Uh oh! It looks like Tram Linh Ho’s inexperience is already hurting her campaign for the Garden Grove City Council. Check out what one community leader had to say about her comments at the last Garden Grove City Council meeting:
To all Members and Friends of Main Street,
A woman by the name of Linh Ho spoke before the city council last night and stated that while she was in attendance of our fundraising event Saturday night, she spoke with several business and property owners who felt that they did not have a voice in the goings on and development of Main Street . She further put the question to the council as to what sort of space (or forum) will be provided to those individuals who are not members of the Garden Grove Downtown Business Association in order to have an equal say in the future and development of Main Street.
Incredible isn’t it? Does anyone know why she would go before the council and speaking adversely about the GGDBA publicly as if we were some exclusionary group of individuals refusing to allow admittance, participation or involvement in our Association???
This is the only district in the city that actually has two formal organizations formed and dedicated to the betterment and local control of their own geographical area. One, our merchants association, originally founded in 1953 by the business and property owners for the intent of stimulating economic development on Main Street through an ongoing and all-inclusive cooperative effort put forth by it’s members, and the Parking Commission, founded in 1955 by County Charter and whose duties include jurisdiction, charge, control and supervision over all of the parking lots which were originally purchased by the Main Street property and business owners following the formation of the merchants association. Both of these organizations pre-date the City and have been in existence for more than 50 years, so it’s not as if we’re some subversive, seditious or renegade operation in any way.
Furthermore we have not only a membership and participation level of approx 90% of the business and property owners on Main Street, but as you all know our association is also open to the public by way of an associate, non-voting membership status for any and all community members who know and love Main Street and would like to volunteer, help and support our functions.
I don’t know who these individuals were that she was talking with or why she would publicly speak against us.
Thank You,
Scott Weimer
I got to admit, that was a pretty dumb move by T Lin Ho.
I recently met Linh and she struck me as a person that thoroughly thinks things through before opening her mouth. I trust that she had good reasons to speak up, more so if community members can’t have voting rights.
Art,
I think your support of Scott’s mischaracterization of Linh’s comments lacks journalistic integrity.
Scott is clearly invested in the GGDBA and would like to see all interactions with the council about downtown filtered through his organization. In his letter he implies that for anyone to have any say they must take the time to find out that to join the GGDBA they must go to the Bank of the West during their hours and pay whatever is required for an associate membership and then they can be a non-voting member. This is not how access to our local government and policy making organizations should be and I think that was all that Linh was trying to say. (That is strictly my opinion/guess, I haven’t spoken with her and don’t mean to speak for her).
I trust that Mr. Weimer and the other members of the GGDBA are good citizens and business people with the very best of intentions for the city. I don’t think Linh meant to (or did) criticize or impugn them or the GGDBA, but simply asked about representation for those that are not voting members of the GGDBA for whatever reasons.
Ken,
First of all, this is a blog, not a newspaper. We specialize in OPINION. And my early opinion of Tram Linh Ho is that she is young, inexperienced and I am concerned about the fact that she STILL has not disavowed the man you are running against, Van Tran. Plus she has yet to answer questions about her questionable youthful indiscretions.
It makes NO sense for Ho to trash the GGDBA without even trying to meet their members and leaders. It likewise makes NO sense for you to side with Ho when you are running for office in that area. Are you not interested in getting ANY votes from the members of the GGDBA? These are people of influence Ken. Wrong crowd to piss off.
I suppose you and Ho can console each other after the election is over…
Ken,
Once again, you are exhibiting a level of integrity that is tremendously refreshing. I admire your diplomacy and do not get the sense anyone will need to console you after you win the election.
Art, here’s my humble opinion: I believe the posts about Tram Linh Ho have been unfortunate, to say the least, and inflammmatory, to say the most. I wholeheartedly agree that readers’ “opinions” are important. In deference to the influence you may have on readers, however, I would also implore you to exercise caution in posting what appears to be unresearched rumors and innuendo.
Blogging has become an important source of information for many people who have tired of conventional newspapers. That said, I think you are burdened with a corresponding responsibility to ensure there are bases in fact in what is being posted. That includes inviting the subject of negative “publicity” to offer their perspective on what is being written. Did Ms. Linh Ho refuse such an offer?
I respect what has been accomplished on this blog; I appreciate the learning opportunities it has provided me. I also think it’s fair to express my opinion that those who post should exhibit reponsibility in making certain their writings don’t contain a level of salaciousness or bias that erode the entire blog’s credibility.
