Memory Lapse

Mr. Silverfarb's article in the Daily Journal:

When Burlingame Mayor Joe Galligan announced he wasn't running for re-election I thought the council race had lost all its fun. Boy was I wrong. On Monday the Daily Journal received a packet of information on City Council candidate Gene Condon that contained information regarding a drunken brawl and arrest that occurred in 1994 at a San Jose Sharks game. It was obviously sent by someone who doesn't want him to win a seat on the council. I say it is a statistical probability that someone affiliated with Citizens for a Better Burlingame sent the court and arrest records to the local papers.

What does a newspaper do in a situation like this? Well, we called Condon ourselves and got the story straight from the horse's mouth. Condon readily admitted his past indulgences and said he had no regrets. His candid response was refreshing. He didn't hide the truth and essentially shrugged off the incidents. He told reporter Dana Yates, I'm no angel and if that's all they have on me, God bless them. Do you want someone to stand up for you or someone who will walk away??

On Tuesday, however, a gentleman named Mike Shea posted some comments to the Daily Journal's Web site on the community forum that made me very upset. Shea wrote, I talked to Gene tonight. Gene was never interviewed by the Daily Journal.? Shea alluded that the Daily Journal and CBB were somehow in cahoots to malign Condon before Thursday night's candidates forum. The Daily Journal and CBB, coincidentally, co-sponsored the forum. My suggestion is to call or e-mail Gene yourself and not to let yours or anyone else's opinion be influenced by a newspaper that doesn't do its job right,? Shea continued. So, I took Shea's advice and called Gene myself. My conversation with Condon, I'm afraid, didn't go so well. He told me he didn't remember talking to Yates. He spoke to another newspaper but not the Daily Journal, he told me. I was dumbfounded by his remarks; flabbergasted, shocked and enraged. How could a man forget talking about serious allegations with a reporter that occurred just one day ago? My desk sits right next to Yates and I overheard her end of the interview with Condon. It was a pretty extensive interview and Condon spoke freely of a 1997 incident in which Burlingame police charged him with battery at a local tavern that involved a cordless screw gun. But Condon couldn't recall the interview despite my prodding. I realize Condon is no angel. Neither am I. And yes I prefer a candidate who will stand up for me and not walk away. But most importantly I think I'd like a candidate whose memory is more than a day long.

Unbelievable.

In a letter published in Thursday's Daily Journal, another Burlingame Elementary School District Board candidate, Dennis Zell, said the real bad guys behind this Condon mudslinging were the individuals who illegally disseminated the candidate's arrest records.? Zell wants the Daily Journal to cooperate in an investigation to determine who broke the law and disseminated confidential government arrest records which are supposed to be maintained for investigative purposes not for the purpose of public humiliation.? OK Dennis. Who's conducting this so-called investigation? Will it be you? Just give me a call and I'll help you all I can.

,,, And after Burlingame City Council candidate Gene Condon said he couldn't remember speaking to the Daily Journal about his past arrests, he lost my vote, too. I'm running out of candidates to like. Will someone please stand out at the local level and give me a good reason to vote for you?

I too look forward to Zell's investigation and we can find out if "disseminating" the truth was done by a member of the Rotary, the CBB, the Lions, the Scottish Rite, the democratic party, the republicans or - heaven forbid - a regular ol' resident!

Hope Mr. Silverfarb was at the debate last night because there are some very smart intelligent educated candidates standing up for Burlingame.

- Written by Fiona

Comments

[Unbelievable!]

The story is simple: Condon is a bully. When bullies get in trouble, they call lawyers. Some lawyers allow themselves to be used by bullies. Am I correct in reading between the lines that Condon is threatening a lawsuit against the Daily Journal? If so, pathetic! The real story, Mr. Zell, is why YOU are allowing yourself to be used by this candidate with a sordid past -- especially when you are running for School Board...

[phil silverbarb]

I suppose we should thank Bill Silverfarb for speaking up about the onset of Condonesia, but if Bill were really paying attention he wouldn't be surprised by Condon's lapses or Zell marching off half-cocked. Who is Silverfarb? How long has he been covering Burlingame? What does he know about the issues?

The mere fact that I have to sincerely ask such questions begs the question of why anyone should care what he thinks. I'm running out of editorial writers to read.

[fred]

I would argue that Condon and Galligan have been victims of bullies. The bullies picked on Galligan until he quit and now they have found new prey to feast on.

What happened to the Kumbayah feel goodness that was supposed to come with the exit of the most hated man in Burlingame politics? No instead we have found a new man to be the most hated man in Burlingame politics.

One debate later I still don't think Safeway is going to be developed anytime soon and that is bad for the whole city.

[Jim]

Fred didn't the dismissed mayor remove himself from the podium to be with his daughter? Was his nasty press release incorrect? If he was leaving for other reasons, he should have been honest enough to say so.

Don't want to sound rational and undramatic, Fred, but nobody hates Condon. They believe he should have behaved in a more adult responsible manner when the truth of his violent behavior was revealed.

To sum up ... feeling sorry for the man (yes), hate (no).

[Rich Grogan]

I am a proud member of CBB and for Mr. Silverfarb to make such a statement, without supporting evidence is over the top. As an organization, CBB does not and will not condone such action. Talk about mud slinging, what does Mr. Silverfarb think he has done by making such an unsubstantiated statement. What if the individual wasn't a member of CBB but a member one of the numerous other organizations in town, would the individual be speaking for that organization? I left Mr. Silverfarb a voice message and offered to join Mr. Zell, if there is going to be any such investigation, although I doubt it.

[Rich Grogan]

Have not heard anything from Silverfarb or Zell as of October 1, 2005 at 9:05 PM.