the true elite of the Historic Core don't give a hoot about 2 am licenses.  We drink alone.  And at night.  We would certainly not be caught in the gins joints of the Ancient Citte.

So what if the new 2 am law passed?

Well, apparently some gears of citte government agree with the King and may not be fully engaged with the new law.  Let's see, could it be the Planning Commission, the Board of Appeals and the ABC Board?

Mayor Cohen thinks perhaps, maybe.  So much so he put his thoughts in writing. To the Chairs of the respective citte committees.  Click on the above.

The New Look at City Hall


Jon Arason, Director of Planning and Zoning, is in the cross hairs.  Some Council members are blaming him for foot dragging and obfuscation.  Mr. Arason, a long time citte employee and well liked personally, apparently is not that adept at reading the tea leaves.

This Council is activist and has more power than any Council in recent memory.  And he is on the bubble.

We're not sure where this is all heading.  The hold-ups on the new licenses appear to be real.  And the Mayor has now laid down the law.  Are there fireworks coming?

Join me at my estate for a cognac at 3 am and we can debate this noble topic.

King of George

Foer: KOG is Taliban!

Deraest Readers:

The King of George Victims Centre is again open for business.  In this case the complainant is our own M. Paul Foer.  Local hate blogger, Capital columnist and shock jock.

You see, he has decided once again that he, Sir Paul, is the ultimate arbiter of truth and justice in the Ancient Citte.  Courtesy of the miracle of forwarded emails (that are making the rounds), the King has learned of his latest inquisition against businesses and the body politic.

Recently, M. Foer (pronounced: ˈfȯi-(y)ā ) sent the following inquisitive missive to one Mr. Craig Purcell, AIA; native Annapolitan, Annapolis Political Scene blogger and noted Baltimore architect:

"Mr Purcell   Please explain your business relationship with Lehr Jackson and Gone to Market. This is an important item that you should have disclosed considering that you were on the Mayor's Transition Team and also that you are frequently writing about the Market House." 

Perhaps rightly, Mr. Purcell felt that he owed no private business information to M. Foer and responded the same.  Yet M. Foer persisted, now with personal innuendo:

"I am well aware of your opinions about me and your many false assumptions and accusations, but that is not my concern. You use your blog to defame me and others on a regular basis, but my question here is straightforward--what is your business relationship with Lehr Jackson and Gone to Market LLC? Thank you."

Once again, Mr. Purcell resisted the affronts of the hate blogger / Capital columnist.  And, again, Mr. Foer persisted:

"While you continue to question my motives and attack me personally, you refuse to answer a legitimate question posed to you, but you can see that what I am doing is part of the normative news gathering process, something which is apparently foreign to you. You have been given repeated chances to answer the question, and as a community activist and blogger, you should certainly make any apparent conflicts of interest known."

"The normative news gathering process".  Huh? 

Even the King is baffled.

At that comic interchange Mr. Purcell relented.  And gave M. Foer what he wanted.  That there is no business relationship between himself or his firm with Mr. Jackson or Gone to Market LLC.

But, as you guessed.  It wasn't enough for M. Foer:

"You've had plenty of opportunities to talk with me but instead you have resorted to attacking me personally, insulting me, accusing me of all kinds of misconduct (all of which was actually things in which you engaged--it's called projection) and questioning my motives, suggesting I am somehow "on the take"...and it gets worse. And you expect I should become transparent with you? I already am transparent."

Yes, transparent.  Transparent banner ads for support, transparent fee-for-politics events, transparent employment by The Capital and WNAV.

Like mud.

Nevertheless, M. Foer had one last rub for dear Mr. Purcell and the other bloggers of Annapolis.  Starting, for dramatic effect:

"I don't make deals with terrorists."

Gen. Ariel Sharon, IDF, standing at the gates of Beirut in 1982 couldn't have said it better. 

So M. Foer continued:

"Regarding your imagined conspiracies, I will again say there is nothing of the sort going on. The fact that you and your colleague[sic] spend so much time and energy writing and worrying and complaining and attacking me, and everyone else you attack, is absurd."

So, Annapolis Political Scene, Eye on Annapolis, The Annapolis Sound and yours truly will now make the TSA "No Fly" list?  Are we doomed to spend the rest of our days in a cave in Tora Bora with you-know-who?  And only a 12kbs dial-up modem to Karachi?

Egads!

I, sire, for one am no terrorist.  I remain loyal to God, Queen and Country.  Even if its not the same ones you adore.  And you shall pry the Historic Core out of my cold dead hands. 

(That is a bit much, eh?  But M. Foer has me rattled!)

But there is good news for M. Foer in this cloud of gloom and doom.  After receiving its first client, a Ms. Charlotte Weinstein, the KOG Victims Centre is open for M. Foer himself.

We have tea with crumpets and counselors so you can talk-therapy your way back to mental peace.  Undeterred by fears of terror attacks on Boucher Ave. (or should that be Severna Park?). 

But please remain calm.

Please.

