Puppet masters and manipulators

Back when I worked at the Gazette regular letter writers would routinely accuse some in our community of being “Puppet Masters”. The accusations were generally leveled at members of council and their supporters who favored creating a redevelopment agency. Hmm, I wonder how Governor Brown’s successor will see this issue…but I digress.

Generally speaking these community members never felt the need to provide any real proof of these accusations, kinda like those who accuse the Mayor of being narcissistic for his personalized license plates while conveniently forgetting they were a gift from his first, now deceased, wife. Rumors abound and now that we have our slate of candidates I expect to hear, read, many more.

But who really has displayed true puppet mastering mastery? Could it be the same woman who attempted to oppose Federal Glover, believing Martinez citizens alone would solidify her win in the primaries and allow her to breeze over a general election? Imagine the audacity of thinking that a small fraction of voters should be able to impact the outcome of an election affecting over two hundred thousand people.

Did that audacity end when her political career ended? No. Instead she turned a vengeful and vindictive eye to the citizens who failed to hand her the power and paycheck she craved and brought a lawsuit against the city of Martinez claiming an unknown Hispanic, mayoral, candidate failed in his bid due to racial bias. How laughable can that claim be when the anybody but’s can be counted on to vote for literally anyone other than the person currently sitting in the seat?

Take the now R (was D) Congressional candidate, and proven holocaust denier, John Fitzgerald. A man who had and continues to have demonstrable challenges with reality was somehow a viable Mayoral candidate in 2010? I don’t know who this Hispanic male was, but since I have a definite affinity for all things Hispanic, and pay attention to local politics, he must not have tried all that hard to get noticed. By-district elections are nothing more than the political contrivance of a woman scorned.

Now on to this year’s slate of candidates. Based on John Stevens late to the game Dog Park involvement and his new ‘pack’ I question how he went from a brief (not of his choosing) stint as Chamber of Martinez CEO; remember the huge uproar over the King of the County BBQ and our local BBQ business being denied a booth? I understand there were returning vendors in place, but there really wasn’t much grace and a lot of hurt feelings for that brand-new business involved in that fiasco. Fast forward to his first failed bid as Council candidate two years ago, and now choosing to run again hoping to win a majority of what, 400, since by-district elections were forced upon us?

I’d heard rumors of a challenger for Vice Mayor Lara DeLaney’s seat. Fortunately the woman considering mounting a campaign had a change of heart, or failed to get the 30 signatures needed to qualify for the ballot. Since she is still, technically, a private citizen I won’t name her. Frankly I pity this young woman for allowing herself to be used as a pawn all the while believing she has a friend and mentor. I know who’s behind the encouragement of this particular young woman’s would-be candidacy. It would have been an unfortunate set of circumstances for her to believe she was even marginally qualified to walk in DeLaney’s shoes. But Martinez’ true puppet master is good with flattering, false, words and propping up weak egos.

But the most telling of all is Yazmin Llamas-Morales who went from Martinez School Board candidate on August 2, 2018 to Mayoral candidate on August 10, 2018. I know nothing of Ms. Llamas-Morales. Here’s hoping that changes quickly.

She is already behind the bell curve in fundraising and name recognition. She has no platform to speak of and no discoverable Martinez bona fides; nothing about volunteerism, boosters, charities, etc. that would allow the common citizen to gain some insight into who she is as a person. This is why I question whether Anamarie Avila Farias truly considers Llamas a viable candidate, or just the next pawn in her vindictive plans for Martinez politics. I see a court challenge regarding our right to elect an at-large Mayor in our future.

Here’s hoping everyone Anamarie’s convinced to run has a thick enough hide to fend off the knives that are coming for their backs once the election is over.

Buckle up buttercups, the ride is just getting started and the person pulling your strings is not known for going home with either the people who brought her or the people she brought to the party. Mixed metaphors notwithstanding.

– Linda Meza

30 Replies to “Puppet masters and manipulators

  1. Linda-

    That’s not true about Yasmine having no platform. She just said on her page we need to leverage assets like our town pool to compete in the big city game (whatever that means). Can’t believe that simple strategy wasn’t used early on … pool leveraging.

    If I were her, I’d leverage the Mermaids first, open swim, then the lap lanes in that order…maybe add a disco night party at the end of the year.

    Technically always leveraging beavers is really your best bet though..as a little beaver goes a long way.

  2. Mayor Rob Schroder must feel threatened by my candidacy if he is sending out his “puppets” to discredit my candidacy! BRING IT!!! It’s time for a professional WOMAN, MOTHER, with post-graduate education to lead this city!

