Sometimes fairy tales are the best metaphors for real life. That is certainly true with regard to stunning new revelations about Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs. Jacobs came into office touting herself as a populist “outsider” whose core principles are transparency, accountability, and integrity. After recent revelations, I think we can all raise our hands and collectively call “Bullshit.”
Before I proceed, full disclosure: I voted for Jacobs. I believed her promises that she was a different brand of politician, would work constructively with the LGBT community, and would bring Orange County government back to the people. Unfortunately, Jacobs’ actions and words in office have revealed personal antipathy toward the LGBT community, and disdain for the principles of democratic governance (unless they serve her ideological interests). Alas, the emperor has no clothes.
I have engaged with Jacobs on many fronts. Throughout those battles, Jacobs revealed a disturbing, and escalating, pattern of behavior. She worked behind closed doors, guided by shadowy figures, dictated her terms, expected complete fealty, and lashed out at anyone who didn't tow the line. She frequently denied things that she had said and done, and accused people (and the media) of lying when they commented on things that she had indisputably said and done. Attorney Kevin Shaughnessy and political consultant John Dowless (a right-wing extremist with a history of anti-gay activism) loomed in the shadows, “advising” Jacobs as she tried desperately and repeatedly to derail the Domestic Partnership Registry. It was ugly, but in the end Jacobs caved to the public pressure. Once the DPR became effective in July, and after nearly three years of constant full-scale advocacy, I actually planned to take a break. Then something happened that dragged me back into the fight.
Local advocates obtained more than 50,000 signatures of Orange County citizens for a county charter amendment that would require employers to provide paid sick leave to their employees. By law, the Orange County Board of Commissioners (BCC) was required to place this initiative on the ballot. However, big business lobbyists used their influence to persuade Mayor Jacobs and County Commissioners to highjack the process and derail the initiative, by any and every dirty trick necessary. This included a proposal offered by Commissioner Jennifer Thompson”and ghostwritten by Tom Wilkes, chief lobbyist for the interests opposing the sick leave initiative”for the BCC to submit its own charter amendment to counter the sick leave initiative. Thompson’s proposal was a dangerous and unprecedented gambit which could have retroactively repealed a number of existing County ordinances (such as employment discrimination protections in the Human Rights Ordinance), and would have forever barred any future legislation addressing employment relations (such as an Equal Benefits Ordinance). Jacobs announced her support for Thompson's unvetted “hail Mary” amendment.
I entered the fray, fighting to protect the HRO, as well as future protections for LGBT employees. And I witnessed one of the most despicable displays of anti-democratic, obstructionist cronyism by local government that I have ever seen.
The media has effectively reported the details of how Jacobs and the Commission pulled every tool out of their bag of dirty tricks and ultimately succeeded”against the legal advice of the County Attorney”in keeping the sick leave initiative off of the November ballot. (Their successful trickery made Thompson's proposed amendment unnecessary, at least for now.)
That was bad enough. But thanks to Jacobs' reluctant release of text messages, the curtain was pulled back and Jacobs was fully exposed as a flagrant flouter of Sunshine Laws and as the puppet of a “shadow government” cabal that appears to control her every move. Jacobs initially refused to provide the texts, despite clear legal guidelines establishing that the texts are public records.
Jacobs must have known this, as I was advised by the chief aide to Commissioner Thompson months ago that they had been advised that texts on their personal phones were public records if related to County business. When Jacobs did release the texts, they revealed a calculated strategy that appeared to be dictated by the big business corporate interests who oppose the sick leave initiative.
The names were familiar”attorney Kevin Shaughnessy, lobbyist Tom Wilkes, right-wing consultant John Dowless, Republican County Chairman Lew Oliver. The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, previously big fans of Jacobs, blasted her for ducking Sunshine Laws and being “stage managed” by her puppeteers during the pivotal BCC meeting. Pathetically, in one text in the midst of the public hearing, Jacobs begged Shaughnessy to please tell her what her position is, so she could explain herself to the ignorant masses, who seemed to be very upset with her for some reason she was unable to comprehend.
Teresa Jacobs may have appeased her “well-heeled” puppeteers. But to the rest of us, the emperor has no clothes.
