Dear Editor,
Thank you for accurately quoting, in your July 21, 2022, issue, a portion of the email I sent to your publication at what I understood was the request of your reporter, Samantha Bravo. The article gave an incorrect date (May 11, 2022) for the City Council meeting at which I spoke about an unregistered lobbyist. That meeting was July 11, 2022.
You also published immediately after my remarks what was identified in your paper as Mr. Grisanti’s response in which he said that public speakers need not be “. . . . . rational, truthful or productive. . . . ..” Grisanti then expressed his concern that speakers were subject to “derision, legal liability, or economic ruin.” Way to support the First Amendment, Paul. There is nothing quite like an obvious threat from the government to encourage citizen participation.
There is evidently no requirement that a disgraced Realtor who became a mayor be rational, truthful, or productive. I was and remain concerned that an unregistered lobbyist advanced the cause of an entity she represents before our council and asked, at the July 11, 2022, meeting that the council at least check with the city attorney. Rather than responding then, Mr. Grisanti interrupted me during my appropriately timed remarks and deflected any mention of the lobbyist problem. As a result I’ll publicly offer this deal to our so-called mayor: If you’ll quit telling lies about me, I’ll quit telling the truth about you.
Bill Sampson
Malibu