King of George

Dust Settles. It's Saddam vs. Young Griz

Dearest Neighbors:

As we all know by now, the dust has finally settled and Chris Trumbauer squeaked by Chuck Ferrar.  Yet, Mr. Trumbauer is not yet in the clear.  He has to face the Monster of Monticello, Doug Burkhardt.

Mr. Burkhardt, with an eerie resemblance to Saddam Hussein, is best known in Annapolis for being Dick Israel's opponent in 2005.  Losing by a solid 60/40 margin.  His outlandish claims ("Hookers in Ward One!", "Hillman Garage Scandal!") largely fell on deaf ears as his highly charged campaign style turned-off many in the Historic Core.

So as a consolation prize he was then was appointed by Governor Ehrlich to run his "Smart Growth" office.  As a direct report to the then Secretary of the Maryland Department of Planning Audrey Scott (mother of his campaign manager Larry Scott - see below, now Chair of the MD GOP), it was an office Ehrlich had no love for and wanted dead.  Mr. Burkhardt happily acquiesced and tried to kill it over the objections of the legislative branch that legally established it. 

Fred Shubbie's Facebook Pic.  Really.

His campaign is being run by our very own Fred Shubbie (a.k.a. Larry Scott, son of Audrey Scott - see above).  Fred-Larry is best known in Annapolis for his multiple-campaign train wreck in the 2005 municipal election.  Where he ran most of his candidates right into the ground.  His favorite technique was a comparative chart that distilled inaccuracies down to obvious propaganda. 

Let's recap: Mr. Burkhardt hires Fred-Larry to run his campaign.  He loses and gets hired into State Government at $90,000 a year to work for Audrey Scott.  Then he hires Fred-Larry Scott to run his next campaign.  With significant support from the MD GOP - Audrey Scott, Chair.   Hummm.

Nevertheless of his internal conflicts, we're anticipating a campaign filled with invective, misrepresentation and general malaise from them.  It's their play book.

Thus Chris Trumbauer, who resembles a young Grizzly Adams, has his work cut out for him.  Or should we say his backers, the people doing the work.

Mayor Cohen, Kathy Nieberding, Doug Gansler and MSEA all will have to pull out the stops.  Irrespective of their own weaknesses, they are starting in a strong position with Team 30 out to a strong start.  Governor O'Malley's effort within the city is being run independent way with heavy support from old time Eastport Dems and their hanger-ons.  This will also pull votes Mr. Trumbauer's way.

It will probably require not a huge but a significant cross over vote from Democrats in order for Burkhardt to win.  It's unlikely that Doug and Fred-Larry can make this happen with their insipid and angry campaign style.

Honey catches more voters than vinegar.

King of George

Arnett to Secede. Kirby to Fight.

Dearest Readers:

The King has always been a fan of wacked-out politicos.  Like Texas' Governor Rick Perry.  Who threatened that his state would secede from the union.  And then do what I have no idea.

Now, one of our own Aldermen is threatening to secede from the Citte.  And another is threatening him.

Some background.  Mayor Cohen has Friday lunches for the Council.  They are held in different restaurants on different Fridays and are not publicly announced.  I suppose that makes them 'secret', right?

(How he gets this past the open meeting laws we don't quite know.  But, as readers are aware, the King is no fan of doing business in public anyway.  Smoke filled rooms are much more preferable.  So bully for the young Mayor!)

So far, these lunches have met with mixed success.  Often the Mayor ends up eating more crow than anything on the menu.  And often the Alderfolks go astray with threats and counter threats to each other and the Mayor.

Last Friday's was held at Castlebay and shows just how absurd these luncheons have become. 

Alderman Arnett, it seems, is miffed again at the Citte.  He threatened that if he did not get his way Eastport would secede.  (His motivation for this is clear: if Eastport pulled out it is the only plausible way the words "Mayor" and "Arnett" would ever lexographically marry.)

Yet, Alderman Arnett should have stated more accurately that his half of Eastport would secede.  Aldermen Pfeiffer and Kirby have the two pieces of the other half.  And Alderman Kirby at least would have none of it.

"We will send a boat with armed black men to prevent a secession.  Just like George Washington crossing the Delaware." he threatened.  "It's our home too."

So we will have an armed insurrection to prevent the secession of the elite-want-to-be's from across the Gulf of Annapolis?

I say, let them go.

In fact, encourage it.  The quicker they leave the better off we will all become.  The Historic Core shall regain its rightful place as the throne room of the citte.  And Alderman Kirby's militia is much better placed at the gates to the citte to keep the rabble out.

Of course, this makes us anticipate Friday's theatre of the absurd all the more. 

Maybe they will want to annex Arnold so Alderman Paone can get elected Mayor of something too.

King of George

Ms. Weinstein Responds. Ibid KOG.

Elite of the Core:

After the King spoke this week, a certain Candidate Weinstein had an issue with it. Apparently, she feels she is a KOG victim.  Even when he quotes her own website.  Where she hawks her services for accused sex offenders.

As she pleads on her Facebook page:

"Ok, so now some horrible things are being said about me. Please my style is not to hide behind a "fake" name (don't we have enough of that in our current government). If you have something that you would like to say about me or to me, have the courage to use your real name. I will be more than happy to address any concerns that you might have and/or to clarify any rumors."

