This is a reprint of a 10/20/2021 Facebook post. While this is an older post aimed at the upcoming election, I felt it was germane to the issue of the upcoming 2024 election.  The point is, KNOW WHO YOU ARE VOTING FOR. 

Every community has its “good old boys” network and Hemet is no different.  While the current names have changed somewhat, what has not changed is the way in which candidates are supported and dirt is cast about without regard to a person’s character.  A prime example of that is the 2016 city council election.  Hemet had a good candidate, Stacie Olson.  Her name was smeared and accusations were flung about without regard to Olson’s character.  Happily, Ms. Olson is still involved with the community and has done immeasurable good. 

This is NOT an attempt to influence your vote in future elections.  This is also not an attempt to defame the memory of former Hemet councilwoman and Mayor Karlee Meyer.  She was a friend and I loved and respected her. It IS an attempt to show you HOW to do some background on the most attractive candidate out there (if Hemet is lucky enough to have an attractive candidate with admirable character.  That remains to be seen. 

SHOTS FIRED IN HEMET DISTRICT 4 UPCOMING ELECTION

I received the following letter from a concerned resident of the city of Hemet who felt social media would be an effective way to reach the public, they wish to remain anonymous. I will be faithful to that request. This introduction is meant to EDUCATE those of you unfamiliar with some of what’s happening at the local level. This is your opportunity to participate in the resurrection of Hemet government.

ANNONYMOUS LETTER:

Hemet District 4 Voters

“It’s that crazy season of local politics again! District 4 is holding a special election in November for the empty seat on our City Council.

I’m sure you’ve seen Mayor Karlee Meyer’s letter in your mailbox recently, in support of Candidate Joe Males…and also a negative rebuttal mailer from his opposition’s side (Kenneth Graff).

I felt it necessary, after reading the oppositions mail piece, to address something I found a bit odd.

When you read his mail piece, you first are able to determine that he is a personal friend of Marc Searl (Joe Males opposition). But the interesting thing is, out of the ENTIRE United States Marine Corps, AND the American Legion of Veterans, Kenneth Graff seems to know Joe Males better than ALL OF THEM!

His letter implies that in ALL of Joe’s HONORABLE years served in the USMC, receiving high honors throughout his career, and his years served in leadership roles at the American Legion, that somehow NONE of them picked up on Joe’s “dishonest” character!

And how long has Kenneth Graff known Joe Males in order to know him so well? Well, here’s your answer… he NEVER met him until he filed a law suit against him to try to remove him from his Council seat! Now keep in mind, Kenneth Graff is a friend of Mike Madrid, who LOST against Joe Males for that same City Council seat!

The entire Marine Corps and American Legion believes, based on actual long-term facts and evidence, that Joe Males is a man of great honor and trustworthiness!

Also, I heard the Hemet police officer’s association is supporting the opposition. Not a surprise. They also endorsed Councilman Russ Brown who’s been COMPLETELY INEFFECTIVE!

You decide who to trust! I think it’s quite clear.

Joe Males for City Council District 4″

FURTHER COMMENTS BY POSTER:

District Four residents have been flooded with fliers from Hemet Mayor Karlee Meyer and Seven Hills resident Ken Graff. We know who Mayor Meyer is, but who is this Ken Graff person? Graff is a local busy body acting as a mouthpiece for a group of people known as “the good old boys”. The good old boys are not only mischievous, they lack integrity and are dangerous to the community. They spread lies and innuendo about opposing candidates. They are a group that is richly funded to the tune of thousands and thousands of dollars. They wait until the very last minute to really sling the mud (and report the sources of their funding to the Secretary of State. located at Cal-Access) web site) to disclose the very information that would make the public aware of the way they operate).

Due to the threat of a law suit by naming names, I’ll simply refer you to two websites where you can familiarize yourselves with this group of people. Take a look at the websites of Western Science Center and Western Center Academy. The first thing I noticed was many of the same board members appeared on both web sites. Pay, pay close attention to some of those intimately involved with Hemet Unified School District. If you have not personally become acquainted with HUSD and you have children of school age, I urge you to attend some of their meetings. Go prepared to these meetings. You have a brief opportunity to speak, hopefully, you won’t be shut down. Don’t be bullied, just protect your rights.

I’ve lived in the City of Hemet 11 years. I began attending council meetings and was overwhelmed by the amount of data unrelated to making good choices that I heard. Many current and past members are well liked by the general community and on the surface, they’re very likeable. Mostly, the city council is ineffective due to its composition. Two of the four members are governed by the desires of the “good old boys”. That’s not to say they don’t care about the city. The other two have a very personal stake in the decisions made by council. This upcoming election for the vacant seat is a very important one0 and will, if candidate Males emerges the winner, change the “balance of power” on city council.

The good old boys are a group of people determined to hold on to whatever perceived power they have. Most communities have a “good old boys” network; Hemet is not unique.

I’d never been interested or involved in city politics. With the loss of my beloved husband in 2016, I began attending city council meetings again. I went to work as an independent contractor, selling display advertising for what used to be The Valley Chronicle. One of the reasons The Valley Chronicle failed was due to the fact that The Chronicle began exposing the shenanigans of our public officials as well as some of the employees of the city. Guess who made calls to all the advertisers of the newspaper and threatened them? Yup, you got it — that same group of ‘good old boys”. I’d love to name names but it would become litigious.

We’re beginning to witness the same dirty fighting and outright lies against one of the two District 4 candidates. I was personally threatened by a person who will remain unnamed when I began posting the TRUTH about candidate Searl. How effective was Marc Searl when he previously sat on city council? I’ve spent countless unpaid hours reading minutes of council meetings going back as far as 2007. I’ve read budgets. It’s mind-boggling. Marc Searl is part of the city’s failure to govern fairly.

If you care about an even-handed city council who makes responsible decisions, you’ll start searching for the TRUTH. You’ll take an even-handed approach to your vote. Currently there are four members on the city council. What happens when an important vote comes up? You have NO ONE TO BREAK THE TIE. That is just one of the reasons nothing gets done (or nothing appears to get done).

There is so much more to this story, way too much to put in a post.

I’m attaching the two fliers that have been circulating. The Searl campaign is full of outright lies and inaccuracies. You have the right to request information from the City Clerk of Hemet (Freedom of Information Act). Mayor Meyer has the facts. I’m no one’s lacky and I’m not being paid to be a voice for anyone. I am merely a truth seeker.