If it weren’t for the fact I recently met Tram Linh Ho, and was impressed by her, I might be swayed by your “opinions.” That makes me realize that those who haven’t met her could very well attach substantial import to your posts. Without affording her the opportunity to challenge or comment upon the veracity of Scott Weimer’s portrayal of her comments at the city council meeting, I’m finding this post and the inclusion of a dunce cap a wee bit offensive…
Longboobs,
What Ken is exhibiting is the tendency amongst OC Democrats to stick together no matter what. Remember how that worked out with Hoa Van Tran? Apparently that shameful episode has slipped your mind already.
Hoa NEVER bad-mouthed the slimey GOP Assemblyman Van Tran. Linh won’t either. Her Dad apparently is one of Tran’s contractors. I will express no confidence in Ho until she proves beyond a doubt that she is not a Trannie.
Furthermore, you all obviously don’t know Scott, who is a man of his word. Ho blew it by not talking to him first before going after him and his organization.
You can, I am told, watch Ho in action as the GG City Council meetings are archived online. Her mistake shall live on in online perpetuity.
Ok Art, I know your objective is to create discussion and keep people coming to and staying on the site. You do an excellent job of that by having so many diverse bloggers and participating readers. Perhaps many of your readers already ignore some of your bloggers because they have found they do not provide information from credible or worthwhile sources nor offer commentary that they find worthwhile, either as intelligent, knowledgeable and insightful or as just plain entertaining. I think you would like to have a strong and loyal personal readership as well as a successful website and business. When you had a smaller team and readership, I am sure you felt the need to post far more than you had time to properly research or validate and that by being more controversial you got more dialog from the readership that you did have. That is changing and you can adapt and be a more trusted voice on the site. You have built up the business and online community around the Juice. Consider being one of the responsible and trusted voices here. You have the knowledge, connections and talent. Let some of the others continue be irresponsible and/or outrageous, while you become the more trusted source that I think you are capable of, and that I hope part of you desires to be (even though it is often more fun to not be). .
Linh Ho’s discussion of three items at the City council meeting is at about 47minutes into the July 29 meeting video. I see nothing in what she says that justifies Scott’s comments. Sounds to me that she was just trying to be a helpful citizen and tried to pass on some concerns she had heard. Frankly, I am not fully up on Garden Grove politics. It has been about 30 years since I last lived in Garden Grove proper and until a few months ago I had no idea that I would be running for any office beyond those in the party and other clubs and organizations. My concerns before, like most Americans, were far more focused on economics, national and state government and international policy than governance of adjacent cities. I do not think I have yet met Mr. Weimer or the other members of the GGDBA. I hope to have that honor in the coming weeks. I would very much want to hear their concerns, issues, and views, most especially those that relate to state law, regulation and governance. As the businessmen and community leaders of much of the city, responsible for most of the success or failure of the downtown area, much of its appearance, the employment it offers, the sales tax revenue it brings in and much else, the members of the GGDBA should be and apparently are the most important and influential voice in the discussions about downtown policies. I am reasonably confident that the majority of the council members see it the same way, and the GGDBA members should therefore feel secure in their role and importance. However, that shouldn’t preclude other members of the public from being heard also. I personally read Mr. Weimer’s letter as an unnecessary defense of his organization, in that its power, influence or credibility were not being attacked. Others may read its being overly defensive as suggesting some insecurity in or problem within the organization. I personally would not make that assumption or judgment. Most likely it’s all just a small misunderstanding from the turn or tone of a phrase or two that started a series or reactions resulting eventually in the letter and then this long blog discussion. I respect and admire all the participants for their achievements, their concern for their city and their efforts on its behalf and I hope any misunderstandings are quickly resolved and forgotten for the sake of Garden Grove.
Art, I hope you get an opportunity soon to meet with Linh and discuss local governance and politics. I am confident that you will be very impressed with the range and depth of her knowledge and with her intellect. Certainly, you may see her as inexperienced, but so are most first time city council members – unless you count the experience of losing several campaigns before winning the seat. If you take an honest look at her experience, education and training I think you, like others, may find someone already far more qualified than many already serving on city councils around the county. Garden Grove could do worse than to have the benefit of her skills and service before she inevitably moves on to higher office. (Paul, I like you a lot and really wish you two were running for different offices or seats).