    1. Who are you?
      Where and when did you come from and decide to GRACE us with your presence.
      Llamas-Morales……. Hugo? I Dont Remeber Hugo having a little sister, with a bad attitude.
      Martinez, ez=of of the Martin Familia. Last time i checked, you still cannot go to Safeway without Tripping over at least one Perez. After 46 Years, i still have not encountered one family member i absolutely respect and adore.
      The city of the martin familia…. racist, well o.k. You had to bring up races….
      YES MARTINEZ IS RACIST, the citizens not only spectate, bit regularly participate!
      NHRA, NASCAR, THE PONIES AT BAY MEADOWS, Heck, most of us would throw a couple dollar wager at a dog track if you set one up.
      Heres a little advice, if you actually want to stop Racism, stop bringing it up.
      The good people of this fine City, DO NOT give two squirts of piss about the color of a persons skin, or the accent of their voice.
      We care about, and always have cared about, getting the best person with the most experience and qualifications for whatever position becomes available.
      Hence, you seem to be finding difficulty in aquiring by force, a job that you obviously do not qualify for, or, simply are NOT, the best qualified candidate available.
      So instead of slinging mud at the very people you purpose to represent, as a humble suggestion, crawl back under the lump of mud you craled out from under, in whatever alternate demension you came from.
      Nuff said. ciao.

    2. Then please edit the one line i failed to properly proof read, regarding the ENTIRE Perez family. Past and Present, there is not one family member that i have met, that i do NOT respect and adore. Outstanding, upstanding , and truly righteous. Love all of them.
      Thank you. In advance.
      B

  3. I probably never voted for anyone based upon their gender parts or degree, as a majority of people have gender parts and some sort of education in the first place.

    I usually see what their contributions to their community and qualifications are for the position, but mainly I see what their ideas and how they will implement them. Ovaries are not required or specifically sought after last time I looked.

    But, I’ll agree with Linda, it sounds like another crazy Anamarie Farias attack on our city, as if her time on council and districting wasn’t enough to deplete the city and school funds from tax paying citizens for her own personal ego gain.

    If Yasmine wants to run on her own accord, I truly support that. But having Farias try to pull two coins together and the last shreds of any sanity she has left to come up with the same bizarre rhetoric as it seems is coming out of Ms. Morales mouth above, then I feel sorry for Yazmin. I think she’d do better running on her own accord and ditch someone else’s baggage and fruit loop angry agenda.

  4. Its unfortunate that you believe you were the only person with the correct sounding last name asked to run for Mayor. My son was approached by the same person who pulled papers for Vice Mayor DeLaney’s seat. Seems his last name and Navy vet status was appealing. Although I suspect it was just his last name. No fun in trying to sue the city if your last name doesn’t sound right.

    Find a platform. Identity politics and heritage will not be enough to garner you a win in the Mayors column.

  5. Yazmin,

    It is unfortunate that you believe you were the only person, with the correct sounding last name, approached to run for Mayor. I recently learned my son was approached out of the blue by the woman who pulled papers to run against Vice Mayor DeLaney. Just like I was hounded by Anamarie to run for School Board.

    Difference being the Meza family knows when we’re being played.

    Find a platform and run your race. You’re in it, might as well make a good showing of it.

      1. “Nicely” said? Hardly. Linda needs to realize her hateful letter will hurt her candidate more than help. It already has. Clearly she missed the memo that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

    1. Linda It’s sad you don’t realize that this hateful letter will hurt your cause more than help it. It already has. Anything with your name attached to it is perceived as vindictive and unfounded garbage. Well done.

    2. Linda,

      You saying “you believe you were the only person, with the correct sounding last name, approached to run for Mayor” exposes a prejudice you have. Your son should be happy he didn’t run for mayor, because you might have had to write a hit-piece on him, like you did to Yazmin. Your grudge against Anamarie Avilas Farias is childish and obvious. What has Rob Schroder done to the city’s financial situation by the way? We’ll see what happens come November.

  6. “(T)hese community members never felt the need to provide any real proof of these accusations…” The irony.

  7. Linda,

    You’re a cold hearted (edited). You’re a liar and manipulative, I met you once and figured this out when you sabotaged my dog park efforts in 2015.

    Trust me, I am no ones puppet and you’re son is a sniveling (edited) who reached out to me thank you.

    Have a nice evening.

  8. I’ve heard of other such puppet masters in Martinez, and it’s kind of scary. But sad refers to anyone who has to stoop to the level of dragging others into their personal politics. It’s one thing to support those who have decided to step into the proverbial ring. It’s another to put someone in the ring because it serves your personal or political agenda.

  9. The politics in Martinez are disturbing. It’s just cruel to put down people who have chosen to run against long time incumbents. It’s no wonder people are afraid to run against them. The incumbents themselves should be ashamed of what’s been written in what appears to be on their behalf, and should say something if they have any sort of integrity. Stop with the puppetry! Do you, in all honesty, believe anyone would run based on coercion knowing how this council works to discredit people down to their core? I think you need to step back and see who the real puppet is here. Hint: YOU!

  10. Sounds like Meza has a personal problem with Annamarie. The paper should be more selective and less bias in its choice of open letters, especially such lengthy ones. We will be expecting a response letter of equal length. Or, can we?

  11. I’m amazed you sell any papers at all. The woman who wrote this is two words that start with a B. Bully is one. I’ll leave the other one to your imagination.

