OREGON CITY RESIDENTS: VOTE!! AND PLEASE READ THIS PLEA! Here is why you should return your ballot marked BOB LaSALLE FOR MAYOR. But first, a few kind words (followed later by some that are not so kind) for his opponent. Dan Holladay and I have been friends for at least 25 years. In fact, I managed his first shoe-string Mayoral campaign against then-Mayor Dan Fowler many moons ago. Back then, Dan Holladay ran as a man of the people, vowing to end Fowlers Follies, the term Dan Holladay used to describe the questionable transactions and cronyism surrounding Fowlers administration. Dan Holladay nearly won, being defeated by the well-financed Fowler machine by fewer than 100 votes after a see-saw night of watching the returns. After that, Dan Holladay got elected to the City Commission. Back then, he was an ally of Mayor Williams, and a counterweight to Commissioner (and current term-limited Mayor) Doug Neely. Dan Holladay did some very good things for the community. I will always be grateful to him for his efforts assisting placement of the Oregon City Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (OC RACES) radio repeater on the Boynton standpipe. He even joined some OC RACES members in climbing the tower and doing some of the antenna installation, as well as procuring a donation of thousands of dollars worth of hardline transmission line. As time passed, something happened to Dan Holladay. He grew more and more bitter, more and more right-wing, and more and more boorish. He also became downright Nixonian in his behavior toward critics. Eventually, he even became a devoted hatchet man for Fowler, a role he currently plays. I had intended to keep my Mayoral preference secret because of my nostalgic ties of friendship with Dan Holladay. But based on his conduct, I can no longer do so. First, there was his embarrassing and churlish pawing of a female friend of mine at a wedding reception. His wife was also in attendance. I had to physically protect my friend from his roving hands. I am not sure if that was the same wedding reception after which he had a Family Abuse Prevention Act (FAPA) restraining order placed on him based on his wifes allegation of assault. Then there was a second FAPA restraining order, procured by his wife (a sweet and kind woman), on further allegations of domestic violence. Then, there were his efforts to get out of tickets by reminding the issuing officers that he was a City Commissioner. Then, there was his alliance with Fowler. And following that, an incident I witnessed at an AFP meeting (I was a guest speaker, not a member!), at which he tried to instigate a fist fight with someone. But now, he has really gone over the deep end. He has begun publicly shouting at people Im gonna sue you! and retained a lawyer to send a letter on October 8 threatening to sue a local voter who had authored an Op-Ed piece in Oregon City News chronicling his history of domestic violence restraining orders and ties to the local cabal. It is positively Nixonian. The letter goes so far as to threaten to sue a voter for the statements of third parties! It specifically references the Op-Ed piece. It is without any legal merit whatsoever, an obvious intimidation tactic. We cannot afford to have the Mayors post occupied by such an erratic, vindictive, dangerous politician. Accordingly, I urge you to RETURN YOUR BALLOT and to vote for BOB LaSALLE, a man of integrity with vision and a track record of positive action. Dan, I am sorry. The intimidation letter and threats to sue your critics, constituted the last straw.
Posted on: Sun, 12 Oct 2014 21:52:16 +0000