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Rice’s opinion on Capps

May 30, 2014

opinionBy CCN STAFF

After posting Kevin’ Rice’s opinion piece, CCN received several responses about the opinion  and questions about outside opinions.

CCN’s policy has been to post opinions of the public regardless of whether or not staff agrees with the opinion. This policy was adopted after hearing from readers that several other news outlets refuse to run opinions that conflict with the opinion of the news entity.

However, CCN has decided to remove Rice’s opinion piece because it fails to provide an opinion and others in attendance disagree with Rice’s assertion.

 

 


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When Lois Capps’ name comes up, I cringe – What now? You can call her a hypocrite, diabolical or an opportunist, but regardless, when a story comes out like the one presented by Mr. Rice, I like anyone else, should take it with a grain of salt. Still, I think it should be out there in the public purview.


Cal Coast News did themselves a disservice but scrubbing the story and with that, I’ve lost respect for this new outlet. In the future, I hope they think twice about being influenced by powerful people like Lois Capps and stick up for real news.


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I think they do “stick up” and support their stories, this was an OPINION piece by a private contributor. CCN just gave them the space which they do to many private contributors on this site, some good and some so so…


Please, everyone, CCN stories are different than opinion pieces.


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I stand by my opinion, and would testify to it in court. Any suggestion that it is “hearsay” is posted by individuals ignorant of the legal definition of this term. Sworn declarations are admissible evidence (Code of Civ. Proc. 2015.5.) CCN errs here (in RE: “fails to provide an opinion”) as IT IS MY OPINION Lois Capps was drunk as a skunk and lacking decorum when I met her, and I averred precisely that in my commentary which I reprint here:


Congresswoman Lois Capps & alcohol (2008)


It was November 6, 2008. I attended a popular downtown San Luis Obispo bar to meet my U.S. Congresswoman, Lois Capps, at her post-election celebration. I snapped a blurry photo of Lois (see photo) leaning against a railing, drink in her hand, using my cheap cell phone and sent it with a text message to friends: “Lois Capps @ Novo right now. Adam Hill here also.”


My opportunity to speak with Lois came after most everyone had left. The topic amongst the small group was the just-passed Proposition 8 on same-sex marriage.


Lois expressed feelings that Prop 8 was passed by older aged Republicans. Bleary-eyed and slurring, she was clearly drunk. I remember her next words clearly as she swayed, “Hopefully, they will all just die soon.”


A startled handler quickly intervened, “That’s off the record!” The event ended.


* * *


With her single colorful, drunken remark, I became aware:


(1) Lois was incognizant that more than just Democrats might wish to meet their U.S. Representative and that Lois was completely ignorant of her audience in a public place.


(2) Lois’ lack of bi-partisanship, and her deeply held callousness towards a large class of persons she claims to represent to Congress.


Lois’ behavior left me with an overwhelming negative view, especially as to her lack of professionalism—this in direct conflict with a recent press release from her office:


A statement released from Chris Meagher, Press Secretary for Capps, says: “The Congresswoman expects all those who work for her and on behalf of the people of the Central Coast to behave responsibly and professionally at all times, without exception. [Source.)


The recent wrongful death lawsuit from the family of the slain Mallory Dies accuses Lois of being informed “that Defendant RAYMOND MORUA was consuming drugs and alcohol while in the course and scope of his employment.”


In 2008, Lois showed me that consumption of alcohol at her official events (and for her personally) goes beyond any responsible level of appropriate social moderation.


I believe my commentary is pertinent to today’s news and the facts surrounding the Raymond Morua DUI which followed a recent Capps event.


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Mr. Rice,


While I totally support your right to post your opinion, and I am not a supporter of Ms. Capps and truly feel her time has come and gone, I think it is a far fetch to associate the tragic death of Ms. Dies in December to Mrs. Capp’s having a drink(s) after a winning campaign party for reelection. No doubt she was tired, stressed, and yes, probably celebrating. So what! As for her statements about Republicans is anyone surprised about that, she is a Democratic and no one should expect less.


You were in enemy territory and no one will collaborate your story but I am just not sure it is significant anyways.


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SLOBIRD: While this seems a little odd, I agree with most of what you said; I am a supporter of Ms. Capps and I don’t think her time as our Congressperson has “come and gone”, and for the remark about the “older Republicans who voted for Prop 8”, there is a certain amount of truth to that, it was stated badly to wish that they would die soon; but as to the rest of what you have said, yes, I agree.


