Cortes and Ciraulo blow it with false allegations.

Investigations of city councilors are serious episodes.

Apparently, Battle Ground City Councilors Mike Ciraulo and Adrian Cortes made now provably false allegations against fellow council members because that body acted in a way they didn't like, on legislation they didn't like.

Make no mistake: this investigation was politically motivated by individuals who are not seeing things going their way... done in the hope of damaging political opponents as an election comes up.

And, lacking the proof of such illegality:

Things heated up last month after Cortes and Ciraulo penned a column for The Reflector, in which they wrote that their colleagues “arbitrarily changed our form of government,” by meeting in private to discuss the change.

Ciraulo and Cortes made a direct effort to play politics with the system and hope to cast a shadow over those they were having investigated... an investigation unsupportable, uncalled for and flat out wrong.

It was the same tact that democrat Commissioner Steve Stuart used to whip up the lynch mob he and the democratian whipped together because they vapor-locked over the perfectly legal hiring of State Senator Don Benton for the head of Environmental Services.

Stuart was wrong, of course; but  then. he usually is.

He was wrong to mention it, wrong to publicly lambast Commissioners Mielke and Madore for something they didn't do, and wrong for remaining either a commissioner or chair of the commission since he's so immature he can't keep his anger in check.

Without proof of wrong doing, and Ciralo and Cortes obviously had none, they should have kept their mouth shut.

As I pointed out at the time, if these two don't like what happened, then it is up to them to either persuade enough members of the city council to change their minds and put it back the way it was, otr wait until aft6er the next election, which will, in reality, do nothing to change the balance on the council, one way or the other, and then attempt to overturn the action they found so distasteful.

Meanwhile, Councilman Cortes' statement is the height of hypocrisy:

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  Adrian Cortes · Top Commenter
  

  I am glad that the internal investigation into the potential violations of the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) has run its course and is complete. I believe that the well-balanced and respectful joint opinion letter that council member Ciraulo and myself issued facilitated an oversight process which led to a moment of open and transparent government for the citizens of our city. While the investigation did not find any technical OPMA violations, it did find irrefutable and undeniable evidence that two members of the city council met in private to custom draft changes to our form of governance. It also issued a warning to conduct future city business at official city meetings only. In conclusion, we must move forward as a community and learn from this issue and become better leaders because of this experience. The result of this finding is now in the hands of the citizens who will decide (in casting their vote) whether their actions respected an open and transparent process which empowered the voice of the citizens or diminished it.

  Reply · 2 · Like · Follow Post · 2 hours ago

Here's the reality, Adrian: you much rather would have had your collective complaint be founded.

When you wrongfully state: " it did find irrefutable and undeniable evidence that two members of the city council met in private to custom draft changes to our form of governance."

First, there is no law, obviously, against that.  "Technically innocent" IS, in fact, INNOCENT.

Secondly, THEY HAD THE VOTES.

You and Ciraulo filed the complaint even though you like knew it was unfounded: nothing the investigation revealed surprised you OR violated the law.

Your bitch is that you don't like what they did or how they did it.  That, of course, is the nature of politics, and that YOU didn't like it in no way rises to the level of requiring an investigation by anyone.

In the past, I have supported you politically, Adrian.  I wanted you to be my state representative instead of the empty suited clown we've got now.

But after this childish, playground crap?

Never again.