READERS RESPOND -- What’s in a name?

We all should be grateful that Councilman Chris Steel was voted a seat

on the Costa Mesa City Council. If he had not been, his rival Michael

Szkaradek might have won the seat, and that would have been quite

unfortunate.

Szkaradek has proven to be a rather vindictive fellow. Angry with both

his loss to the City Council and particularly opposed to Steel’s

philosophical views, Szkaradek became a one-man demolition team to

undermine his former opponent.

It is sad, and a little frightening, to know a man would be willing to

ruin another’s career, potentially cause him to go to prison for three

years and intentionally disrupt a city council.

Hopefully, our justice system will vindicate Steel after considering

“the intent of the law” was not violated.

ANGELA GALLAGHER

Costa Mesa

Isn’t it interesting that Janice Davidson, who has been foaming at the

mouth over illegal immigrants by insisting that the letter of the law be

followed in regard to Latino immigrants, now wants her friend Chris Steel

to be let off the hook for committing a felony? Why the double standard,

Davidson?

The law is the law. Isn’t it?

PEG MORITA

Costa Mesa

As a resident of Costa Mesa since 1952 -- 38 years in the same house,

so you know I’m not a newcomer -- this is overkill on Chris Steel. In my

opinion, this attorney has had a vendetta against Steel since 1986. I am

not a legal person, but is this a premeditated harassment? I don’t know.

It’s like a pit bull; I don’t think he’ll ever let go. I wonder if he

had been turned loose on the City Council for the past 15 years, what

mistakes he would have come up with that other people make. How about a

police officer following any one of us around town for that long. I’ll

bet he would have a bunch of violations to write up about us.

Then the Daily Pilot does nothing but bury Steel with its nasty

cartoons and one-sided articles you print about Steel. As I said before,

I think I’m not an attorney, however I am not the 70-IQ public that the

major news networks have brainwashed to the left, politically, in the

past 40 years.

RON STAUGAARD

Costa Mesa

There seems to be no question that the signature is invalid. Now, do

we disenfranchise all the voters who voted Steel in?

Do we lose the precious diversity he brings to the council? Is not

Richard Noack (the man who forged his wife’s signature) guilty of a crime

as well?

We must punish him also if we go after Steel. It is not as if Steel

stole any votes in order to win. How about an amnesty deal here?

JIM FISLER

Costa Mesa