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Kevin: While I can possibly admire the conviction of your belief of the event and the condition of Mr. Capps during the event, your willingness to testify in court does not make your statement any more (or less) factual; it is still your “opinion”, with no one else stepping up to confirm your observation- I would assume that in a court of law that your testimony would end up as a “he said/ she said” sort of situation. I’m not sure what you would accomplish with your testimony, other than to keep this event in the public awareness, the day before a primary election. Why? Why now? What is your motivation for bringing up the behavior that you say you witnessed at an event from six years ago? You say Rep. Capps showed you that consumption of alcohol at her official events goes beyond any responsible level of appropriate social moderation; do you know that she continues to behave the same now, six years later? Is there any possibility that she has changed her behavior since then? Aren’t you making very broad assumptions?


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The more you speak, the deeper the hole you dig…and it seems that no one wants to jump in with you…again.


It seems that you’ll do whatever you can to make people believe that you are RELEVANT within the SLO County political scene. But you know the ole saying: “Those who can’t, coach.”


You’re nothing more than a Monday Morning Quarterback Kevin…and your type of political mudslinging is wearing thin and becoming more and more transparent to those who peruse your childish rants.


BTW, how’s that strategy working for ya? Good luck, you’re gonna need it.


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Wow Kevin you have quite the memory to remember this from 6 years ago, so clearly.


As I have stated prior we know you don’t like democrats, we get it you don’t like Ms. Capps, enough with YOUR bashing of candidate and mud slinging.


I now take what you say with a grain of salt, since you so clearly want to discredit others to the umpth degree.


So what if she had a touch to much to drink after an election she won, she is human and as far as I know she did not get in a car and drive. Have you never done anything that others could perceive as wrong, and who made you her moral compass?


I sure hope Cal coast cuts this whole comment area out so your vicious language will once again be removed. You seem like a real piece of work yourself.


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To “HellinaHandBasket” and “SLOBird”: Dudes (or Dudettes, whatever) does reality creep into your existence very often? Kevin Rice made serious allegations about a public figure being drunk in a public setting from six years ago with no backing testimony from anyone else who was at that event, and he made that allegation a day or so after a person who had been an aide to Rep. Capps was sentenced for killing a woman while he was driving drunk, and just a few days before a primary election. Sure, it was posted under the “Opinion” section, and Kevin has every right to his opinion about Rep. Capps, but publishing an allegation like he did with no corroboration, no “real” evidence would seem to leave CCN open for a lawsuit, and the timing certainly makes it seem like there was a definite agenda to putting out the posting.


For all I know Ms. Capps may have been slurring her words, she could have had a few too many at that event SIX YEARS ago; so what? How is it relevant to our situation right now? I think CCN did the right thing by pulling the piece, and no, it wasn’t due to pressure from Senators Feinstein, Boxer, Reed, or President Obama; it is possible that Congresswoman Capps’ office contacted CCN to ask them about the article and suggest that there could be a problem with it remaining up, but again, it was the decision of CCN to pull it or not. You really don’t have to go all conspiracy theory on how this played out, IMO.


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Lets all be honest and just say that unquestioningly the powerful members of our democratic political society (and yes, we are not talking about the BOS wimps here) circled CCN and who wants to take on big government in the climate that we live in today.


CCN, like it or not, had no choice in this matter in my opinion having followed many other political stories on this site. Just ask KVEC and look what the nasty political wimps did to Karen last summer, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know what the Feinstein, Boxer, Reed, Capps, Obama team did here.


So what if she had a few too many drinks after a tough campaign. The old gal just can’t hold her liquor, so what!


Vote for a thinking, creative, leader not a follower = Any New Representative will do!


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kevin Rice is our local Rush Limbaugh. All wind and no substance


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A GOOD CALL CCN!!


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Huh?


CCN. So much for “free speech”. All along, your site has espoused our right to know the truth behind the smoke screen that our government is.


I have been led to believe that you are not afraid to bring to us the TRUTH which sorely lacks in this age of 24/7 reporting.


One word, and an Exclamation point…… FAIL!


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I notice that Mr. Rice is on the website’s list of “Our Contributors”. (Link is under the CCN Team header to the right).


Me thinks the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.


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Every person who has ever submitted an opinion piece is listed there.

noun: a person or thing that contributes something, in particular.


The miles archer doth protest too much, methinks.


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ToHellinaHandBasket,


Here’ something you should consider reading, it might shed some enlightenment on what the 1st Amendment doesn’t protect:


New York Times Co. v. Sullivan (1964)


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Other than the possible legal implications associated with his op-ed, I think it should have remained to show everyone just how ridiculous a commentary it was.

Given enough rope Kevin would hang himself, if he hasn’t done that already.


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CCN ROCKS!!


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