First, dear Ms. Weinstein, I may be a fictional character but I am certainly not fake.  Because I only exist your mind does not make me in any way unreal. Just like Mr. Bumble from Oilver Twist. 

And there's a difference between 'fictional' and 'anonymus'.  I am not the product of any one person's views. Many compose my thoughts and beliefs and they belong to no one individual.  As discouraging a concept as that might be to you.

Second, whining does not become a wannabe elected official.  

People like their elected officials happy, gregarious.  Not flustered and angry. 

Didn't your Republican friends tell you that?  Oh, but that's right.  They all are pretty much whiny and angry on that side of the table.

Unfortunately for you, many of the posters on your Facebook page are in concord with the King.  Including one, a sitting County Councilman:

"Welcome to politics. Stop whining and hit back. Hard!" - Eddie Middlebrooks, Republican AA Councilman, District 2

"Ed with the words of wisdom" - Jim Braswell

"Charlotte, my friend, you need thicker skin if you are going to run for office." - Polly Peters

Oops.

Maybe it would be easier for you to explain this website.  Where you and your campaign treasurer, one Thomas A. Pavlinic, Esq., brag about your courtroom victories for those accused of sex crimes.  There would be some real transparency.

So, good luck on your race.  But you might consider taking down that sex crime defense website.

King of George

(Eddie, would that be considered 'hitting back hard' ?)

Crony Capital-ism

Fellow Historics:

The King believes in freedom of the press. Especially when that freedom allows reportage that distorts facts and damages individuals for my benefit.

But when it does not - then hades. Let's smash the presses!

So that is why we are so blessed to be in the Ancient Citte. We have team reportage that gets the story out about the down-trodden and victimized.

We, the elite of the Historic Core.

We must always remember that the individuals recruited to perform such tasks must never be held to the standards they inflict. Thus, when you read The Capital, please forget about their scofflaw & arrogant nature.

It just gets the way of the distortions.

So bully for these Capital reporter's on and off duty accomplishments! From the Maryland Judiciary Case Search and Orange County Florida iClerk:

Biggest Scofflaw - Erin Margaret Cox - For getting caught near the King's estate on Church Circle, 12 June 2009 with expired Florida plates on her Jeep.

Of course, the Maryland MVA requires an out of state vehicle to be registered within 60 days of moving into the State. And she left her job as an Orlando Sentinel reporter back in 2006 before the Sam Zell cutbacks.

So, was that 60 days or 60 months? Seems like the arresting officer may have forgotten a charge or two.

Oh, and didn't the young lass write about Zina Pierre's residency issues?

It also seems she has a need for speed. In Orlando, Ms. Cox had two speeding tickets. On both she elected to attend classes and pay a fine in lieu of points on her record.

Yet on one she was delinquent in paying the fine, had her drivers licence suspended and paid a late fee.

On the other there are still issues. By an mere oversight I am sure, it was left partially unpaid from 2006. On November 11 2009, the amount due was sent to collections. And she still hasn't paid.

Detect any patterns?

All this pretty much disqualifies her to run for any political office in the State of Maryland. But - good news - she can still write about it!

Most Lawsuits from a Story - Eric Hartley - For the damages claimed to local attorney Louis P. Tanko. Filed in Prince Georges County Court on April 16th, the liable lawsuit is ongoing. Summons issued to not only him but his employer, The Capital.

In 2005 - 2007, M. Hartley penned a number of articles that cast a negative light on Attorney Tanko. Were there enough non-facts among the aspersions for his liable suit to be filed?

We don't know. We'll just have to make a jaunt over to the PG County Courthouse and get a gander at the suit. Yum yum!

Best Inside Court Reporting - Scott M. Daugherty - It seems even the Capital's court reporter has some personal experience with the courts. On May 6th of last year he was charged with the heinous crime of operating a motor vehicle with a minor not wearing a seat belt. He pled guilty and walked away with a $25 fine.

We hope he steps up to a bigger, badder crime this year to add inside knowledge to his stories. Perhaps grand theft auto?


Of course, there are other issues that never end up in court. Like the conflicts of interest all over the editorial page. Tom Marquardt and his self serving rants. Gerald Fischman's role. And Paul Foer's racial and hate filled tirades (plus issues with the State Comptroller and civil lawsuits against his neighbors).

So let the bloodsport begin!

We've evened the playing field.

King of George

Sex Sells. Even to Annapolitans.

Dearest Readers:

The King is shocked. Shocked I say.

We write about Josh Cohen and you yawn. The Capital is mentioned and you nap. Even Herr Smith's pogroms of Moyerites are happily skipped over.

But mention a wanna be West County pol who has dealings with accused sex offenders?

Katie bar the door! Record hits and comments on KOG. Many from City Hall Annapolis and County Government servers.

Yi-ha!

It turns out our readers may be larger deviants than we originally thought.

King of George

NEXT KOG: Nude photos of Josh Cohen and Ellen Moyer!!!