Mayor and Council appear to come to the aid ...

[Rob Tucker]

I looked over the docs you sent me.  There is just enough there to be interesting but not enough to be satisfying.

Apparently there was a beef between Fred Blas and an S&L in 1993 over about $7,500 relating to a lease of equipment but there is no resolution of the dispute.

I know that in 1993 there was a recession in California and as I recall this was at the height of the Savings and Loan collapse.

So there is not much to gain here without knowing the resolution of the case except that there is evidence of Fred actually owning and operating a Firestone Tire dealership and being involved in a small legal action.

There is a single page document alluding to a bankruptcy filing with the word “closed” on it.

Not sure what to make of it all but $7,500 is not a large dispute.  Just somewhat over the limit for a small claims action which as I recall was $5,000 in those years  (I think California later raised the small claims limit to $10,000).

This seems somehow related to R.J. Hampton (Emily’s assistant) in my mind.  R.J. was complaining to me a few weeks ago that she couldn’t find anything on Fred and she made it sound like she was working real hard on it.  So it makes me wonder if you yourself are R.J. Hampton or if R.J. Hampton is the source of the docs.

But I will extend an invite to Fred to respond here....  I don’t think Fred spends much time on forums or blogs so we’ll just have to wait and see.

[Whitey]

Come on Paul, how do you disprove the court record! I have seen the documents! Many people have known that something was fishy with Fred Blas (who does not have his name on his own residence) for a long while. Proving it was another story. Now there is factual proof that he has not been telling the truth about his "business acumen" which he has used in his campaign. There have been statements during this campaign that infer at least Fred can read and understand the budget. I for one will not be relying on his abilities to read and understand the budget.

Why is this coming up so late in the day? I suppose because Fred thought he could get away with it. He is obviously comfortable putting forth inaccuracies about his past experience and leading voters to believe they are voting for a savvy businessman, when in reality his business was moved to bankruptcy (not a grade A or B in management). This is the biggest road block for me. The ability of a person to stand up and take responsibility for their actions, even if they are wrong or not popular, speaks to character. This aspect ensures this person can stand their ground for their beliefs and hold an unpopular position against an immoral majority. Maybe Fred should have taken this issue head-on and explained it and what he learned from the experience. That would have spoke volumes about character.

But don't worry, this information has probably come too late for the District 5 voters who are being duped!

[Rob Tucker]

Going negative this late in the election might just open a can of worms for Emily too. There are certainly things in her more recent past worthy of examination. Be careful what you wish for.

[John S. Rabi]

quote:

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Originally posted by Whitey
...leading voters to believe they are voting for a savvy businessman, when in reality his business was moved to bankruptcy (not a grade A or B in management).

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There are many many very successful and very well known businessmen in the world who have been through bankruptcy, many more than once. I'm sorry, but I kind of have a feeling this thread will become just like the vendetta thread against Guy Enriques.

Aloha,
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[rangster]

In your top post on this topic, you have no trouble slinging allegations of collusion, conspiracy, ineptness and anti-community [whatever that last one looks like, please enlighten us~ Mr. Tucker!]

The motion voted down was going to make things more expensive and difficult to manage. Finance management must remain flexible.

Your outspoken pity for Yagong is worrisome. I mean, you live in Puna, and claim to be a friend of Puna's future. Hamakua, has it's own issues and that's up to the people there to work with and through their representatives to ask for what they want. [an aside: meanwhile, Hamakua has a much higher ratio of playfields, when compared to the growing population of Puna.]

Maybe you could more fine tune the reasons for your spiteful behavior? You're looking mighty hypocritical regarding who does and does not care.

My guess is you have too much faith in the Stephens Media journalists? They have been spreading plenty of their own allegations this season.

[Whitey]

"There are many many very successful and very well known businessmen in the world who have been through bankruptcy, many more than once."

Yes John, I agree. However, they admit it, learn from it, and stand behind it! They do not paint it to be something that it is not!

That is the point!!! Not a vendetta, not a smear campaign. Just honesty no matter where it takes us!!!!

[Rob Tucker]

Relax B.W.,

I have my opinions, you have yours. I am not attacking you personally why do you feel it necessary to attack me personally?

[JerryCarr]

This last minute stuff has all the trappings a classic "October Surprise," except that it is too late and being rather ineptly handled. Is the worst you guys could find a $7500 dispute in the history of a Firestone franchise? Those places turn millions, and the only surprise is that there wasn't anything bigger. I also find it telling that this stuff is being posted anonymously without a full context by someone who will also make personal attacks. What does that tell us about the source? Nothing good.

[Whitey]

Geez Jerry - Do you suckle at Rob's tit?

Rob is understating the facts! The lawsuit was in the amount of $146,760 filed by TOPA Thrift & Loan against Fred Blas for default on equipment lease payments. The suit and exhibit documents clearly show a history of late payments and bounced checks. TOPA was seeking to repossess their equipment from Fred Blas because he quit paying for it. During the course of TOPA trying to recover their equipment, Fred Blas was not available for service, moved the equipment to another location, and they expressed concern he was attempting to sell the equipment to someone else. They finally recovered 4 items from the list of about 20. It appears a settlement was reached and Fred filed bankruptcy.

This is not contrived information - it is from the statement of facts of the lawsuit filed in San Diego, California.

I would think people who are interested in Puna's Future would want to know about this and would be asking questions, not just blowing it off.

I have questions about a District 5 candidate misrepresenting his past dealings; it poses grave concerns about his representation of future dealings.

[Rob Tucker]

Whitey, You are coming very close to a line not to cross here.

Statements of fact are not usually derived from a lawsuit's filed claims and filed defenses. Statements of fact are obtained from a judge's ruling and subject to appeal. Every plaintiff claim entering a suit is not fact, it is a plaintiff's claim. Every defendant claim or counter claim is not a fact, it is a defendant's claim or counter claim. And this is all seventeen years ago. Kids have been born and graduated from high school in that span of time.