Arcadia Election Mailer Pokes Fun at Opposition As Election Tactics Run the Gamut

This creative little mailer, which targets District 5 voters, pokes serious jabs at Roger Chandler’s position on housing rights. – Courtesy photo / Deborah Priester

At the Eleventh Hour, Humor Has Thrown Some Residents a Curve Ball

By Terry Miller

April’s municipal election in Arcadia has turned ugly and humorous at the same time. This is nothing new in politics.

While candidates exchange jabs at one another and residents decry the advent of Districting which leaves over 11,000 residents without a voice, campaign mailers and complaints are flying in to the Fair Political Practices Commission.

Epoch Times, a Chinese newspaper,  is the latest to splash another, potentially illegal political photo, where an Arcadia police officer’s badge is clearly shown in a direct endorsement for candidates Harbicht and Chandler.  Arcadia City Hall was not amused.

More recently, Deborah Priester, a resident of District 5, has had enough of the attacks and put out a mailers that encourages voters to select ANYONE but Roger Chandler. The mailer depicts Roger Chandler as the Monopoly man.

You might remember two weeks ago, ‘Arcadia’ Best’ – a conservative blog run by Mayor Pro Tem. Sho Tay – ran the same photo of the APOA endorsing  the two pro development or ‘property rights’ candidates for Arcadia’s election next month. They, too, got their wrists slapped by election officials who take these matters very seriously.

Here’s how our friends over at Sierra Madre Tattler described the latest attempt to coerce the few voters that can actually vote in this year’s election:

“It seems that the ARPAs are now back for Round 2, but they’re trying a completely different tact as their 2016 graphic masterpieces didn’t get Harbicht elected. April Verlato was successfully voted onto the City Council while Bulldozer Bobby suffered an extremely embarrassing defeat. One that he is still whining about, and blaming everyone but himself.

Now it is 2018, and their chosen target this time is the mild mannered and politically positive Tom Beck, who is currently on the City Council and running for re-election. They are also targeting any candidate that dares to run against the timeless Roger Chandler, who has been sitting on the City Council since back when Fred Flintstone was still in diapers. “

The always politically astute Tattler also added this regarding another mailed sent out in Chinese:

After careful translation, The Tattler made this observation:

“What I especially like here is the description of Beck being a mob leader causing crime to increase, property values to decrease and taxpayer money to be wasted, all at his direction. Joyce Platt is apparently a “puppet” of Tom Beck, and Jolly Wu is selfish because she wants to keep the Arcadia Dial A Ride for seniors and the disabled, herself being wheelchair bound. Your only hope, according to this group is to elect the venerable Bob Harbicht and Roger Chandler.

– Courtesy photo

We contacted Tom Beck for comment on this story and the advent of the dueling mailers “.  I am most concerned about all the lies, misstatements, and plays to fear that Harbicht is sending out at me. He said he would run a clean campaign. His ethics sure are different from mine,” Tom Beck

Even though Mayor Pro Tem, Sho Tay , is not actually running for office – he was appointed – he has allegedly opened a committee may be receiving contributions from local real estate interests.

According to sources familiar with the campaign,  Sho Tay is allegedly paying from his committee for the mailers being sent in support of Harbicht and Chandler.  However, in an email to this office, Tay denies any responsibility.

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