Author Archives: christianepting

Last August, a parent in the Ocean View school district filed a formal complaint against OVSD trustee president and Gina Clayton Tarvin with the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC). Details about the campaign finance laws she has alleged to have violated can be found here. 

Yesterday, an FPPC  investigator confirmed that the investigation against Tarvin is still open and active after eight months. They also said that they have no idea when the case will be completed but that the results will be posted immediately on the FPPC website when available. Updates to follow as they occur.

Last year, as I wrote about, there was an incident at Central Library when a citizen named Jim Knapp attempted to ask Ocean View School District Trustee president Gina Clayton Tarvin (pictured above as a surrogate attempts to block a camera for her) a number of questions.  He was quickly hustled out of the public event and police were called.  Moments later, Knapp was informed that Tarvin was accusing him of trespassing, assault and even more incomprehensibly, forced imprisonment (a felony).

Evidently for asking questions she did not want to hear. Was he being direct and demanding answers? Yes. But had she been stonewalling him and were her supporters harassing him for daring to challenge her? Absolutely.

Knapp, along with many other citizens, has also had his Facebook account suspended for daring to criticize or question Tarvin.   While it is not known exactly how the social media platform is being manipulated a Tarvin’s behalf, clearly there is an orchestrated process in place. To many people have been banned for it to be coincidental.

While these events have certainly sent a chill effect through the city, it’s probably a good idea to remember that there are protected systems in place for questioning and challenging any and all elected officials.

Number one, and probably most important, is the  freedom to use your voice at public meetings, whether it be city council meetings or school board meetings. Now, naturally there are limits imposed within these forums and you certainly are not free to make direct threats against someone.  The problem is, occasionally you will find an elected official who seem so scared of the public’s voice that they will begin reacting as if even a question constitutes a threat.

Don’t be thrown by this. If you have a concern about an elected official,  you are free to express that concern.  They cannot call the police to have you forcibly removed simply because they disagree with you.  Similarly, they cannot file restraining orders simply because they fear you may be exposing them on some level that would be beneficial for voters to be aware of. More and more, we see politicians feigning fear to try and silence public voices.  But you have every single right to attend meetings to voice your opinions.

Number two, you’re also able to request any and all communications between public officials,  from emails to physical paperwork to texts.  All you have to do is file a CPRA (public request act) with the scope of what you are looking for.  Those are public records.  Emails that officials receive at work do not belong to them.  They belong to the public and you’re entitled to request them.

The bottom line is, in an age where there is less and less media to hold public officials accountable,  it becomes even more important for the public to get involved and demand answers.  Again, occasionally you will get an official who will act as if what you’re doing is not legal. But if you’re simply demanding answers about policy and their behavior, you’re well within your rights and should not be silenced.

So don’t be intimidated.  You pay for these people and you have every right to ask questions and demand answers as it affects their responsibilities as elected officials.

Now more than ever.

Ocean View School District Trustee President, Gina Clayton Tarvin, has once again taken to Facebook to attack private citizens and misrepresent what can only be described as her vindictive, dishonest and obsessively destructive behavior.

These were her publicly posted comments this past weekend in response to a discussion on the Huntington Beach Community Forum criticizing her for her politically driven behavior within the district and community.

Actually, ANYONE even half-paying attention knows what has driven myself and others to expose the lies, manipulation and intimidation by this elected official whom a growing number of residents are now seeing as corrupt and quite dangerous.

As I have documented, it started when she accused me of attacking she AND HER CHILD after I interviewed her in May of 2105. To expose her lies, I posted the audio of the discussion and a transcript.

Then there was the time she dug up personal information to try and destroy the reputation of a local citizen.

Then there was this, perhaps her most heinous efforts to date to try and suppress free speech.

An open investigation (two of them actually) remain against her.

Her false endorsement claim.

MORE attempts to destroy citizens.

And it goes on. She has even claimed to be in touch with local gang members, while making up more lies about me. 

