[Editor’s Note: The City Council candidate, who is attracting wide attention, responded this morning via email to yesterday’s story (“After Confronting Fulwood, Russell Is Called an ‘Embarrassment,” Jan. 24) on what transpired the night before at a Candidates Orientation meeting. Gary Russell’s comments are italicized. The boldface words are extracted from the story.]
[img]58|left|Mr. Russell||no_popup[/img]
My unwavering opposition to the current administration in Culver City, my outspoken support of eco-friendly development and my call for new leadership that will transform our city have all been mischaracterized in the past two weeks.
We've seen disingenuous attacks and smear tactics turn people off from the political process for too long. Enough is enough.
Our city needs serious help. It's time for a change. It's time for a new kind of leadership and a new kind of politics in Culver City.
My account of the events on 1/23/08.
“Mr. Russell challenged the City Manager after his extended series of questions was short-circuited.”
(I sometimes asked a department head one or two questions. The City Manager challenged me.)
“Mr. Russell asked the reserved Mr. Fulwood…”
(Mr. Fulwood was not reserved but got angry with me when I requested to be allowed to ask my second short question of the Parks and Recreation Dept. head.)
“(H)is bantering questions…”
(I was not bantering but simply asking, again, one or two short questions that required maybe a one- or two-minute answer.)
“There was a limit of two questions…”
( I did not ask more than two questions.)
“Still in a calm voice, the City Manager…”
(The City Manager was not calm. He began to challenge me as I tried to ask my second question with the Parks and Recreation Dept. head. Jerry then got up out of his chair and walked over to me in a threatening way, forcing me to get out my chair to defend myself. He continued to move towards me and get in my face, at which time I told him to get back in his chair. I then commented to the Chief of Police that I thought Jerry’s action was a threatening action. Jerry then moved back to his chair and was calm for the rest of the meeting.
For the rest of the meeting Jerry allowed me to ask a few more questions of the department heads. At the end of the meeting I thanked him for his presentation, and we shook hands.
(Mr. Fulwood said of Mr. Russell)“His conduct was totally unbecoming of Culver City, which is a very professional city.”
Jerry’s action, his anger, his insistence in not allowing me to ask my second question, the time he took in trying to stop me, do not reflect well for Culver City who is represented by Jerry as our CEO. It was not a professional way to handle a potential candidate for City Council.
‘The Russell hijinks helped extend the session…”
(I did not hijack the meeting or cause the meeting to go another half hour.)
Why are there no names of those “said candidates” mentioned?
Please understand that these unnamed candidates are running against me. They may not be able to give a true accounting of the situation, which lasted about five minutes, where Jerry challenged me and we both insisted in stating our positions.