  12. Jennifer, thank you but I’m betting people like Courtney Masela-O’Brien did not forget, but rather hoped the voters of Martinez had forgotten who the real jackbooted thugs were. Unfortunately for them many in Martinez, my household included, were shocked to receive letters from the County Recorders Office stating we would not be able to vote at a local precinct, whatever in the ___ that is anymore, due to by-district voting.

  13. If you support physically abusing and financially defrauding Senior Citizens in order to defraud the IRS, then by all means keep standing up for that bullying lunatic, Anamarie Farias. Her own mother has a restraining order against her. It’s public file. I hope she goes to jail where she belongs.

  14. Linda, congratulations on your household which you feel some sort of psychological need to relay to us you have. And if that were not pathetic enough, your verbal kaleidoscope of political stasis is unconvincing. Would you like *ME* to lay down a point by point evidence list of lies, violations, and moral torpitudes Rob Schroder has either directly committed or promised or threatened others to commit themselves? How much were you paid to write the above? Just so everyone knows, Rob Schroder is the “p” puppet of certain property owners downtown who feel entitled to take so many essential things from us a local government should be protecting–e.g. our history. Linda, how much did they pay you to write the above? I hope enough to feed your sweet little dog.

  15. Wow, may the mud sliging get down. Wanna know where ALL of the political problems lie in the city where the sewer meets the sea?
    100% of the Cities failures reside in voting for people who reside outside the city limits.
    There should be a standard.
    Example, the green monster, the refinery. Pays more in taxes and fines than ANY other establishment. Yet amartinez recieves the least and the last of those taxes. Why? Well we cant have our council members who live in other cities driving in their places of residence on pot hole filled streets!
    By the way, deleting the funding at a high school level for such programs as a metal shop, or adult School Vocational Training, is a huge mistake, the Green Monster does not repair itself.
    From the school board to the mayors seat, y’all best get a grip and remember who Martinez Folks are. As well as who we are not.
    Sustainable development you say. 230,000 a year for a position which should be a volunteer spot. 230,000 reasons to rethink what the heck is going on. A new Chief from Napa, does he know Bobby Kerfoot? Probably not, probably wouldnt care.
    Martinez Folks take care of Martinez Folks. Yall want Mtz to look like W.C. Well go to W.C.
    KEEP MTZ B.S. FREE!
    As Far as Miss Meza, you g girl, keep shakin up that jar of snakes! I dont remember sittin across the table at any crab feed in the past with anyone of the critics and scenics, keyboard warriors.
    A dog park, hail the saviours, whos is the idiot pr who are the idiots, that approved that giant new county building, WITHOUT a parking structure? See the real people of this town are the ones whos front yards are polutted with the garbage, with the unavailability to enter their own driveways due to lack of parking downtown.
    Good job.
    Focus, ,maximum density housing is not the answer, community gardens on the open spaces is one of the answers.
    Your welcome pffffffft!
    B.
    p.s.
    Remember, everyone is entitled to thier own opinion. NO ONE is entitled to thier own truth. Truth hurts? Change your ways.
    Go ahead, get at me, newbies.

  16. Wow, may the mud sliging get down. Wanna know where ALL of the political problems lie in the city where the sewer meets the sea?
    100% of the Cities failures reside in voting for people who reside outside the city limits.
    There should be a standard.
    Example, the green monster, the refinery. Pays more in taxes and fines than ANY other establishment. Yet amartinez recieves the least and the last of those taxes. Why? Well we cant have our council members who live in other cities driving in their places of residence on pot hole filled streets!
    By the way, deleting the funding at a high school level for such programs as a metal shop, or adult School Vocational Training, is a huge mistake, the Green Monster does not repair itself.
    From the school board to the mayors seat, y’all best get a grip and remember who Martinez Folks are. As well as who we are not.
    Sustainable development you say. 230,000 a year for a position which should be a volunteer spot. 230,000 reasons to rethink what the heck is going on. A new Chief from Napa, does he know Bobby Kerfoot? Probably not, probably wouldnt care.
    Martinez Folks take care of Martinez Folks. Yall want Mtz to look like W.C. Well go to W.C.
    KEEP MTZ B.S. FREE!
    As Far as Miss Meza, you g girl, keep shakin up that jar of snakes! I dont remember sittin across the table at any crab feed in the past with anyone of the critics and scenics, keyboard warriors.
    A dog park, hail the saviours, whos is the idiot pr who are the idiots, that approved that giant new county building, WITHOUT a parking structure? See the real people of this town are the ones whos front yards are polutted with the garbage, with the unavailability to enter their own driveways due to lack of parking downtown.
    Good job.
    Focus, ,maximum density housing is not the answer, community gardens on the open spaces is one of the answers.
    Your welcome pffffffft!
    B.
    p.s.
    Remember, everyone is entitled to thier own opinion. NO ONE is entitled to thier own truth. Truth hurts? Change your ways.
    Go ahead, get at me, newbies.
    ( not aduplicate)

  17. I forgot Rojillio, does Rojillio and Hugo have a lil sister? I dont think so, because both of those men are true Gentlemen. I doubt the dame parents wouldhave raised the brood with such stark cantrast, however………… i suppose anything is possible…l. Not probable, yet possible.

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