In Scottsdale even winners apparently whine too.
After the Scottsdale Mayor’s “Laneslide” victory Tuesday night and subject council election results the Arizona Republic and Parker Leavitt properly interviewed candidates for a story.
Expectedly Bob Littlefield didn’t congratulate Lane on a race well run. Indeed, he still to this day hasn’t had the class to call with congratulations. Littlefield carped about not having the resources to compete with Lane even though he had had them to win all of his other races in Scottsdale. Maybe it had to do with calling the city’s business leaders “scumbags” and warning all in the business community “you should fear me.” Littlefield even included a missive on one of his mailers talking about all the “dark money” Lane was receiving in the race. That was a lie. Lane didn’t benefit from a dime of such support. That Littlefield couldn’t raise sufficient money speaks to his own deficiencies. After all, Hugh Hallman ran for Mayor of Tempe in 2004 without taking a single contribution with those having interests before the City Council and won in an upset over the establishment candidate. Sound familiar? Littlefield just couldn’t get it done.
Similarly, council victor Guy Phillips also lamented “dark money” in his race – it was limited – confusing what the Realtors Association did in support of his opponents. Their support was fully transparent, listing the source of the money used on their mail pieces.
Note to Littlefield and Phillips: dark money is anonymous. Get your facts and terms straight before casting aspersions. In the case of Littlefield it’s par for the course but in the case of Phillips it undermines his impressive re-election accomplishment. Be a guy who’s a grateful winner not a whiner.