Police say they caught a friend of Gilbert Councilwoman Linda Abbott removing signs that accused Abbott's husband of stealing other campaign signs.
Roberta "Bobbi" Smith, who serves on the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce's board of directors, was cited by Gilbert police on Wednesday for removing a sign from the area of Civic and Palm streets. Smith is a friend of Abbott's, according to Gilbert police.
The signs, which say "Shame on Gilbert," or, "If you can read this sign, Tom Abbott (Linda Abbott's husband) has not taken it yet," have been placed around town by Gilbert resident Steve Johnson, who is not running for office, but is reportedly interested in Tuesday's election. Johnson also had a website criticizing Gilbert Town Council members.
It wasn't known how many signs were removed, but police discovered 12 in the back of Smith's van, according to Sgt. Bill Balafas, a Gilbert police spokesman.
Police said that Smith removed the signs because she didn't like the message on them.
There was no indication that anything was wrong with Johnson's signs, Balafas said.
Abbott could not be reached for comment.
gilbertwatchdog posted at 10:58 pm on Fri, May 20, 2011.
"you and all your loser friends will get to eat crow on May 17. Sit down and get ready for some pie, open wide" - ivotetoo, May 15th
So gee ivotetoo, what happened? Not only did your bff Linda Abbott lose, so did BOTH of her tax and spend forever council members!
Looks like all those "losers", you know - the voters that wanted local politicians to be actually fiscally accountable to the people, simply decided to show up and let Gilbert's town council know they didn't want more years of tax and spend after all.
Don't worry, though, it looks like Linda and company will continue to spend taxpayer money during their final days in office. Perhaps some of that "free" grant money will make it's way to your little corner of the parallel universe you're living in.
gilbertwatchdog posted at 10:55 pm on Fri, May 20, 2011.
"you and all your loser friends will get to eat crow on May 17. Sit down and get ready for some pie, open wide" - ivotetoo, May 15th
So gee ivotetoo, what happened? Not only did your bff Linda Abbott lose, so did BOTH of her tax and spend forever council members!
Looks like all those "losers", you know - the voters that wanted local politicians to be actually fiscally accountable to the people, simply decided to show up and let Gilbert's town council know they didn't want more years of tax and spend after all.
Don't worry, though, it looks like Linda and company will continue to spend taxpayer money during their final days in office. Perhaps some of that "free" grant money will make it's way to your little corner of the parallel universe you're living in.
gilbertwatchdog posted at 2:13 pm on Tue, May 17, 2011.
So let me see if I got this straight.....
ivotetoo (which is why we should start insisting on mandatory IQ tests before voting, getting married, or having children is allowed), first accuses me of being some woman named Anita (I am not, nor have I ever knowingly even met the lady in question), makes silly remarks about legal signs (that she feels should be illegal), talks about pies, and thinks Petersen and Ray are the ones who are "nuts"?
This lady is not only playing with no face cards in her deck, I doubt there are many high numbers left either.
ivotetoo posted at 7:56 am on Tue, May 17, 2011.
azconan, it is called democracy and people have a say in who represents them, thousands of us are hoping it is not the nuts Petersen and Ray.
azconan posted at 2:18 pm on Mon, May 16, 2011.
If the good citizens of Gilbert, of which i am one, re-elect those thieves currently on the council, incudling Abbott, you guys are nuts ! The land deal they made alone is enough to make them get impeached , let alone re-elected ! They cost our city millions ! Theyre so tied in bed with the unions they might as well have jobs in their organizations, but maybe they do ! As for those signs, its AMERICA. You may not like something but that doesnt give you the right to remove it. I want every citizen in this city to vote them out ! All three of the thieves !
ivotetoo posted at 3:55 pm on Sun, May 15, 2011.
Dear Anita,
You are a sad pathetic woman hiding behind your computer throwing the mud. You have made no contribution to Gilbert. You are well over 60+ did not raise your children in our town, don't value education, parks or public safety. The signs your supporters are putting up are lies and are illegal and it will be proven in court. In the meantime you and all your loser friends will get to eat crow on May 17. Sit down and get ready for some pie, open wide.
gilbertwatchdog posted at 10:38 pm on Fri, May 13, 2011.
I think it's a good bet that Ms. Roberta "Bobbi" Smith will never receive the same level of punishment for her illegal actions that any one of Linda Abbott's detractors would if they were caught doing the same thing, as Linda has many contacts within town government that will, in all likelyhood, take great care that Bobbi Smith will receive every possible legal break.
Consider this, here's a woman (Bobbi Smith) that's caught red-handed by Gilbert Police committing the crime (and admits to it) and a former Gilbert Town Councilmen (Don Skousen) rushes to:
a) talk with her (Bobbi Smith), and
b) manages to issue what amounts to a press release for Bobbi Smith (that tries to justify her illegal actions)
I imagine that if a "normal" citizen were being interviewed by Gilbert Police (before being arrested) and a "normal" bystander (in place of a former Gilbert Council member) decided to intervene into the situation that Gilbert PD might have ended up putting two of them in the back of the car, but perhaps I'm reading too much into the situation.
Skousen also told the AZ Republic that "he (Skousen) feels the negative signs are slanderous and that Smith made "a mistake in judgment because she (Bobbi Smith) was infuriated with these idiots."
First, Mr. Skousen is entitled to his opinion. Unfortunately, neither he nor Bobbi Smith understand that basic constitutional right of free speech. Ms. Abbott's detractors, and there are many to be sure, have absolutely every constitutional right to their opinions regarding Ms. Abbott's qualifications (or lack thereof) for any public office.
Mr. Skousen should also be keenly aware that claiming that the detractors (to Ms. Abbott's campaign) are "idiots" is quite possibly both slanderous and libelous as well (since he was well aware that his statement would be quoted and printed), and since the Gilbert Police Department on scene had no trouble contacting the owner of the politcal signs in question (meaning that they were legal political signs). Thus the only reason Ms. Bobbi Smith actually had (in illegally removing the signs) was that she didn't like the political message contained on the signs. Fortunately for the rest of Gilbert, Ms. Bobbi Smith is not in charge of Gilbert's Sign Police.
Second, Linda Abbott's defenders rail against those that point out undisputed facts about her town council record, ignoring that Ms. Abbott's record is out there for all to see (if only they wish to look). I have not seen (or heard) anyone that's made fun of Ms. Abbott personally, or what she looks like, or what clothes she wears, etc., etc. - no, every issue has been about her voting record, which is how it should be during an election.
Ms. Bobbi Smith may think Linda Abbott walks on water (and that's her right to have that opinion), but others also have the same right to believe that she doesn't, and the right to point out what they consider many past costly mistakes within her voting and spending record, plus political statements that simply weren't true (like laying off dozens of Gilbert Fire and Police if Prop 406's tax increase wasn't passed). For the record, Prop 406 was sounded defeated and Gilbert didn't lay off a single member of either Gilbert's Police or Fire Department.
That's called democracy folks, and if your candidate can't take it, both she and her husband (if the allegations of him being photographed outside Town Hall also illegally removing campaign signs are true), should get out of the race.