And let us not forget this bizarre rant she made against me at a public meeting–actually assuming me of ATTACKING HER CHILD. Of course- there is never any evidence- just her words.

And now, evidently, criticism of her behavior is being equated with that of Nazi tactics:

Despite her (false) claims here, I’ve never accused her of costing me my column. Did she contact my editor numerous times to complain about my criticism of her? According to my editor, yes. Do I find that outrageously inappropriate? I do. But she won’t address those facts. How she attempts to intimidate and influence. Instead, she will create a false narrative to make herself look like a victim.

Rather than believe a single syllable she says, I will take to hear the message I received from a high-ranking district official in response to my initial column on Tarvin:

“Big Cheers for you! Finally her lies and manipulations are being exposed. She is evil and this has to stop!”

Much more to come.

Monica Brasov-Curca, who just weeks ago described Huntington Beach as “sunsets and White Supremacy” is apparently heading back to her favorite staging ground, this time to combat a planned March 25 rally in support of President Donald Trump. The screenshot below, which clearly shows her organizing a counter protest, was posted recently on the (private) Indivisible CA 48 Facebook forum.

The Garden Grove-based Curca, who describes herself as “peacebuilder and strategic communications specialist” staged, along with left-wing organizers Oak View Comunidad and Indivisible CA 48, a recent President’s Day protest in Huntington Beach. By all accounts, the protest was peaceful and the city, including the police department were all accommodating.

I attended the protest myself and outside of a small group of counter demonstrators, nothing of note occurred that would lead anyone to think that the city had behaved anything except decently.

However, within twenty four hours, Curca posted the following:

This is not the first time that Curca has used incendiary language regarding race in the face of zero supporting evidence. In fact, many of her public comments paint the portrait other young woman apparently obsessed with race and perceived racial divide. The problem is, she never cites a shred of evidence. To many observers, it appears that she is nothing more than a race baiter who uses her outrageous false claims and inflammatory terms to do nothing more than selfishly create her social justice platform.

Here is just a sampling of her public pronouncements:

Again, she NEVER cites anything she is referring to. Just drops her verbal bombs. As well, she regularly uses race as a linchpin for her opinions:

And despite her constant claims for “peace,” it was Curca helping to lead the charge in the Invisible CA 48 forum with ideas on how to harass Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, suggesting flash mobs, stalking him at social establishments, even projecting bright lights into him home (not sure what to make of the group’s “gay bar” comment): 

The city of Huntington Beach was introduced to this organizer last July when, not even 24 hours after a brutal police massacre in Dallas, she staged an event on the pier whereby she and her band of supporters, including Victor Valladeres of Oak View Comunidad, formed a prayer circle around the mass murderer’s name, which had been chalked onto the ground. My son and I were at the event, and called them out for what they were doing. They concocted a quick series of lies as a cover story, blaming a woman they claimed they didn’t even know for just showing up and writing the name down out of the blue. Problem was, we observed that woman meeting with Curca 45 minutes before the event, comparing notes and clearly working together.

And of course after that episode, she also claimed to have been a victim of white supremacy in Huntington Beach.

What was even stranger was the threatening phone call I received from a good friend of hers, infamous local left wing blogger Vern Nelson. He falsely accused me of posting her telephone number online so that people could complain to her, when in fact her number was included in every single press release she posted herself. I had zero to do with it.  This is the phone call:

As to why Curca has even chosen Huntington Beach to stage these events, as opposed to where she lives on Garden Grove, the reason seems fairly clear in this post of hers. It’s all about the amount of foot traffic:

After that controversial “vigil” last summer, a local newspaper reporter called me for a quote. However, the reporter was very concerned about Curca. Having just hung up with her, the reporter told me that Curca had called them “racist” for asking basic questions about the event- that she had been called “racist” a second time for asking about Valladeres’ involvement – and that Curca had also called *me* a racist for calling out their orchestrated (and later lied about) stunt. 

