CM PRESS # 510

MEXICO USES ITS MARINES PROPERLY

Article and photo of capture of major drug lord in Mexico.

Unfortunately, the U.S. is not using our Marines properly and we say again that we think a reduction in the size of the USMC would be a good thing and would help refocus the mission of the Marines to actions similar to what the Mexican Marines do.
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Sign used by political cops.

IT'S NOT A FREE SPEECH ISSUE, BUT ONE OF JUDGMENT

Costa Mesa's police chief Tom Gazsi has made a political endorsement of Newport Beach City Councilman Keith Curry's run for the state assembly.

After Chief Gazsi made that endorsement, Costa Mesa Planning Commissioner Colin McCarthy questioned the wisdom of what the chief did.[Link to Keith Curry's website and mention of Chief Gazsi's endorsement]

Then, the usual gaggle of knee jerk tiny brained lefties started their usual slack jawed comments claiming that McCarthy is trying to stifle the chief's free speech rights

To this, we say BS.

It's not a free speech issue and the chief can endorse anyone he wants. He could even endorse Stalin or Mao or Osama bin Laden or Karl Marx. 

But, given his position as police chief, others in the community may question such endorsements and the fact that the chief is using his high profile name and position to make them.

Karl Marx

Our guess is that most average voters expect their police officers and the chief to be apolitical and even professionally indifferent to political players and local political races.  Police officers are hired and paid to serve and protect, not to get involved in politics and not to use the positions and respect that they have been given by the citizens of the city to influence votes.

The issue, particularly in Costa Mesa at this time, is about executive level judgment and the message such an endorsement sends.

Given the fact that Costa Mesa has had some overly politicized police officers, who have for years endorsed candidates for the Costa Mesa City Council who would bend over and grab their ankles if the cops just asked, one has to wonder what message the chief is sending to the rank and file in his department.

Can't it be argued that the chief has just given the green light for political cops on the force to once again get involved in the upcoming election in Costa Mesa, even though most of them don't live here and can't vote here?**

Can't it even be argued that this move by the chief is a slap at the mayor and mayor pro tem who are involved in a lawsuit against the police union and others?

It must also be noted that Keith Curry's son-in-law Tony Capitelli is running for a seat on the Costa Mesa City Council and some consider him a spoiler who may help lefties win a majority on the Council.

*It seems to be lost on the tiny brained folks that McCarthy also  has free speech rights and can give his opinions as he wishes.

**The last figures we had indicated that more than 75% of CMPD officers don't live in CM.
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