And yes, I would very much like to hear her condemn Van Tran and many of his votes, views, policies, actions and statements. He certainly has done and said much for people from all across the political spectrum to be highly critical of and seriously concerned about. I would hope that much of the Vietnamese community would start openly discussing their disappointments with and concerns about Van Tran. Art, I am sure that if you gave it some thought (and I am sure you have), you realize how difficult that is for anyone within the Vietnamese community to do publicly, especially for an aspiring politician. For all his many faults, and to my great chagrin, he was the first and still is the only member of the Vietnamese community to achieve elected office in the government of the largest state in our union. His initial election was a source of pride and accomplishment for the community. He therefore gets an amount of loyalty and a number of defenders within the community that is terribly out of proportion to anything he has earned through service or has shown himself worthy of. This makes it difficult for any public figure in the community to openly speak truth about him, even someone associated with the other party whose is running for a supposedly non-partisan seat. The Vietnamese community has many good leaders and some great talent coming in the younger generation that, in time, will make significant impact upon the nation. I am sure they will soon find the political confidence and maturity to admit electoral mistakes and openly criticize their candidates and elected officials. Not so much personally, but for the sake of the community, the state legislature and all the people of the district, county and state, I hope that comes very very soon. But I understand how difficult a challenge it is for those in an immigrant community that may still feel politically vulnerable to openly stand against their top elected official when they have so few. It is that minimally questioned loyalty in young immigrant communities that allows the type of machine politics that Van appears to be trying to build around himself. It is a sign of the political coming of age of an immigrant community when they throw off that type of politics.
I, as you, hope that Linh and many others in the community show the political courage to openly say what I know many say privately about Van Tran. (and to vote accordingly in November). The fact that they don’t or that some relative had some business dealings at some time, does not automatically make them a Trannie. Your requirement that all politicians must somehow prove to you that are not a “Trannie” to gain your trust and support is, as you know, a significant hurdle for most Vietnamese politicians.
Ken,
You got it! If Ho won’t speak up against Van Tran I am not interested. Van Tran is THE biggest problem in Little Saigon. He has been weakened and NOW is the time to take him and his goons out. If Ho doesn’t get that then she is not deserving of support.
I am far more confident that Andrew Do will stand up to the Trannies.
Now I do hope that Ho proves me wrong. But so far the silence is deafening.
Ken,
A very long and impassioned speech there. Kind of lost me a few times though.
Art,
I wouldn’t hold my breath on Lin Ho condemning van Tran, or even praising Janet Nguyen for that matter. Too much baggage on both sides.
Her remarks at the City Council Meeting were very confusing. As anyone who is in the least bit aware of events on Main Street in GG would tell you, the GGDBA, and Scott Weimer, have over the years worked diligently to make Main Street a lively vibrant hub of economic activity and entertainment for the City.
Lin Ho from what I hear spoke to one person who happens to be on the other side of the Main Street/ Steve Sheldon Condo issue. So basically she heard an impassioned point of view from one person on Main Street who happens to be outside the majority of opinion on the issue.
Lin Ho basically took the position of The Sheldon Group. A PR Firm owned and operated by Steve Sheldon. Son of Lou Sheldon, famous for the Melody land Church who basically made his fortune on vilifying the LGBT community and calling for the imprisonment and execution of the LGBT Community.
This is significant in that Lin Ho is as you know a Democratic candidate. In my humble opinion, Lin Ho in her haste to become aware of the issues spoke to the wrong person and falsely believed that that opinion was the majority mind set.
Unfortunately for her she was wrong on that point and it cost her dearly in support she could have gained from the GGDBA. In fact it drew the GGDBA’s ire as evidenced in the letter drafted by Scott Weimer.
Lin Ho should be very careful that this talk she gave at the GG City Council does not reach the radar of the LGBT Community that is aware of Steve Sheldons invovment in the Main Street Condo project This wold cost her dearly atthe Democratic Party level due to the hatred of Steve Sheldon and his Father by the LGBT Community.
TO all who wrote concerning Van Tran. I am so glad I read what you had to say about this man. I only have his fliers to go by. I do not know the man. I do know he went to Andy Quach’s aid in an accident Quach had, which I think is deplorable; being he took out quite a range of electric in Westminster! Kinda has a ring of Obama and his escapade here recently???
I am a registered Republican but will take another look at someone else come election time. I prefer to vote for someone who is circumspect, honorable, submissive, has character and integrity. Sadly,from your letters, it looks like Tran has none of these qualities.