Weeks after a highly critical column about him in The Bee, Fresno City Councilman Paul Caprioglio struck back.

Last month, columnist Marek Warszawski suggested Caprioglio should step aside before his term expires in January.

“Caprioglio seems to have gotten ‘lame duck’ confused with the old high school malady, ‘senioritis.’ Because by most indications, the 74-year-old has almost completely checked out,” Warszawski wrote.

‘Cap’ didn’t take kindly to the insult.

“He’s very, very naive. He doesn’t do his homework. He hasn’t looked at my history,” Caprioglio told Politics 101. “Rather than think of the negatives, let’s think of the positives.”

Caprioglio cited his work to bring a water treatment plant in southeast Fresno online, improve parking around the Fresno State campus, and this week’s start of an airport expansion project as examples of his contributions.

“So from half a billion (dollars), to a neighborhood and everything in between, I’ve touched,” Caprioglio said. “Even though I may not be an elected official, I will continue that commitment. I love my district. I’ve been here 44 years. I’m not giving up ever, ever.”

Also in Politics 101: 

• Caprioglio explains “phoning it in.”
• His thoughts on successor Tyler Maxwell.
• Dems Vote to Oust a Central Committee member.
• Fresno EOC seeking board candidates.

No Webcams For Caprioglio

Caprioglio has been criticized about the way he participates at city council meetings. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, City Hall chambers have been closed. Six of the council members participate via video teleconferencing.

Only one does not. Caprioglio phones it in, literally. And, he doesn’t plan to change.

“I’m very comfortable in my skin. I don’t need to be on screen. I don’t need to talk about every single issue. I don’t need to toot my own horn. I let my action speak much louder than anyone’s word on this council or previous council,” Caprioglio said.

Wishes Successor Well

After two terms and eight-plus years on the council — including an appointment as interim member in 2008, filling in during Larry Westerlund’s military duty — Caprioglio will be termed out in 2021.

Tyler Maxwell won election last March to succeed Caprioglio.

Even though he endorsed Nathan Alonzo in the race, Cap wished Maxwell well.

“I wish Tyler the best of luck. I’m willing to work with him and share the experiences I’ve had. Not (only) on the council, (but) just in life, just in life and how to handle things in people. To kind of get to where you want to go and the best way to do that,” Caprioglio said.

Day of Reckoning for Democratic Activist

Update, 9/02/2020, 9:50 p.m.: The Fresno County Democratic Party central committee voted to remove Emily Cameron from the board. The vote was made in closed session. No vote total was announced.

In reacting to the vote, Cameron on her Twitter page wrote “prepare for war, the tea will be spilled.”

Original story:

The Fresno County Democratic Party holds it central committee meeting on tonight. On the agenda is a recommendation to expel board member Emily Cameron.

Cameron faces 25 counts of violating party bylaws. She is accused of using her position for personal gain, as well as disparaging fellow members of the committee.

Cameron has taken to the internet defending herself. She believes the removal proceedings are in retaliation for her effort to ban the local party organization from taking political contributions from police unions.

The central committee says her complaints of “libel, slander, defamation, invasion of privacy, and other claims of wrongdoing … are false.”

The committee is composed of members elected by registered Democrats in a vote conducted by the county clerk during the 2020 primary. Cameron won a seat in the March election.

Cameron has set up a legal defense fund on GoFundMe, raising $346 of her $5,000 goal. She also has a petition of more than 70 supporters opposing her removal.

In order to be removed, two-thirds of the central committee members in attendance must support the motion. Cameron will have up to 30 minutes to plead her case.

The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Zoom registration can be found here.

Emily Cameron Documents

The following are documents regarding Emily Cameron’s removal proceedings.

Resolution of Removal

Letter from Cameron supporters, opposing removal

Rebuttal from Cameron

Fresno EOC Seeking Board Candidates

The Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission, the regional non-profit with its $131 million budget, is seeking candidates to run for seats on its board of directors.

The seats represent four designated areas in the county and candidates must live in that area. Up for election are areas B, C, F and H. A map of those districts can be found here.

The positions are currently held by Rey Leon, Daniel Parra, Misty Franklin and Linda Hayes respectively.

Fresno EOC handles millions in local, state and federal contracts to provide services such as COVID-19 relief, testing and contact tracing, Head Start and schooling options.

The deadline to run is Oct. 1. Fresno EOC handles its own elections, thus it requires a separate registration to vote which must be made by Nov. 18. The election itself ends Dec. 9, with ballots returned via mail or in-person only.

More details on the election and other qualifications to run can be found here.

Fresno EOC will hold a virtual “open house” on Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. via video teleconferencing.