Wow – there’s spinning spinmeisters that shamelessly spin, and then there’s Steve Maviglio. He’s
the master of trying to make really bad and embarrassing things that any Democrat does sound benign. He works really hard at it – facts be damned. Look at all he did for Gray Davis…..er, nevermind……the people of California saw through Steve’s hapless spin then and recalled his boss (How embarrassing for a spinner – wonder if that’s on his resume? He is pictured above to the left on the deck of the HMS Titanic.) Well, enough about how over the top Steve is, we all know he doesn’t have a real strong grasp of how things actually are because he’s blinded by partisanship. It’s his charm. It’s why we read his stuff. ‘Cause its funny.
Let’s look at one of his latest attempts at making lemonade out of lemons. Let’s call this the “Walt Ingalls was delightful company” spin.
As has been reported on the FlashReport, Assembly candidate (and former Assemblyman) Steve 
Clute (pictured below to the right) has been very vague on his record. It’s not that when he was in office the California Journal named him one of the ten least effective legislators, which they did. It’s because Clute did some smarmy and stupid things. Case in point, Steve’s ACR 71. Steve Clute wrote a bill attempting to name part of Hwy 91 after his dear friend, former Assemblyman Walt Ingalls. According to official Assembly records, Clute’s statement about Ingalls said:
Delightful indeed. Nevermind he was a convicted sex offender who pled guilty to exposing himself and masturbating in a public park, and that he solicited two undercover male police officers for sex. Nevermind that he described rape as just unwanted touching. Nevermind that Ingalls boasted he created the “Walter Ingalls Verbal Abuse of Women Award”. Nevermind all of that. Steve Clute thought he was delightful, and should have his name memorialized for all time. Mind you, Ingalls did all of this before Clute wrote his bill. Clute knew of Ingalls sexual deviancy, Clute knew of Ingalls criminal record, Clute knew Ingalls thought the rape of a woman was just unwanted touching. Clute knew, and thought him worthy of honor. Disgusting, I know, but different strokes for different folks – oops, bad pun (sorry about that).
So where does Steve Maviglio fit in? He thinks the radio commercial that Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia’s campaign is running (it is attached below) which simply points out Clute’s attempt to honor Ingalls and Ingalls embarrassing past is “pitiful”. That it is the “Biggest Campaign Blunder of the Year”. Huh?
Remember a few weeks ago Maviglio was having vapors that Bonnie Garcia was joking around with a bunch of high school seniors (he reported them as school children – trying to give the reader the impression they were little kids) about the governor and not kicking him out of bed. He became the leader of the morality police. Scolding her with righteous indignation – Maviglio style.
Now, suddenly, when it comes out the Clute (a Democrat) knowing Ingalls creepy record, sought to honor him in the legislature, Maviglio thinks its out of bounds to talk about morality. He’s having vapors again, this time it’s that Ingalls is dead. Apparently, because Ingalls is dead no one can point out what he did in life. Huh?
Earth to Steve. This isn’t about Ingalls. Assemblywoman Garcia isn’t taking on a dead man, she’s taking on Steve Clute. HE’S the one who tried to use taxpayer money to honor a sexual pervert, with a horrific record on respect for women. Clute is the one that kept pushing it even when the media and his constituents screamed for him to stop (check out the editorial cartoon that ran in one of Clute’s local papers at the time). Clute showed he thought Ingalls should be honored. It’s all about Steve Clute.
I wonder if Ingalls had been a Republican and Bonnie had authored the bill, would Mavaglio still think it would wrong to talk about it? (a rhetorical question to be sure)
Special FR Bonus: Check out the cartoon linked below from the October 2, 1991 edition of the Moreno Valley Express!
Also attached: The radio spot exposing Clute.
November 1st, 2006 at 12:00 am
With all due respect to a blogmaster, the comments about this being a dumb move were posted on your website by Tom Kaptain. Many local Republicans echoed his views.
November 1st, 2006 at 12:00 am
I have to include a disclaimer before I start, because Steve referred to me as a Republican on his website and I am a long time Democrat who doesn’t live in that area and I don’t want anyone to be confused as to my leanings.
As for the point behind the post, I originally wrote in after Mike Spence praised the Bonnie Garcia ad. My argument was that all Steve Clute really was doing in his original motion was attempting to honor a former legislator who had just passed away and was very respected while he held office, up until he started having severe drinking problems after his wife left him.
I thought it was a classless gratuitous attack that would cost Garcia a lot more votes than it would get and was not at all in keeping with her character. We will see how it plays out, but I still feel the same way about it’s overall impact. Numerous members of both parties worked closely with Walt Ingalls on things connected to his district, many Republicans supported Clute’s bill when it passed the Assembly. No matter what you think about honoring Ingalls, if the worst mistake Steve Clute made in elective office was to try and do something to honor a dead guy, in part to be nice to his family, Steve Clute must not have done too bad a job the last time he held office.