“Everyone that doesn’t agree with her methods and motives is a racist, according to her,” the reporter told me. “It’s crazy. I find her very dangerous.”

As the LA Times reports today, “Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) said a 71-year-old staff member was knocked unconscious Tuesday while protesters gathered at his Southern California office… They were jammed outside the door and the moment Kathleen cracked the door someone yanked it open,” Rohrabacher spokesman Kenneth Grubbs said in an email. Staunton was treated by paramedics and taken to a hospital “after falling into unconsciousness,” according to a statement from Grubbs. She had a 2-inch bump on her head, Grubbs said.”

The group of activists, known informally as “Resist OC 48”, for weeks has been demanding that the congressman meet with them via a townhall meeting. The group organizes primarily within a private Facebook group, and leaks from within reveal a coordinated, aggressive and deeply angry underground movement that planned yesterday’s confrontation as a “surprise” on the congressman’s office:

(note: his name is spelled incorrectly on the piece)

Additionally, the group created a series of “Valentine” messages emblazoned with infamous Russian mass murderer Joseph Stalin, creating a pun off of his name:

The group is part of another, announced protest march on the congressman’s office on Monday February 20. Judging from some posts within the group from one of its more vocal members, they are not concerned about the negative press today, also covered by the Orange County Register. Quoting Angela Rainsberger from the Facebook page, “Actually, I think it is great press for us because it is clearly false, I meant an alternative fact based report. We have nothing to be concerned about. People should never be afraid of lies or staged events like this. We are peaceful and have plenty of evidence to disprove unfounded accusations. We are living in a world of alternative facts now, but the truth is self evident.”

After the incident, the congressman’s office released this statement:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ken Grubbs, 202.225.0145
February 14, 2017

Kathryn Gonzalez, running for Ocean View School District school board, recently had a California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) complaint filed against her by former HB planning commissioner and failed 2014 city council candidate, Mark Bixby, for an alleged income reporting violation. Bixby, a self-appointed watchdog (and staunch supporter of OVSD incumbent board president Gina Clayton Tarvin) goes by the Facebook handle, “The Sentinel,” which he describes in part  as, “All of the things going on in local government in Huntington Beach, California that you didn’t know about but probably should be paying attention to.”

(photo of Bixby that appeared on “orangejuiceblog)

Today, Ms. Gonzalez was completely exonerated of the Bixby charge (see letter below).

Reached for comment, Ms. Gonzalez was both relieved and also curious about Bixby’s motivations.

She told Surf City Chronicles, “First I want to thank the FPPC and ROV for assisting me all the way through this process as a first time candidate.  I am very happy to announce I am in compliance with the FPPC and totally cleared of Mr. Bixby’s accusations.  The facts are that I personally answered all of Mr. Bixby’s questions relating to this, and yet he still filed.  One has to wonder what his true motivations are when he selects one candidate and not all? This comes as no surprise to me that I would be cleared of the accusations made by Mr. Bixby.  The truth is that Mr. Bixby has a past practice of doing this to select candidates.  One has to wonder why he would sign a document under penalty of perjury and he would continue to pursue a complaint knowing the facts which is a complete waste of tax payer money.”

As of this writing Mr. Bixby has yet to update his Sentinel Facebook page with a copy of the letter or any other update information.

We recently wrote here about another FPPC investigation involving the OVSD, charged against current trustee president and candidate Gina Clayton Tarvin. According to information provided by the citizen that filed the complaint, FPPC  is investigating an allegation that Ocean View School District Trustee Gina Clayton-Tarvin accepted campaign contributions and reimbursements from the Ocean View Teachers Association.  The complaint alleges a violation in campaign finance laws including failure to report expenditures and contributions. That investigation, according to the person filed, remains wide open, despite this a claim during a recent Facebook Q/A where Tarvin stated that there “is no violation.”

The complainant reached out to the FPPC for clarification and was told that the investigation remains ongoing, thus seeming to contradict Tarvin’s statement.

Updates as they occur.

THE LETTER: